MTV Europe Video Awards
The 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) were held in Rome, Italy, on November 18, 2004.
The 2004 EMAs in Rome had an incredibly ambitious production, split across two main locations.
Here are the specific details about the production and the "Valhalla" structure you asked about.
The Dual-Venue Production
Instead of a single arena, the 2004 EMAs used two distinct venues:
The Main Awards Show (Tor di Valle): This is where the main ceremony, hosting, awards, and several performances took place. It was held at the Tor di Valle Racecourse, which required a massive, temporary venue to be constructed from scratch.
The Colosseum Stage: A second, enormous, free concert stage was built directly in front of the Colosseum, the iconic Roman landmark. This stage hosted performances for a massive public audience, estimated at over 400,000 people. These performances (like Anastacia and Franz Ferdinand) were broadcast as part of the main show.
The custom-built arena at the Tor di Valle racecourse was not just any tent; it was a record-holding mega-structure.
Official Name: It was called the Valhalla Tensile 1.
Designer: The structure was a "10-pole version" of the Valhalla, designed by "Master Tentmaker" Rudi Enos.
World Record Holder: At the time, the Valhalla was the world's largest portable membrane structure. It had previously earned a Guinness World Record in 2000 for being the 'Largest Portable Event Venue'.
Massive Scale: The structure was immense, providing over an acre of staging (over 4,000 square meters).
Capacity: It was built to hold 6,000 audience members for the awards ceremony.
Production Load: The tent was engineered to handle the immense weight of a full-scale arena production. For the 2004 EMAs, the production crew suspended 88,000 kilograms (194,000 lbs) of lighting, sound, and video equipment from its ceiling.
- MTV Europe Awards - Roma 2004
- 6,500 seated, 2,000 standing
- 1 acre of staging
- 88,000 kilograms of lighting and rigging suspended from the roof
- 8 million dollars – one night
In short, MTV built one of the largest and most complex temporary venues in the world at a racecourse, while simultaneously running a massive rock concert in front of one of the world's most famous historical monuments.
The "Valhalla" was not just a tent; it was a ground-breaking piece of mobile architecture and a central part of what made the 2004 Rome EMAs so unique.
The Valhalla Tensile 1: A "Mobile Stadium"
The structure used at the Tor di Valle racecourse was officially named the Valhalla Tensile 1. It was designed by Rudi Enos of Special Structures Lab and was, at the time, the Guinness World Record holder for the 'World's Largest Portable Structure'.
Its name was inspired by the "Hall of the Gods" from Norse mythology, and its scale was fitting. It was less of a tent and more of a modular, mobile stadium.
Design and Specifications
Structure Type: It is a "tensile membrane structure," meaning the roof is made of a high-tech fabric (a PVC-coated polyester) pulled into shape by the tension from massive steel masts (poles) and cables.
Masts: The full version of the Valhalla can use up to 20 masts, each one standing 24 meters (80 feet) tall and weighing 3 tonnes. The 2004 EMA setup was a 10-pole version.
Dimensions: The complete Valhalla structure is enormous: 86 meters wide x 160 meters long x 25 meters high (282 ft x 600 ft x 82 ft). For the EMAs, it was configured to create over an acre (4,000+ square meters) of stage and floor space to accommodate the 6,000-person audience.
Self-Erecting: A key feature of its design is that it requires no external cranes for construction. It uses its own system of built-in power winches to raise the masts and pull the fabric membrane into place.
Fabric: The roof was made of a high-tenacity PVC-coated fabric (VALMEX 900), which is flame-retardant (meeting Italian Class 2 fire codes), waterproof, and resistant to cold.
Production and Load Capacity
This structure was famous in the event industry because it could handle the weight of a full-scale arena show.
Suspended Weight: The Valhalla can support up to 20,000 kg (20 tonnes) of equipment from each pair of masts.
2004 EMA Load: For the Rome show, the production crew suspended a staggering 88,000 kg (88 tonnes) of lighting rigs, video screens, speakers, and other staging elements directly from the structure's roof. This capability is what allowed MTV to build a high-tech television studio inside a temporary venue.
Other Notable Uses
To give you a sense of its scale, the 2004 EMAs were just one of many high-profile events the Valhalla hosted:
Gatecrasher 2000GC (1999): Its debut was for a legendary New Year's Eve millennium party in Sheffield, UK, which hosted approximately 32,000 people.
Victoria's Secret Fashion Show (2001): The structure was erected in New York City's Bryant Park to host the show, which was held as a fundraiser shortly after 9/11.
UN World Summit (2002): It was transported to Johannesburg, South Africa, to serve as the main plenary hall for the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development ("Rio+10").
Music Festivals: It was a common feature at major festivals like the Godskitchen Global Gathering and the Roskilde Festival.
In essence, for the 2004 EMAs, MTV didn't just rent an arena; they built one of the world's most advanced portable venues at a racecourse in Rome.
The event was hosted by rapper Xzibit and featured a unique setup. The main awards ceremony took place at the Tor di Valle Racecourse, with a massive free outdoor stage also set up in front of the iconic Colosseum for special performances.
Here are the key highlights from the show:
Key Winners
The big winner of the night was Outkast, who took home three awards.
Best Song: Outkast – "Hey Ya!"
Best Video: Outkast – "Hey Ya!"
Best Group: Outkast
Best Male: Usher
Best Female: Britney Spears
Best Album: Usher – Confessions
Best New Act: Maroon 5
Best Rock: Linkin Park
Best Pop: The Black Eyed Peas
Best Hip-Hop: D12
Best R&B: Alicia Keys
Best Alternative: Muse
Live Performances
The night was packed with major performances at both locations:
At the Tor di Valle Racecourse:
Eminem – "Like Toy Soldiers" / "Just Lose It"
Usher & Alicia Keys – "My Boo"
Gwen Stefani – "What You Waiting For?"
Maroon 5 – "This Love"
Nelly ft. Pharrell – "Flap Your Wings"
The Hives – "Two-Timing Touch and Broken Bones"
At the Colosseum:
Anastacia – "Left Outside Alone"
Beastie Boys – "An Open Letter to NYC"
Franz Ferdinand – "Take Me Out"
Tiziano Ferro – "Sere Nere"
Presenters for the evening included artists like Kanye West, Naomi Campbell, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Duran Duran, and Sarah Michelle Gellar.