We went to the Hydro for a James Blunt concert. Overall, the second time to visit the Hydro. The place is easily accessible via the M8 without going through the LEZ. Easy parking for £12 next to the venue and plenty of hotels next door if you want to stay overnight. The venue itself has easy access (no queues) is modern and clean with a good view of the stage from everywhere and plenty of facilities. read more

This is the proverbial 3.5 star review... but I'll give it the 4 until I go back again. I like to be Mr. Positive when I can, y'know? The plus sides: - Location: It's hellishly easy to get to, being located slap bang next to the SECC and The Armadillo (On a side note, I love Glasgow names. We have the Hydro and the Armadillo, along the water from the squiggly and squinty bridges!) - Size: It's heeeeeeyuuuuge! - Image: It looks STUNNING at night, lit up likesome kind of demented UFO that crash landed on the Clydeside. - Facilities: I was really impressed with the food, drink and merch stands. Plenty of them, plenty of choice, and at just £4 a pint, cheaper than the Academy, Already a plus point for me. I visited the bars a few times *cough* for research *cough* and never had to queue for more than a minute - and in between bands when it was at it's busiest, too. All the staff seemed happy enough, and general good vibes were had. Nice. Also, a free cash machine inside the building? GREAT IDEA! Kinda... it wasn't working when I went, but it was as I left, so I'll let it go this time. Also, free wifi is available and works, simply for entering your email address. - Layout: The big open spaces running around the the man hall mean that you easily access any of the entrances, and there's plenty room for loads of people to mill about. There's also a few places to sit your drink/pizza/fish n chips dotted about as well, another good touch. Now, the downsides that I noticed - Access: At the beginning of the gig, I arrived half an hour before an email from TicketSoup said that show would start. As I was queuing through the one door into the main hall that seemed to be open, I heard the first band start. If you're going to email people to give them show times, make sure they're accurate! As it was, I only missed half a song, but did hear people grumbling later on that they'd missed more. - Sound mix: I wandered about the arena during the night, watching the show from both sides, and from the middle. In the middle, the sound is pretty crisp and nicely rounded. Off at the sides, however, it's more sludgy and dominated by the low end. Vocals were a bit buried and the drums were tinny in places, I thought. Of course, I went to what was more or less the first hard rock show, so it could be teething problems. I want to be positive, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and four star rating. Hopefully the sound issues will be smoothed out, and they can sort the timing glitches. A good start! read more

The SSE Hydro - The Hydro and the Armadillo - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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I was pretty excited to see the Hydro inside and see what a gig was like. Luckily for us we got tickets to see Queens of the Stone Age on Saturday night. We had dinner and drinks beforehand in Finnieston - the Hydro is a short walk away but could be quicker as you have to walk around the carpark to get in. Hopefully they sort out a new footpath for quicker access soon. Inside it reminded me a lot of a football stadium with high concrete walls. It's easy to find your way around and there is a lot of facilities - bars, food and toilets which is great in a venue like this as queuing for any of these can be a real pain. The one thing there was a huge queue for was the cash machine so make sure you get money out before you go. Inside it's a huge space which has a real wow factor to it. It feels a little like being in a UFO (trust me, I know what that's like) and there's good visibility of the stage even at the back with a tall crowd (in general admission/standing). The sound was really good to my uneducated ears and the huge screen on the stage makes for entertaining viewing when you get sick of perving on Josh Homme. Every staff member I encountered was friendly and it was easy to get in and out with not much queuing. I'd definitely come back here for a gig but due to laziness and old age might go for seats next time. read more

The SSE Hydro - Pretty gorgeous from the outside! - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

For a city that loves its music, Glasgow isn't really well served by its bigger venues. The Barras is probably the best decent sized venue, and after that everything suffers from a combination of rotten sound, overcrowding and a lack of character. While the Hydro isn't perfect, it definitely goes some way to giving Glasgow an enormo-done that's worth going to. For a start, it looks interesting. I quite like the look of it, and it's the sort of place that you can't help but feel excited about going to. Inside, it has the feel of a bit sports stadium, with the food stalls, bars and merch stands in an outside semi circle around the venue itself. It does look like there might not be a lot of cash machines so you may want to stock up before you go. The venue area is a huge improvement on the old SECC (to be fair this wouldn't be hard). Most importantly, the sound is pretty good: possibly a little drum heavy when I was there, but everything was clear and not over loud. Sight lines at the standing area are good, and it's big enough that you can find a bit of space if you don't like being crowded. The seating looks pretty good as well, but the top tier does look awfully high up. In the past I've avoided gigs at the SECC as it was such a dismal gig going experience. I definitely won't be doing the same with the Hydro, although the ticket prices may be the thing that put me off! read more

