Remember those roaring crowds? They have filled the \u00d6VB-Arena for decades. This arena is Bremen’s largest indoor venue. It hosts concerts, sports, and trade fairs. But it wasn’t always called \u00d6VB-Arena.
Originally, it was known as Stadthalle Bremen. That name lasted from its opening in 1964 until 2004. In January 2005, a financial services provider bought the naming rights. It became the AWD-Dome. Funny enough, it is not a dome. There was already an AWD-Arena in Hannover. So, “Dome” was chosen.
Big changes came with the new name. Fifty million euros were invested. The \u00d6VB-Arena was modernized. Its capacity jumped from 3,500 to 14,500 seats. Architect Thomas Klumpp oversaw these renovations.
The AWD sponsorship ended in 2009. It was renamed Bremen-Arena on January 1, 2010. Finally, on September 11, 2011, it became the \u00d6VB-Arena.
Austrian architect Roland Rainer designed and built it. Construction lasted from 1961 to 1964. The original cost was 28 million Deutschmarks.
The \u00d6VB-Arena has seen many exciting events. The Six Days of Bremen have been held here every January since 1965. Queen played here during The Game Tour on November 31, 1980.
KISS played here on their Psycho Circus Tour on March 12, 1999. The fire marshal forbade pyrotechnics. KISS ignored the ban. They set off all their pyro at once. KISS was banned from Bremen afterwards.
The AWD-Dome hosted the 2007 World Men’s Handball Championship. Depeche Mode has performed here many times. They played when it was still Stadthalle Bremen. They also played November 1, 2009. This was during their Tour of the Universe. They returned December 3, 2013. A sold-out crowd of 11,949 saw their Delta Machine Tour.
So, the \u00d6VB-Arena is more than just a building. It is a landmark of Bremen. It is a place filled with history. It is a place of great memories. It is an ever-evolving story.