Why is Royal Albert hall the milestone every respected artist wants to achieve

Royal Albert hall has been a home to all the types of exquisite events throughout the past 150 years. Its gorgeous facade graces South Kensington, London, and its rich history of events, of which it holds more than 350 annually, can impress most of the music lovers.

Fluted aluminium roof and diffuser discs in the main hall have become the знаковими елементами of the Royal Albert Hall’s impressive being. Originally there were 135 mushroom diffusers made by the Yorkshire Fibreglass Company but in 2001, following more advanced acoustic testing by Peutz Associates, 50 of them were removed and the remaining 85 were reconfigured. It all was made to get rid of annoying echo.

The capacity is not quite big nowadays, slightly over 5000 people, although it used to be bigger. As a charity building, the Royal Albert Hall operates as a hall for hire. It's had epic costume balls and concerts to raise money. Generally, it costs £16,000 to rent the hall, which makes it not very profitable for artists bearing in mind the capacity. In addition, a quarter of its 5,272 seats are the property of the 316 successors and heirs of the original subscribers who funded its establishment in 1867.

So what makes top performers fight for performing in Royal Albert hall? The most significant of the reasons to that is the status of the musical venue. Throughout the years Albert hall has hosted unique performances by Elton John in 1974, which was a pivotal moment in his career, David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust concert in 1972, The Royal Wedding Concert in 2011 with numerous of British artists, and especially The Last Night of the Proms, held annually.

The Proms began in 1895, with the Last Night traditionally celebrated since the early 20th century. It has evolved over the years into a grand finale that draws huge audiences both in the hall and through broadcasts around the world. Recently, Florence and the Machine has had an opportunity to perform their critically-acclaimed debut record “Lungs” in full there with Jules Buckley Orchestra dedicating it to the decade anniversary of the album. The Guardian called “Symphony of Lungs” “one crescendo of ecstasy after another”; Rolling Stone UK said the following: “Florence Welch and her Machine boldly underscores the impact she has made on popular music with bewildering magic", while Independent mentioned “tonight the album’s depth and ambition is clear for all to see”. As a result, “Symphony of Lungs” was released on streaming platform with announcing the physical formats for early next year. That night in the Royal Albert hall has shown the cultural effect of the band and cemented their records as one among the of historical role for British rich music scene.

Another stellar performance to be remembered and revised is Adele’s performance of her first two albums 19 and 21 in 2011. The subsequent release of the DVD was a massive hit, breaking the record for the most weeks spent at number one in the United States for a music DVD by a female artist, and has sold more than three million copies worldwide. Royal Albert Hall gave the performance a special glimpse, making Adele a living legend, at that time at least in the UK.

Many groundbreaking events have taken place there, not only rises, but also some (temporary) falls. When Bob Dylan performed two concerts in the Hall in 1966, he arrived amid a storm of controversy as for his shift from acoustic to electric music. In an attempt to appease both sides, Dylan played the first half of his set acoustically and then brought out a full band for the second half. However, it was to no avail; he was interrupted throughout the entire performance.

One of the recent big events was Dua Lipa’s night at Royal Albert Hall, where she performed all tracks from her third album “Radical Optimism” to universal acclaim. Something quite unusual for the artist, whose concerts usually contain an intensive dance routine.

The venue might not be the best place to host a big crowd, but it’s definitely all about music in its purest form, with live instruments, showing the vulnerable side of singers and giving their appreciators a chance to have a unique experience. That is why the Royal Albert Hall is a dream of many musicians.