The SSE Hydro - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

The Hydro is Scotlands biggest, purpose built music venue. Even though it's owned by an electricity company, I like it. I've been here a couple of times since it opened, just over a year ago - first to see 30 Seconds to Mars, and last weekend for the SNP tour. I find it to be really well laid out - each tier has its own set of kiosks and toilets, meaning that you don't have huge amounts of people hanging around the main foyer, and it clears out quickly when your gig has finished. Once you go into the actual arena, it's huge. The seats are well spaced - for once I don't have to sit at an angle because I have long legs! A drawback for me both times I visited was the sound mixing - the volume of the music is much higher than the mics, and overpowers the voices of the singers. Overall, a pretty decent place for a gig, read more

The SSE Hydro - SNP tour 2014 - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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I love my gigs, and I like them to be small an intemit.. But if you're going to see the big hitters then you got to go big.. Now I detested the secc, but now the hydro is here my love for a bigger venue has grown.. I have seen many bands and singers here including Beyonce, Justin timberlake, prince, dolly, Kylie and Lionel to name a few.. I've also been to see the gymnastics during the commonwealth games which I loved.. I have never had a bad seat and wherever I have been I've had a great view.. I have not yet sat in the gods so can't comment on the view from there.. Not only does the venue have a big modern almost space age feel (it does look like a crashed space ship) it is clean, well staffed and has loads of toilets.. As big venues go this is a good one.. Doesn't feel like a big empty warehouse.. And I always love waiting to see what colour the outside will be on the night of the gig.. read more

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Ive been to the hydro 5 times since it opened for lots of different events and had lots of different seats. The standing area is great and we had a great view of the stage. Also had floor level seating which was also a great view. The seating area seems better than the old secc style and the seats are definetly much more comfortable. Ive had the misfortune to have seats up at the very top of the venue. BIG MISTAKE!! Im scared of heights and to be expected to climb up and down steps with no handrail almost brought me to tears. You are sitting so upright that your stomach is churning. Twice i have been here and had wheelchair viewing and this was actually really smooth. A lift takes you up to the 2nd floor and easy access to the seats. I do not think there is enough disabled seating for the size of the venue tho which is a shame. Plenty food stalls and cashpoint inside the venue. Toilets located all around too and there didnt seem to be that many queues. The usual bags checked on entering and no bottles allowed inside. Having attended many many concerts at the secc i have to say i still need a little convincing about the hydro but so far so good. read more

The SSE Hydro - View from disabled seating - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

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This was my first time here! I came to see Adele which was a sold out show so I was expecting crazy long queues and lots of loud fans. Surprisingly though it wasn't that bad! I walked there from the skypark building which was only about 5 minutes. It was easy to know where you were going because every other person out in that area was going to her show as well. There was a slight bit of confusion once we all arrived to the hydro because there were queues but we weren't sure if we needed to be in a specific one based on our tickets. Thankfully you are able to wait in any line and after only about 6 minutes of waiting in line security was checking my bag, they scanned my ticket and I was in. They didn't even check IDs or credit cards like Ticketmaster claimed they would online. You could have easily sold your tickets to other people. Once in I got in line for some wine and was once again surprised that it only took about 15 minutes. That's not horrible when you consider how many people were there. Wine was £4.5 each and the top was sealed so you could easily throw one in your purse for later! The bottled water needed to be poured in a plastic cup apparently but that was fine by me because they have me a ton of ice with it. Chips, wine, and water in hand I was off to see Adele. She puts on a brilliant show. Her voice is booming, her dress was classy and all things sparkle, and the girl is funny as hell! If you ever have the chance to see her live - do it! Post show I hit up the bathroom and they were what you'd expect. Quite disatrous after a packed house of mainly women pregamed and drank throughout the show. There was limited toilet paper and most sinks were out of soap. Most people were walking after the show ended and the streets were packed. Ubers and taxis were hard to come by but a great time was had by all! read more

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The venue itself is modern and amazing for all types of events. I've been to see bands, comedians and also a show and found it was perfect for all types. The seating is great and you get a good view of the stage from all angle. The sound is also good. My only problems with the venue, was the drinks prices and the parking prices, although these are to be expected at most big venues. Parking was £8 for 1 - 12 hours. It was only £4 for the first hour but obviously if you park there for an event, you'll be longer than an hour. This is the only reason for my one star deduction. read more

