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Original poster

Young voices at Coop arena

40 replies

Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 08:04

Anyone go? I thought it was dreadful. People rave online about young voices but not sure if it’s better in the likes of the O2. The stage was a postage stamp, you could barely see that never mind your own school. Our kids were underneath a load of rigging on the ceiling. I thought they might have big screens up so you could see the performers/ kids but nothing. Very expensive school night.

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Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 09:57

Might just be me 🤣

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IUnderstandTheWeird · 26/02/2025 09:58

Did your DC enjoy the experience?
If they did, I hope you haven’t moaned about it in earshot and brought them down!

jellyfishperiwinkle · 26/02/2025 10:00

I've done two of these at the 02 with DDs. I think it's more about the performer experience than the parental one, let's say.

Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 10:06

IUnderstandTheWeird · 26/02/2025 09:58

Did your DC enjoy the experience?
If they did, I hope you haven’t moaned about it in earshot and brought them down!

No I know better than to say anything. I was just glad to see him after the long day! He said the rehearsals all day were a bit boring as they were in the seats from early afternoon but it was better when the lights went off and people came. Felt a bit sick being up so high.

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Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 10:09

jellyfishperiwinkle · 26/02/2025 10:00

I've done two of these at the 02 with DDs. I think it's more about the performer experience than the parental one, let's say.

yes I was hoping it was better from their point of view!

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WaffleandSnark · 26/02/2025 15:18

God it’s awful - I really don’t get these people who seem to genuinely enjoy it. You can’t see or hear your kid - just generally see a million identical kids far off in the far far distance. It’s huge, echoey and LONG. So long. And ridiculously expensive too, with the extortionate tickets, tshirts etc etc. What a money pit!

Obviously your kids can’t see you either, and our school buses them there and back so you don’t see them at all. Which means you could lie and just pretend you were there - have seriously considered it but worried the other parents would give me away 😂

Have suffered through two years of it - thankfully have a year off before another two years of it shudder

TickingAlongNicely · 26/02/2025 15:24

The 2nd year DD did it, none of the family adults could make it. DD confirmed it was just as fun without your own parent. (For context... DH was abroad with work, grandparents on holiday, I was looking after her sister who can't go to loud, crowded concerts.)

The third year she said not to bother get a spectator ticket.

mitogoshigg · 26/02/2025 15:26

My dc did it a few times (year ago now), it was rubbish as an audience member first time but the following year and subsequently I volunteered as a helper and sat with the choir which was great, surrounded by sound!

mitogoshigg · 26/02/2025 15:29

If your dc ever get the opportunity to take place in the school prom at the Albert hall though do go, that was properly amazing. 8 years on my dd still reminisces

Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 18:01

WaffleandSnark · 26/02/2025 15:18

God it’s awful - I really don’t get these people who seem to genuinely enjoy it. You can’t see or hear your kid - just generally see a million identical kids far off in the far far distance. It’s huge, echoey and LONG. So long. And ridiculously expensive too, with the extortionate tickets, tshirts etc etc. What a money pit!

Obviously your kids can’t see you either, and our school buses them there and back so you don’t see them at all. Which means you could lie and just pretend you were there - have seriously considered it but worried the other parents would give me away 😂

Have suffered through two years of it - thankfully have a year off before another two years of it shudder

@WaffleandSnark glad it’s not just me and yes so expensive! What I found can more annoying was the way they kept breaking off from the show and asking you between songs to go online and donate money or buy the dvd. Talk about grabby

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LilyFox · 26/02/2025 19:16

Mine did YV at the 02. What a massive ballache that was. A 4 hour journey each way because we didn't want ours not to have a parent there! Which was silly really because they were about 2 miles away so had no chance of actually seeing them anyway.

They had a few cheesy acts come on in between songs which was quite entertaining.

Still, they enjoyed it so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 20:00

@LilyFox our main singer was the guy that sings with the bands on strictly. The rest seemed to be a couple of young kids doing break dancing and a young girl singing. I just thought they might have done more to make it into a ‘show’. I’ve never been to that arena before and it wasn’t a good first impression either but not sure if it was just this particular event.

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Blarn · 26/02/2025 20:10

Dc have gone to an arena in Birmingham the last few years to do this. We live here so it's only 40 mins or so away. I have never gone, they ask me every year! They have a great time but it is absolutely not how I want to spend an evening!

Sunat45degrees · 26/02/2025 20:24

we quite enjoyed it but i did think that it was crazy that they couldn't put up screens so that we could all see a BIT more!!!! Mostly, I just wasn't wild about the song choices - felt a bit boring to me.

