Connexin Live: New name for Hull’s top live entertainment venue
‘A FANTASTIC FIT’: The newly branded Connexin Live venue in Myton Street
By Simon Bristow
Hull’s premier live entertainment venue begins a new era today after being renamed Connexin Live.
Formerly known as the Bonus Arena, the 3,500-capacity venue in Myton Street has been rebranded Connexin Live as part of a multi-year deal with the Hull-based technology firm Connexin.
It continues to be managed and operated by ASM Global, the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences, venue management and event strategy.
“It’s never been more important to support our hometown!” said Connexin co-founder and CEO Furqan Alamgir on the opening of Connexin Live this morning.
Connexin, which has committed to a five-year principal partnership with the venue, was recently named one of the fastest growing businesses in the Northern Tech Awards, and celebrated reaching its 25,000th customer earlier this year. It offers ultrafast broadband, Smart Places and IoT (internet of things) solutions, and digital skills training.
Hull’s Olympic boxing hero Luke Campbell, Connexin’s brand ambassador, attended the official launch celebration along with Furqan and fellow Connexin co-founder Alex Yeung, and venue management.
As the new signage was being installed to the exterior of the landmark building, Paul Savage, Head of Sales and Marketing at Connexin Live, told the gathering: “Today marks the start of a new chapter, which we are really excited about.”
He also thanked the people of Hull for their “amazing response” to the venue since it opened five years ago, and then presented Furqan with a red microphone in a transparent case to mark the occasion.
‘HUGELY EXCITING’: Furqan Alamgir, left, Connexin co-founder and CEO, with Luke Campbell at today’s launch
Furqan later told The Hull Story: “Personally, it’s hugely exciting – my kids are here, which says it. One of the things I love about the venue is there are lots of family shows and that’s something we’d like to do more of.
“I think the company that we are, we want to do exciting things and this is certainly one of them. This opportunity came along and we took it. This helps us solidify our position as a company and allows us to give something back to the community.”
Luke said: “This is a huge statement from Connexin to say they are a huge presence in Hull and they are only going to get bigger and better. It’s one of the best businesses I’ve been involved with in my career. These guys are different, they really want to give something back to Hull.
“You want to surround yourself with good people, positive people, people that inspire, and Alex and Furqan really do that.”
Sam Ryder, General Manager at Connexin Live, said: “We are delighted to form this new partnership with a hugely successful and ambitious company in Connexin. The venue has proved to be an incredible success over the last five years, bringing hundreds of thousands of people to Hull and East Yorkshire to see iconic, world-class artists.
“I am looking forward to working alongside Connexin over the next few years and making many more memories at Connexin Live.”
Furqan said: “Through our products, services and partnerships, we are proud to connect people to the things they love. While high profile sponsorships such as this one will help us grow our brand awareness, they also enable us to share our success with the community, without whom our growth would never have been possible.
“And if you are one of our customers, we have lined up a series of exclusive treats for you, right here in Connexin Live. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Connexin Live and ASM for their hard work making this partnership possible.”
CHANGE: The new signage being installed
Chris Bray, ASM Global Europe President, said: “From all at ASM Global, a very warm welcome to Connexin. We have an incredible portfolio of venues here in the UK, located in thriving parts of the country.
“Both Connexin and the venue have a real shared resonance with Hull, and passion for the city, making this new naming rights partnership a fantastic fit. We have bold and exciting plans for Connexin Live so it’s our pleasure to have the Connexin team joining us on this journey, innovating and elevating the live entertainment experience for all.”
Connexin Live signage is being added to the arena this week. The first concert to take place in the newly-named venue will be by superstar Sean Paul, on Tuesday, August 8, followed by Noel Gallagher on August 30 with tickets on sale now.
Also this year, fans will be treated to an array of talent including Jimmy Carr (Oct 21), Mrs Brown’s Boys (Oct 27 and 28), Russell Howard (Nov 25 and 26) and Donny Osmond (Nov 28). Confirmed acts for 2024 include Bowling For Soup, Michael McIntyre, Sarah Millican, Diversity, and Bluey, with many more to be announced in coming weeks.
The venue is a state-of-the-art music and events complex, attracting large corporate conferences, exhibitions and trade tours as well as major touring concerts, stand-up comedy, family shows and sporting events, to Hull.
Since opening its doors in 2018 with sold out performance by music legend Van Morrison, the venue has played host to some of the world’s biggest artists and shows, including Bob Dylan, Stereophonics, Sean Paul, Sarah Millican, Tom Grennan, WWE Live, Jack Whitehall, Blondie, Bryan Adams, Paloma Faith, Romesh Ranganathan and more – welcoming 200,000 visitors in 2022 alone.
More than half a million tickets have been purchased since 2018, with 327 hosted ticketed events since opening. In 2022, the venue was ranked 51st busiest Arena in Europe as part of the Pollstar rankings, marking the first time the venue cracked the prestigious top 100. It was also rated by Billboard magazine as one of the top 20 venues to watch in the world in 2019.
Follow Connexin Live on social media @connexinlive and visit www.connexinlivehull.com for more information.