The SSE Hydro - SSE Hydro for Gary Tank commander live. - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

Went to see Noël Gallagher at the sse hydro on Saturday 7 March. After calling the venue earlier on, we knew he wasn't coming on until 9pm do we arrived just on time. We managed to get the club house suite tickets which are situated in block H, 209 pretty much bang in the middle of the first tier. We were on the 2nd row which was fab as it meant no one was standing up in front of us. The clubhouse wrist bang gets you into their exclusive bar, no convo drink but it means you don't have to queue for ages. read more

The SSE Hydro - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

So yes the stage area is impressive, and maybe I've just being grumpy, but my gosh this was hard work! Entering the building was painless, no lines which was great. But as soon as we got into the main atrium it was bedlam. We had to ask a stewart how to find our area, and the bar queues were huge! Plastic cups even for water bottles *sigh* We bought our tickets from a friend who couldn't attend, and we had't checked the seating...3rd floor...eek! The elevators and lifts only go to the second floor so there were some hefty stairs to get to the third. This might be fine normally for folk, but please be careful of this is you struggle with stairs. I didn't have my walking stick with me and it was quite traumatic. Wow. I had a touch of vertigo being so high up! It's very impressive. The seats truly are packing in like sardines, no wiggle room whatsoever. The girl's head in front of me managed to collide with my knees on numerous occasions. The show itself was amazing, great screens for us in the back and the sound was great. Pricey drinks are to be expected, and of course they make you discard any bottles on entering. Overall not impressed. read more

The SSE Hydro - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

The Hydro reminds me very much of a slightly more intimate 02. The view is pretty good from any angle although the screens could do with being bigger for those in the top levels at the back! The whole place feels a little dated but there is a good number of bars and food outlets as well as a variety of hotels within walking distance! My only concerns are for the less able people among us. Level 3 is extremely high and there are no escalators or lifts just a set of stairs. Once in the seats it is difficult to get in and out and one lady even fell while we were there. The website does say that level 3 is not suitable for the disabled or less able but yet for lots of shows tickets for levels 1 and 2 are vastly more expensive. A bit unfair but it's true for lots of venues I'm sure. Overall it wasn't my favourite venue but it did the job! read more

The SSE Hydro - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

I don't have much to add to what's already been said. This place is huge, impressively so, and like many, I was just as excited to experience the hydro as a venue as I was for the gig itself. (Dolly Parton was great though, if you're asking!) It was refreshing to see some quirky in-house food outlets inside the Hydro and prices, whilst still on the steep side, were definitely not obscenely so. Staff were friendly and welcoming and there was an electric atmosphere. - I think no matter where you're sitting, you'll have a good view of the stage (owing to the hydro's shape) and, in turn, a great night. It's definitely an exciting thought that some bigger acts will finally be coming to Glasgow, and the Hydro is certainly an addition to the city that we should be proud of. Of course, this is no intimate venue, but she's a real beauty; a dazzling futuristic orb on the Glasgow horizon and one heck of a crowd pleaser. And that's good enough for me. read more

Last night was the second time I'd been to a gig at the Hydro, and in my mind I was still in the 1990s in the days ot Take That - times at the SECC/Hydro are very different nowadays. Whereas usually you'd wander into the SECC around 6sih and find your seat and listen to random pop songs whilst you await the support act, this time I found when you arrive at the Hydro at 7pm to make nice time to sit down in time for support act #1 they make you queue up, then walk around to join one of around 6 queues of folk at different doors. I wanted to buy a drink before heading in, and discovered the only draft beer was Fosters. Fosters is made with isinglass (fish bladder) so I wanted to avoid that, and other alcohol options were one or two plastic-looking containers of wine, some spirits, blue WKD, Strongbow, one or two flavours of Bulmers, 330ml Heinieken, and Desperados beer. I opted for the Desperados then made my way to my seat. There are numerous staff around to guide you, which is just as well as unlike the SECC with the block 'XX' names hanging about each block, there wasn't anything obvious to tell you which block was which. There were a good number of toilets and I didn't need to queue for very long to use them, but after the show some cubicles had run out of toilet paper, and I was confused when I noticed urinals and an aroma of urine. My friend then informed me that when there is a higher proportion of female ticketholders then they change some mens toilets to female. if it means short queues I'll take the smell of wee, that's such a good idea. Sound quality was good and so far I've had good views from my seats. Getting a train back to town seems to have become a nightmare. Whereas in previous years post-gig I've just walked straight down to the end of the platform and managed to get on to the next train fine enough, this time there is a queuing system in operation and there looked to be about 300 people waiting in a massive queue to be allowed down to the platform. This was about 10:45pm and I didn't want to chance missing my bus after getting off the train, so I walked on to Argyle Street and managed to walk to the lights and cross over and walk back towards the stop in time to catch the approaching number 2 bus, and was only waiiting a minute or so for the 38 back to the East End after I'd arrived in town. Definitely worth planning the bus back if you only have the option of bus or train! read more

