Photography by Sophie Jones

After 18 months of refurbishment tonight, the National Indoor Arena (NIA) in Birmingham is relaunched as the Barclaycard Arena after a £26 million pound refurbishment.

With shiny full glass canal frontage, lighting up the night with Sky Needles, spires with the tallest standing 46m high, the venue has increased capacity, comfier seats and a rejuvenated concourse for food, drink and entertainment.

To celebrate the opening night, Michael Bublé is doing two dates, as the opening dates to his UK December tour.  Last year Bublé sold out his 10 day residency at O2 Arena in London, as well as concerts in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow – and these two dates at the new Barclaycard Arena are also sold out.

2013’s ‘To Be Loved’ album, Bublé’s sixth studio album following his ‘Christmas’ album which sold seven million copies internationally and was the second biggest selling album of  2011. Now closing in on 700,000 sales in the UK alone where the album was his first to go straight to #1. The album also earned Michael his fourth Grammy Award when it won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.

We sent Gig Junkie photographer Sophie Jones to capture Michael Bublé’s spectacular opening night show. Bublé gave the audience exactly what they were looking for, with a full set of his hits!