"Everyone said 'You’re fucking nuts. You’re a crazy man.'" Backstage Travis Pangburn is telling anyone who will listen what 'they' said when he came up with this idea, an arena speaking tour. Not unreasonably. So left-of-field is his show, billed as the Woodstock of debate, that insurers struggled to underwrite it - "So what are these men doing on stage? There's no pyrotechnics?"

Travis is the CEO of Pangburn Philosophy, an eponymous organisation with the literal goal of changing the world - according to Travis. The group operates out of British Columbia, Canada. Recently founded, there is little information about it online but Pangburn tells me he has global ambitions. He is the promoter of tonight's "war of ideas," featuring Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris and Douglas Murray.

"We promote art and science in the community. Art and science will satisfy your required needs for inspirational pleasure with positive and unharmful experiences, yielding real world results. This will better serve yourself, our planet and the future of humanity." Travis Pangburn, President & CEO, Pangburn Philosophy

Hosted in London's O2 arena, 8,000 people have paid from £44 to £200 to listen to the three converse for two hours. They shuttle four pint carriers to their seats. The three participants in tonight's conversation are notorious for their political stances and controversy tangibly hangs in the thick air. Harris is renowned for provocative atheistic barbs, usually aimed at Islam, Murray is a vocal opponent of mass immigration, a point well trod in his book The Strange Death of Europe, and Peterson for adopting intellectual positions perceived as sexist and transphobic.

Such was the demand for tickets on the door Travis wanted to open up the O2's second tier of seats last minute, a request which was denied by the venue. There are conspiratorial murmurs about marketing spend and the distinct lack of promotional posters around the old Millennium Dome. But then again, it is the war of ideas.