I came here on Thursday night to see Lee Evans. First impressions were that operations were pretty slick; we got into the venue quickly, security seemed on the ball and we were shown to our seats with no bother at all. The arena itself? Phwoar. I was a little overwhelmed by the size; It's just massive! I know, stating the obvious right? My only gripe is the same gripe I have with most big venues, in that if you want to have a drink you have be loaded/remortgage your home/sell off your first-born. But overall, nifty little gig venue :P read more

I made my first visit to the Hydro last night and I was pleasantly surprised. To be honest I had heard lots of people tell me how the sound was not very good and it was not the best venue for seeing bands. Last night I saw Public Enemy and The Prodigy and it was mixed in terms of acoustics. The prodigy seemed to fit into the venue great and you could hear every tune perfectly. PE in comparison was harder to hear as the base seemed to overpower the rapping and made it harder to hear. I have seen both bands live several times and know what they normally can do, so for PE it must be something to do with the setup in the hydro. Still all in it is a good place to see a band and it is huge and impressive looking. Easy enough to get a drink, car parking was simple and getting in and out the gig was fast. Personally I prefer a smaller venue, but I would not mind going back here. read more

What a lovely addition to the Glasgow skyline. I'm really pleased they thought both about form and function, as opposed to the exhibition centre which is mostly just a big warehouse. No, this looks pretty and looks the part. Inside though, it is a bit like an airplane hanger. We visited to see Danny Elfman play the music of Tim Burton films (which, incidentally, we got tickets for on lastminute.com for £15 a couple of days before - they definitely struggled to sell tickets. More on that below) and arrived at the hall around 8pm, before the changed start time of 8.30pm due to the gas leak and evacuation that day. We were told we had to pick up our tickets from the Exhibition centre....wee bit annoying. However we had good seats in the A block, so we used the loo (meh - nothing to speak of), bought a drink (not terrible prices - £4 for a bottle of Desperados, £4.50 for wine) and took our seats. It became apparent that this was perhaps not the right venue for a mid-week orchestral performance. They had put black curtains over some of the seats at the back to hide the fact that nowhere near 12000 tickets had been sold, but even so, there were plenty of empty seats. To me it felt like it should have taken place in the Armadillo next door which would have been at capacity with this size of audience, but I got a sense that the organisers had a new toy and wanted to play with it! The concert itself was fantastic, and the acoustics are MUCH better than the SECC - however (and perhaps this was down to where we were sitting) I did notice that there was a slight delay between the speakers at the front and the speakers at the back - not so noticeable when the music was playing, however when someone was speaking, it jarred a bit. £7 for parking, and you can pre-pay...why is the exhbition centre only £5? A bit annoying. But plenty of car spaces, but would be a nightmare to get out of after a sold out performance (obviously!) Incidentally - the concert was fabulous, Danny Elfman sang the songs of Nightmare Before Xmas (he's the singing voice of Jack Skellington) and you realise when all the music is played just what a genius he is, and how much his music adds to Burton's films. read more

My review is based solely on being part of a production working in this venue. And believe me...to come and see a show here is totally awesome. Seats seem to be pretty decent and comfortable to sit in compared to most venues. Bathrooms are clean and food stands are well staffed. So why 3 stars you ask? As part of a production crew I like loading docks and storage for my gear. This building is short on both. If I had less than 10 trucks to deal with maybe one more star would be added. There is room to pull the trucks in and load with a forklift. And 10 trucks worth of gear easily tucks away backstage. But more than docks, storage is so important. I would still love to come and play this building again. read more

