Penang is setting its sights on becoming the new destination of choice for concerts in Malaysia, rivalling KL and Genting Highlands’s Arena of Stars. Currently, the Setia SPICE Arena is the go-to venue for concerts in the state. The multipurpose indoor arena, an impressive 33,000 sq ft of uninterrupted space, can comfortably seat a crowd of 10,000.
“The arena is fitted with terrace sitting and is protected from the whims of the weather; concert-goers won’t have to worry if it’s too hot or be concerned about heavy downpours,” says Yeoh Kheng Ho, the head of Setia SPICE Convention Centre.
There is just one problem, however: the arena is almost always fully booked. “Out of 52 weekends of the year, most are reserved for consumer fairs like baby and food expos, as well as home and furniture, travel and technology fairs; with the exception of days coinciding with festival celebrations. For these available slots, we try to approach concert organisers to host concerts in Penang.”