LilyFox · 26/02/2025 20:32

Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 20:00

@LilyFox our main singer was the guy that sings with the bands on strictly. The rest seemed to be a couple of young kids doing break dancing and a young girl singing. I just thought they might have done more to make it into a ‘show’. I’ve never been to that arena before and it wasn’t a good first impression either but not sure if it was just this particular event.

lol same.

I liked the strictly singer, he was great. But I was a bit 🙄 at the interpretive dance!

Oh yes and all the mithering for donations really got on my nerves given that it cost about £100 to go including our travel costs!

I think they had something like 8000 kids so surely they make a decent wedge doing it?! But yet every 20 mins or so they'd start the begging again 😆

SillyOlivePanda · 26/02/2025 20:35

It felt like a big crap money making racket to me but that doesn’t seem to be a very popular opinion on my Facebook etc. Personally I find the kids in singing in assembly/nativity etc at school much more meaningful.

greatfrontage · 26/02/2025 20:36

It’s just a profit making swizz. Our old school really made it seem like it was compulsory but when I saw the price I refused. DD was furious but then her friends who went (by no means the whole class) said it was deathly boring and they were freezing all day, so I regained my credibility.

They must make an absolute fortune.

CheshireSplat · 26/02/2025 20:41

I went on Monday night. It was bloody awful! Bad traffic and couldn't work out where our school was because all the landmarks (flags) school told us about were hidden by the rigging.

I read my kindle app on my phone for a bit and had a nice loo trip and some free water! I think that was the highlight.

Practised my fake voice for DD2's return. Turns out she didn't enjoy it that much either! 🤣

Our school went to New Brighton with AmaSing a couple of years ago. That was soooo much better, I blubbed all the way through.

CheshireSplat · 26/02/2025 20:43

Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 20:00

@LilyFox our main singer was the guy that sings with the bands on strictly. The rest seemed to be a couple of young kids doing break dancing and a young girl singing. I just thought they might have done more to make it into a ‘show’. I’ve never been to that arena before and it wasn’t a good first impression either but not sure if it was just this particular event.

I went to see the Pet Shop Boys there in the summer. It's a brilliant venue for "proper" concerts - great acoustics, good view.

Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 20:49

SillyOlivePanda · 26/02/2025 20:35

It felt like a big crap money making racket to me but that doesn’t seem to be a very popular opinion on my Facebook etc. Personally I find the kids in singing in assembly/nativity etc at school much more meaningful.

Yes I’m probably the grinch amongst our school parents tbh 🤣 butI always go to the things in school and I’ll be the one crying at the back like a fool so I’m not hard hearted.
I just get really irked by these things that mean you’re a captive audience so they’re guaranteed sales and then they put almost no effort in to make it entertaining. They’re making a fortune and they can’t stretch to a few camera men and screens?

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Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 20:52

LilyFox · 26/02/2025 20:32

lol same.

I liked the strictly singer, he was great. But I was a bit 🙄 at the interpretive dance!

Oh yes and all the mithering for donations really got on my nerves given that it cost about £100 to go including our travel costs!

I think they had something like 8000 kids so surely they make a decent wedge doing it?! But yet every 20 mins or so they'd start the begging again 😆

Show quote history

I wonder how many people actually got on their phones and donated?

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foodtoorder · 26/02/2025 20:57

DC school go to Birmingham every year. It's a really long day for them travel wise but we have been a few times to watch them at varying ages and watching the buzz and enjoyment they all get from it is worth it really. They love it, it's a lovely opportunity so money well spent.

From an audience perspective it's not great, really have to play spot your child from such a distance but doesn't take the shine off it for kids.

Ineedanewsofa · 26/02/2025 20:58

DC did the Birmingham one 2 years ago, was exactly the same! couldn’t see anything, sat right up the the gods, overly long, random filler acts and a £13 parking charge to top it off! Would not go again!
I’ve been to gigs at the Arena and they are brilliant, I was expecting something along those lines and it sadly was not.
DC loved it though and it has done great things for confidence, so totally worth it from that perspective.

Nowthereistwo · 26/02/2025 21:05

We were at the O2 and overall I would say it was a good experience. But you did get the feeling it was equally about making money as much as the kids signing - and I refused to buy the top, the dvd or make a donation!

Luckily we live about 45 mins away so drove in and managed to bring our dd home so she could sleep in the car.

But the kids really enjoyed it and we could just about see them from our seats

Young voices at Coop arena
Original poster
Pyjamatimenow · 26/02/2025 21:11

@Nowthereistwo that’s a better view than we had. It’s not so bad if it’s not far. We couldn’t get the kids from the arena. They came back on the coach and they were delayed getting out so didn’t get back to school until after 11. I think it’s set ds up to be exhausted for the whole week!

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