I really like the Hydro! Mostly because it makes SUCH a change from the SECC, which was utterly pants for gigs, but just because it's been really well done too! I can also now attest to the fact that basically no matter where you sit in the arena, you get a great view as I have now been in almost every tier (lowest circle of seating, one day you will be mine!) - got great sound every time as well, seriously can't stress enough how much better that is than it was in the SECC! I've been to see a range of performances here - music gigs including Belle and Sebastian, Jack White and of course my beloved Fleetwood Mac, as well as Still Game, so it's definitely suitable for a variety of shows. The bf went to see Top Gear (bleh) with his dad as well and really enjoyed that, even though they were in the second from back row! There are loads of facilities so it never takes too long to get served at the bar or go to the loo, plus there are plenty of staircases leading up to the various tiers, meaning it's usually not too crush-y when everyone's trying to leave at the end. The arena space itself is utterly amazing! The first time I came here for *cough*McBusted*cough* I remember stepping out and being in awe of how massive it is! It's really cool to look around the whole venue when everyone's right into a song being played, or laughing at the same thing being said, and as I said before it must be pretty difficult to get a bad seat due to the circular layout. There's also a decent gap between the rows of seats, so there's not too much squeezing involved when someone needs past to go for their sixth pint of beer. (Srsly, Fleetwood Mac are literally in front of you and you're more interested in beer??) I do have slight niggles with the Hydro - for instance, last night none of the taps were working by the time I got to them after the gig (soapy hands ahoy!) tickets are generally ridiculously expensive with a stupidly priced booking fee on top, and there was also that time they gave loads of folk E. coli - which pretty much put me off ever trying any of the food outlets. But it's definitely the best out of any arena-type venue I've ever been to, so not enough to deny them a fifth star, and I actually enjoy coming to the Hydro itself on top of getting to see my chosen show. Will I be back? I should hope so! read more

Adele what can I say first class Gig great music fun racontour. I love the accoustics of this stadium. They are well organised at the bars the only thing I do not like here is the signage to the Toilets on Friday we climbed stairs had a treck and then discovered toilets at the entrance of the Arena not marked sad times sore legs. Would not stop me going back and now I know where they are Yay!!!!!! read more

Things worth noting about the Hydro that stand it out over similar venues: - Easy to navigate. - Lots of (very chatty) helpful staff. - Plenty of space to maneuver. - Epic to look at; can see they've designed it with more than just music gigs in mind. - Easy access to cashline. - Good parking available. - Fast food outlets that accept debit/credit cards. - Reasonable drinks prices. Room for improvement: - The upper seating regions devoid of walkways, meaning you need to get up every time someone's going to or coming from the toilet or bar. - Only beer, cider, Blue WKD and wine on offer at said bar. - Absolutely horrid traffic light system outside that means it takes about half an hour to get into the car park (word of advice, park a few streets away and walk!). Saw 30 Seconds to Mars here and had an awesome time, despite being in the upper echelons of the stands. Next time we're getting down on the floor; plenty of space and the scale of the place from down there I imagine will be awe-inspiring. Great gig, great venue. I'll be back. read more

First time here for the Queens of the Stone Age gig and I was about as excited to get inside and have a look around as I was to see the band! It is massive. Not sure of the official capacity and it wasn't rammed full on Saturday night but we now have an excellent venue which should continue to attract some big names, thank heavens I no longer have to miss out on bands! (I have a self imposed ban on going to the SECC, it's awful). We walked down from Dumbarton Road which proved a little troublesome as, if you don't use the SECC walkway, there is no clear pavement without walking the long way around the new multi-storey car park next to the venue. Feels like an odd omission considering they hard virtually carte blanche to restructure roads and the like around the venue. Once inside it's like any other modern venue. Reasonably well signposted, but as always it could be better, and it has plenty of bars and food outlets dotted around the 'outer ring'. There are a few odd little bottlenecks that are forced by the architecture though so keep your eyes open, it can be quicker to go the 'long way' around. All the staff at the outlets seemed friendly, efficient and well prepared. I think the long queue I saw was for the solitary cash machine (at least the only one I saw). We grabbed drinks and headed in to the door allocated on our tickets only to be told that the door was 'shut' (I think he meant 'not in use'... a shut door can be opened!), so we toddled round the next door and walked in to an amazing space. It's only really when you are in the middle of the arena that you realise just how huge it is. The sound was good, although despite the fact we were fairly central (far stage left about 50 people back) there were some occasional echoes as the sound bounced back off the far walls, but nothing too distracting. There are still some teething troubles to be sorted out though. The staff communication (and staff levelling) of the stewards wasn't great. At one point they had one poor woman stuck managing two doors of people coming in and out (some with tickets, some who'd been in already with stamped hands to prove it). Once they get their operations sorted then the only thing to detract from the gig will be the usual drunken nutters! read more

