Live music back on road to Wembley.

Two of the biggest venues in London - the new Wembley and The O2 Arena - are soon to open to music fans. In the first of two features, MW examines Wembley's prospects

by Gordon Masson

After a seven-year hiatus, Wembley Stadium finally makes its return as a music venue this weekend when George Michael brings his 25 Live tour to London for a two-date stopover.

Having hosted concerts since 1972 - the most recent being Bon Jovi in 2000 - the venue now looks set to transform the city's concert offering following a dramatic redevelopment that has seen the famous twin towers making way for a massive steelwork arch that dominates the north London skyline.

"There's absolutely nothing that remains from the old stadium, so making comparisons is futile," says Jim Frayling, head of music at the stadium. "The delay system we've installed, for example, is a huge improvement; it can link into each production's sound requirements and can be controlled from the sound desk."

With the stadium costing more than #757m and opening more than a year behind schedule, Wembley's troubles have been widely reported.

In that respect it shares a checkered past with the Millennium Dome, although the latter could rightly argue that its reputation was sullied by the original incarnation of the venue, rather than its transformation into The O2.