How superstar Rod opened the doors to 5.2m fans

The SSE Hydro opened on the banks of the Clyde on September 30, 2013 with a performance by Rod Stewart.

In its first year it welcomed

1.5 million visitors, hosting 147 events including gymnastics and netball at the Commonwealth Games four years ago.

There have now been 5.2m visitors inside the spaceship-like building, designed by Foster + Partners, taking in 639 performances.

In 2017, the Hydro was the fourth-busiest venue in the world after London’s O2, Madison Square Garden in New York and the Manchester Arena.

Since opening, hungry and thirsty concert-goers have enjoyed 490,000 soft drinks, 750,000 glasses of wine and 72,000 pizzas. There have also been two million pints pulled.

Last year, Celine Dion became the highest-grossing artist to perform at the venue while hard-rocking Metallica topped previous attendance records with an audience of 12,935.

The arena has also been lit up in a dazzling array of colours for charitable causes and notable campaigns.

It turned red, white and blue in solidarity with France after the Paris attacks, and carried the colours of the South African flag after the death of Nelson Mandela.

Glasgow’s booming Finnieston neighbourhood, where the Hydro sits, has reaped the benefits with many upmarket restaurants and bars opening up in recent years. TheHydro has received numerous awards, including the Scottish Property Award for Architectural Excellence, The 2014 RICS Scotland Award for Best Project – Tourism and Leisure, Scottish Style’s Most Stylish Venue award and Glasgow Institute of Architects’ Supreme Award.