Some 50,000 fans will get to see one of the biggest bands of the last 20 years after councillors gave the go-ahead for a massive homecoming concert.
Kasabian, Leicester’s most successful band, have been granted a licence for a huge mid-summer gig in the city’s Victoria Park.
The group played a historic concert in the same park back in 2016 after their beloved Leicester City won the Premier League.
Formal permission for the 2020 concert has now been granted despite police saying they witnessed ‘levels of drunkenness unlike anything they had ever seen before in their careers’ at an earlier, 2014, Kasabian concert there.
Tickets for Solstice II, which takes place on Saturday June 20, sold out in minutes several weeks ago – before permission had been granted.
But after a four hour meeting on Friday, promoters Live Nation were told the mega-gig could go ahead.
Police had called for the council to set a 9pm curfew after a crush at Leicester’s train station following the 2014 concert.
Nigel Rixon, police licensing manager, relayed a colleague’s account of what happened to councillors.
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He said: “He said that a crush began when the doors (of the train station) were closed, people were stood shoulder to shoulder, there was dangers of people being pushed on to the platform, dangers on the stairs and the danger of crushing outside.
“He believes that serious injury or death could have occurred.”
He said resources had been stretched and feared “history will repeat itself”.
Lobbying the committee, he said: “The crowd that follow Kasabian are hard-drinking men. That’s the issue.”
Residents living nearby said their homes were “rendered uninhabitable” on the day of the 2014 gig
They said: “In 2014 the noise prevented enjoyment of everyday activities like watching TV, reading a book or even having a conversation.
“The only option was to leave the area.”
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Some 18 representations were made to the licensing committee with people complaining about people urinating in the streets and gardens, anti-social behaviour and noise nuisance.
Lengthy discussions were held during the meeting about the maximum levels on the day of the gig.
Phil Cryer, lawyer for Live Nation, said: “Leicester has a great sporting and cultural history, Kasabian are local boys, they played on Victoria Park before they performed on the international stage.
“What they have asked is that they can again perform in their home town.
“I address Mr Rixon’s point, finishing earlier the crowd may well get away, but they will leave unsatisfied.
“11pm is a recognised time for an event to finish, a time when people are happy to go home.
“This is about one and a half hours, when they haven’t played there for six years, we say that is reasonable, we can’t promise there will be no disturbance but we see it as reasonable.”
The licensing committee granted permission for the event to take place with a list of strict conditions.
They agreed on a 73 decibel noise limit, rather than the 75 db level requested.
The finish time was set at 10.30pm.
Kasabian have had five 海角视频 number one albums to their name and have sold more than 5.5 million albums worldwide.
They have won a Brit, seven NME awards, four Q Awards and have headlined Glastonbury Festival, as well as V Festival, T in the Park, Reading and Leeds Festival and numerous festivals worldwide.
Previously guitarist Serge Pizzorno said: “We’re absolutely buzzing to be able to put on Solstice II in our home town of Leicester.
“Anyone who came last time would know how special it was and to get the opportunity to do it again is beyond a dream.”