Going to the O2 on Sat and I've not been to a concert since the 90s - help!

[wonderstuff]

Getting the train to go and see Billie Eilish with DD and a friend (both teens). Train journey about 2 hours I think. We could drive but I'm imagining that is a real ball ache getting out? Ticket says 6.30pm, will there be a support act on first? Anyway to find out who? O2 says it can take up to an hour to get in!?! What sort of time do I need to get there do people think? What are the food options inside? Apparently I can't take anything in with me. Would I be best getting an early tea before we get there? Feels like it's going to be a long evening!

Last concert I went to was Counting Crows in about 1998 - obviously wasn't having to worry about anyone else then..

My son and his girlfriend went tonight and they parked at Westfield, then hopped on the train for a few stops. We're only a 20 minute drive from Statford though.

@partystress This might be too late if you were going tonight, but for Take That (different crowd of course!) queueing from lunchtime has got me at or near the O2 barriers before.

We had an absolute nightmare getting back, had not anticipated how long it was going to take to get out of the O2, we were seated accessing the back entrance, which is a really long way, at least 10 min walk, from the O2 exit, took us nearly an hour to get to Waterloo, which is a 12 minute tube journey! Then the replacement bus put on to meet a 10 carriage train, was 2 very small minibuses. We didn’t get on them, guy at the station said they were trying to find another bus, so we ended up jumping in a taxi, took 3 hours to get home, should have been at most an hour and a half. Will definitely drive if we ever go again.

@ChicCroissant not sure if she’ll do it at other venues, but be aware that at one point the she sung from the opposite side of the stage, there was a rig set up with a sort of cherry picker that rose up with her in it, so the crowd standing turned and those at the back found themselves at the front.

good intel. I hate leaving the o2. We’re going on the 25th and am considering a cheap room at the hotel or driving to the valet parking which gets you in / out like greased lightning.

we are going tonight. Cant wait.
Ive done a concert up in the gods at the o2 years ago, and tbh, i wouldnt bother doing that again.. Its a good venue though. The rush to get out afterwards to the train station is a bit of a pain though, but you just walk slowly with everyone and its ok. Leaving any big concert or festival is much the same

We went last night too! Hope you had fun.
Couldn’t believe the queue for the station and I was worried we would miss the last train from Marylebone, we were cutting it really fine and was standing room only when we got on but I was just relieved we didn’t miss it. We ran from Baker Street to get the tube back to Marylebone!

I’ve got a question to anyone who has been recently, what is the air con like? Going tonight and it’s bloody hot, don’t know what to wear as it might be like a freezer inside!

I was there sunday and the aircon was quite fresh. Sounds like people were overheated before so they put it on high after that

Actually it was pleasantly cool compared to outside, a nice break from the heat! Queen were brilliant! Don’t talk to me about the tube though..