OVO Hydro

My wife and I longed to see Simply Red for many years live, so we were both ecstatic when we saw them appearing at the Hydro in Glasgow. Full of excitement at seeing and listening to one of our favourite bands we booked tickets and were full of anticipation for an evening to remember. Unfortunately we remember it for all the wrong reasons. The design of the auditorium could only be compared to a reinforced concrete cattle auction. The concrete terracing with no safety barriers and no easy access to toilets surprised me how it passed building regulations. If you loose your balance walking to a seat there is nothing to prevent you cascading dangerously over many other customers and being seriously injured. The seating was hard and uncomfortable. The view although elevated towards the stage was so distant it prevented any enjoyment. The sound system was the absolute worst I have heard in all my life going to concerts all over the country to many different venues. The sound was distorted and mushy with no clarity whatsoever. I cannot for the life of me understand why any one would want to pay huge sums of money to see bands at this venue. The toilet facilities were sparse and distant, the access to them difficult. Vending services typically expensive to the point of insulting. All in all a horrendous experience. In comparison the O2 hall across the river (I believe a old bingo/concert hall) fantastic sound fantastic atmosphere perfect for live music, I would highly recommend any gig there, we saw Black Country Communion and Michael Schenker band there, one of the best gigs I've ever seen. So to sum up, if you appreciate live music don't waste your time at the Hydro, it's just a money making machine that offers little to promote superb music other than the facility for large numbers.

Diabolical shambles, bought evening tickets to cheer my mum up as she has been unwell and my dad is currently in hospital. Show cancelled in the afternoon thousands of people elderly disabled and kids left out in the pouring rain with temperatures of 4 degrees no information from the hydro no shelter from the elements unless you had VIP TICKETS!!! The evening performance was also cancelled as it transpires with 15 minutes to go they had not traced the source of the alleged leak. Whilst I appreciate incidents do happen they should have informed the paying customers for the evening performance long before they did. Scot rail informed everyone 45 minutes before. Very poor performance from the hydro hang your heads in shame. Little consolation for the people who had booked buses, flights and hotels. The evening performance should have been cancelled and ticket holders informed long before 15 minutes before the doors opened absolutely disgusting. Most of the tickets were Christmas presents from loved ones. I for one will never step foot in this venue one to be avoided at all costs.

A leak in the roof cancelling our planned trip to see strictly come dancing was bad enough, but the total and utter lack of communication from the arena to the roughly 8 thousand people stood outside in the pouring rain for over an hour just rubbed salt in the wound. At 2:30pm national holidays then rushed to try to get us in to the evening performance and the arena said they had enough tickets only for them to then cancel on us again, only telling us an hour before the doors would have opened although it sounds like we got far more notice than others. A leak can’t be helped, bad communication and a total lack of customer care can

Was here for the matinee that was cancelled. Zero communication and everyone left standing out in the rain for well over an hour while waiting for news for what initially was only a delay in the doors opening. Lots of elderly and kids getting soaked through in the rain. No proper update and no one big enough to come out and say what was going on. My six year old like alot of other kids was distraught and in tears. But after being outside for so long there wasnt even provision to go in for a comfort break with him. Very poor. Hope one day he does get to see the strictly tour but would try to go to another venue. One that's more organised and treats its customers better - which wouldn't be difficult. To make matters worse they let customers turn up for the evening show which was also cancelled - zero customer service and communication.

I'd been previously sitting in 'good' seats at the front of the lower balcony and the stage was so far away we had to watch the show on the TVs provided. It's a lot cheaper to watch on the TV at home.
Then today I went along with thousands of other people to see the afternoon showing of the Strictly roadshow. We were left queuing outside for over an hour in the rain with no indication of why we couldn't get in. Then when they finally decided to cancel the show, they still didn't even tell the people in the queues. We only realised when we saw other people leaving the queues, as word filtered through from somewhere. They have now admitted to having a leak. Fair enough these things happen but it was the lack of communication that was a disgrace.

Dump of a place run by idiots! Water leak in an fairly new building cause the cancellation of show. Shouldn't happen in new building. But management hid behind the coattails of the Poor G4S security staff. Left people standing in February in the rain standing outside. The audience was made up of a lot of older people and young kids. Everyone was just left in the rain. Soaked through. Absolutely no accommodation was made for Disables people in wheel chairs and people with young kids who needed the toilet. No system of restricted access to allow. No plan not though for customer utterly, utterly incompetent. Think had before booking tickets for an event in this dump. Especially if you're travelling any sort of distance. Remember you will only get compensated for you ticket not the money you waste getting there. Maybe batter to save up and head to a better venue.

First visit to the Hydro and hopefully my last. We were in the cheaper(£68) seats and could hardly see the individual orchestra members. The volume of sound reaching our ears was very poor. We could hardly hear what Andre was saying. In a purpose built venue I found it very disappointing. My advice is don't go to this venue unless you are very near the stage.

The performance was also marred by the number of people arriving late then coming back late after the break then the number who left early. The staff should prevent latecomers from going to their seats during the performances.

Finally Andre's performance was lacklustre and created very little atmosphere. For future Andre choose smaller more intimate venues with better acoustics eg Perth Concert Hall even if you have to charge more.

We seen Lewis Capaldi yesterday. The venue is lovely, but the security to get in an absolute laughable joke. The queues are soo long to get in. Theres no method to the security checks. They say its because of drunk people causing issues yet they are still allowed to attend. This process needs to reassessed. Its shockingly dreadful each time I've been to a concert.
The food and drinks stalls are a joke. Young girl who have no clue how to pour drinks causing your beer to be flat.

Managed to get tickets for Peter Kay on Jan 29th. What a dreadful, dreadful mistake. Thought we’d have seconds to get the tickets before it sold out, so we bought the most expensive tickets available. Weren’t hoping for anything exceptional but too our horror, the dearest ticket gets you in a cheap and nasty temporary stand (Section 058). Now this stand faces the stalls. It faces away from the stage. Now this is the dearest ticket they offer ???? Makes no sense. You’re paying £75 for a show you can’t see. You can’t even see the video screens either. Why would you pay the biggest price for a show you won’t see.

On top of that, we tried to book a meal. But despite this being a supposed world class venue, there’s only one option. The Hydro Club. Said tickets were available but on Facebook it stated they were gone. So only option is to eat miles away in city centre or pay £3,000 each for an annual restaurant pass ( Doesn’t incl food) Now bear in mind that last week we had to wait over 3hrs for a taxi in the city centre and that was booking on every available app. When you get to the venue I’ve been told it takes 60-90 mins to get in and through security and at least 60 mins for a warm £7 beer, 30 mins to use the toilet. So for an 8pm start you need to be there around 5pm if you want to catch the start of the show. So then allowing several hrs for a taxi you’re going to have to eat your meal at lunchtime to have any chance of making an 8pm kick off.Is that supposed to sound appealing to anyone. Dreading it.

Go for the seats closest to the stage. We were in section 229 (pricy enough there), firstly it was hard to see the performers from such a distance, and secondly it was hard to concentrate on the performers due to the huge TV screens on each side of the stage which tended to distract the concentration. Unless you are willing to pay for seats close to the stage and clearly see the performers then it is better to watch at home on the TV/YouTube or possibly at the cinema. And, forget about getting a taxi after the event, we walked 35 mins to the bus station. With an up to 12,000 audience, as long as you are fit, then walk after the event.