What age for teens first gig?

[Sportycustard]

DS is turning 16 at the end of this year. He's asked for tickets for him and 2 friends to see the band Royal Blood at the NIA in Birmingham next year as his birthday gift.

My gigging days are very much in the past so I'd like opinions on whether 16 is OK or too young?

Obviously I'll be asking the other parents first. I'd be able to take them and collect them but neither of us fancy paying £50 to go with them.

I've look for any age limits but can't see any.

Thoughts?

I saw my first proper gig with a friend at 16.

I went to my first gig at 16, stayed over in a hotel in Manchester too - it was fine!
Don't know whether my parents would have been okay with it though so I didn't tell them, just pretended to be staying at my friend's house

I was also 16 - Bon Jovi at the Birmingham NEC 1989 . As long as he's not going alone he'll be fine.

My DD and her friends wanted to go see a gig when they were 14. They realised they probably wouldn't get in on their own so I got a ticket for myself to take them. I was basically left at the back of the venue with the other parents holding their coats! After that they just went by themselves to gigs. Age 16 is absolutely fine to go alone.

I was going to local gigs with friends from 14 and the first gig I travelled far for was when I was in year 11 (went with a friend, travelled 4 hours and stayed over night in a hotel)

16 is fine if you’re dropping then and collecting them!

Yes 16 is fine. Ds2 went to a festival (fairly low key - not Reading or Leeds) the summer after his GCSEs. He had to take ID to prove his age but it was all fine.

in contrast to that, a one-off gig is fine. DD is not so much with the bands, but she got the bus to the next big city to see a show at the theatre with a friend when she was about 14-15.

Year 10 14/15 is fine. The bars won’t serve them and their bags get searched on the way in too, so don’t worry about them getting pissed either.
I started going to gigs around 14 and there were loads of other kids the same age, first festival ages 16 and again, no trouble. Don’t go with!

This also reminds me of when my sister told my mum it was just a boyband she was going to see with her mates aged 13, and it was actually a drum and bass event. 😂

Probably OK at 16 if it's the Utilita Arena in Birmingham (or whatever it's called currently!). I had tickets for a concert there (COVID cancelled) and that said that they had to be 14 or over to use the standing area and anyone under 16 needed an adult/over 18 year old with them. But if you look on the FAQ it says 14 and over can come in on their own ticket.

16 is fine, our son has been going to gigs with us since he was 11. We all have similar tastes in music and up to now he and his friends have all come with us! I would absolutely leg him go on his own if he wanted to.

God 16 is fine, most venues are happy with 14+

I was 14 when my friends dad started driving us to gigs. He was working in the car while we were in there. By 16 I was allowed to go to my first festival.

I think I was 14/15 when I first started going to gigs so I'd be happy to let my son go at 16