Wembley Park and Getty Images Gallery present Heroes – The Exhibition

Heroes – The Exhibition exploring 60 years of The SSE Arena, Wembley as London’s iconic music venue, opens to the public on Thursday 28 November as the second of a yearlong programme of exhibitions presented by the curatorial team at Getty Images Gallery. Sourced from the world-renowned Getty Images’ archival and contemporary libraries, it will feature over 100 photographs of artists at London’s iconic music and live entertainment venue. From The Beatles and The Rolling Stones in the 1960s, to present day chart-toppers Kendrick Lamar, Queens of the Stone Age and The Prodigy. The exhibition will showcase The SSE Arena, Wembley’s rich history and the many famous artists who have graced its stage.
Key photography features performances by the genre-defining David Bowie and Leonard Cohen; the first headline rock show performed by T-Rex; the band holding the record for the most rock performances, Status Quo; Alice Cooper, who has so far performed in every decade since the 1960s; the female performer with the most performances, Whitney Houston; American pop superstar Prince, who played 35 concerts at the venue; iconic performances by Queen; and more recent performances by chart topping acts such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Rhianna. Alongside photography of era-defining concerts, the exhibition showcases behind-the-scenes imagery from sound checks to crowd interaction, photocalls and artists leaving their handprints in the Wembley Park’s famous ‘Square of Fame’.

The exhibition features the work of renowned music photographer Michael Putland, who photographed five decades of music, and both former and current Getty photographers Dave Hogan and Brian Rasic. Bringing to life the story behind the images, The SSE Arena, Wembley’s Vice President and General Manager John Drury’s personal stories and anecdotes add a personal touch to iconic concerts from its historic programme.

Presented in a variety of formats, Heroes – The Exhibition will present the venue’s musical history in a relaxed format enabling music fans to experience concerts in a more in-depth and engaging way. All photography is available to buy from Getty Images Gallery.