Hippodrome de Pantin
Hippodrome de Pantin, also called the Nouvel Hippodrome de Paris, was a permanent circus-style tent venue located in the Parc de la Villette near the Porte de Pantin Métro stop in north-eastern Paris. It was constructed in 1974[1] as the Paris home of the Jean Richard Circus, and in that period, was known as the Nouvel Hippodrome de Paris.[2] The Hippodrome featured a faux neo-classical front and a yellow and blue big-top canopy.[3] It could seat approximately 3,500 people.[2] In 1980 subsequent to the closing of the nearby Pavillon de Paris, the Hippodrome also hosted numerous musical performances, especially touring rock bands. In 1982, the Jean Richard Circus ceased operations, and the Hippodrome was demolished in order to be replaced on the same site by a larger, concert-specific space. The new concert venue, the Zenith de Paris, opened in 1983.
Performance chronology
- 1977: Chicago (4 Feb)
- 1979: Status Quo (17 Feb), Scorpions (28 Mar)
- 1980: The Allman Brothers Band and KISS (27 Sep)
- 1981: Stray Cats (date unknown), James Brown (26 Jan), Johnny Hallyday (24 Mar), The Clash (8 May), Status Quo (18 May), Grateful Dead(17 Oct) Genesis (19-20 Oct), Sean Tyla and Pat Benatar (25 Oct)
- 1982: Roxy Music (date unknown), Stray Cats (7 Feb), Frank Zappa (19 May), Téléphone (4 Nov), New York City Rap (special touring ensemble of rap artists) (27 Nov), Rainbow (28 Nov)
- 1983: Eric Clapton (24 Apr)
