Hotels for JAŸ-Z

Stadium hip-hop and R&B on this scale is a rare thing, and a Thursday night slot means the crowd arrives straight from work and school, turning the evening into a proper mid-week escape rather than a weekend blowout. Expect a career-spanning set built for a huge bowl: big screens, pyrotechnics, and choruses roared back at the stage by tens of thousands of voices.

Doors open well before the headline act, so early arrivals get the ritual of watching the stadium fill from empty to full. Bring something to keep warm once the September sun drops.

France's national stadium, the Stade de France in Saint-Denis just north of Paris hosts football and rugby internationals, cup finals and the very biggest stadium concerts. The surrounding area is urban and busy, geared to moving huge crowds, with central Paris a short train ride away. RER lines and the Métro serve stations right beside the stadium, linking swiftly into the city. Booking a room near a convenient RER stop, or centrally in Paris, makes reaching the ground and returning afterwards straightforward.