My first time in the SSE Hydro was last night to see Still Game Live. I have never been much of a fan of large venues (much prefer small, intimate gigs/shows) but as the Hydro has quickly become an iconic sight in Glasgow I was excited to visit. I travelled by train which is connected to the venue via the large tunnel (it gets busy when theres gigs etc on , some forward planning needed if you're the claustrophobic sort). I think parking is about £7 and heard there are MASSIVE queues invloved. I knew the venue would be busy as Still Game was proving to be very popular, there were large queues to get in the door but ticket scanning was swift so we didnt wait that long. Once inside there are plenty of bars and eateries around to get as much of your money out of you as possible. There were people everywhere but I have to say, I feel the area was well staffed and it was easy to find our way to our seats. The stairs are a bit drab (this doesnt bother me, I'm more concerned with the stage and show!) which seems to bother some people. Once in the actual theatre we found our seats quite easily. The theatre takes the shape of a typical Ancient Roman-esque Ampitheatre, no matter how high up you are, you get a great view of the stage (the actors look like ants but theres no need to creak your neck to see them). The stains to the seats are also a bit Ancient Roman! Quite steep and I imagine people with the slightest of mobility/joint issues could find climbing them troubling. The seats are typical audience seats, i.e not very comfortable, 3 hours was more than enough! So all in all, it was great to finally see this venue. Its large, well spaced out and I found it to be well staffed. Ideally, my favourite acts would play in smaller venues so it'd need to be something really special for me to go back (or panto). As for Still Game, well it was fabulous :) read more

I know when the SSE Hydro first sprung up in Glasgow, there were some concerns about the sound quality - but I have to be honest, every time I've been I've been really happy. I saw Elbow here the other year (and Guy Garvey waved at me... for reals!) **EXCITE** and the other week I saw Muse here who were amazing! I always find it's pretty easy to combat any queues as they have plenty of areas to enter through, loads of - reasonably pricey - bars, and once you know where the nearest ones are, plenty of toilets. Apart from that it looks amazing on Glasgow's landscape and I adore the changing colours of the venue. I'm very glad it's here for the bigger music events. read more

Great venue and second time we have been to a gig in here. The venue is massive and the sound is fantastic. We went to see Kasabian and the place was full to capacity, have not been to a gig with the crowd so revved up which was brilliant. The only issue this time as it was full to capacity was the wait for the bar, no Q in the toilets but the bar staff are slow and you can't even get a bottle of water without the cap on lol. The first time we went it couldn't have been this busy as we had no Q's for anything. Love this place and it looks great from outside too. read more

The SSE Hydro - Music Venues Near Me - Glasgow, GLG

As a venue for seeing big music acts the modern colosseum-like 13,000 capacity SSE Hydro is pretty good overall. I've been to many events here now (mainly music gigs but also comedy and sporting events), stood in the general admission area and been seated in all levels - the lines of sight and sound quality are quite decent throughout for a venue of this size. It's great for bigger music acts that want to put on an impressive show. It doesn't feel soulless like some other arenas. There are food options of the fast food variety (fish n chips, burgers, noodles, etc.), overpriced naturally with it being a captive audience but at least the option of food is there, and beer, wine and soft drinks are available at the bars and food outlets. On a couple of occasions, the customer service has not been what it should be. I've observed and experienced some staff being rude and lacking in knowledge of the building's layout sending customers back and forth to wrong entry doors. However, no sign of this on my last few visits so hopefully been sorted! read more

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None of the bands I like are big enough to play the Hydro, so this was my first time here, for the Dr Who Symphonic Spectacular. We arrived with only a couple of minutes to find our seats, so I didn't get a lot of time to wander around but it's a spacious place with plenty of food outlets in the foyer. The staff were efficient and helpful and the signposting is clear - we found our seats quickly and easily. The arena is massive - as it was a Dr Who event, there were a lot of jokes about it being bigger on the inside! The upper levels of seating are steeply tiered so you have no problem getting a clear view of the stage even from the very top. The only thing I didn't like was the security guard employed to stand and stare at the audience - I'm not quite sure why, although he did say "no flash photography" on our way in, so maybe he was trying to spot people using flashes. But he was really quite unsettling! Still, the concert was great, the sound quality was great, the view was great. I'm not a fan of massive concert arenas but this seems like a particularly good one and cetainly knocks the socks off the neighbouring SECC as a gig venue. read more

Having recently experienced the Barrowland ballroom as a concert venue,recently we revisited the Hydro this week . Sadly our last experience was poor due to the musician rather than the venue so we were eager to have a good experience this time around . Dixie Chicks exceeded our expectations with a superlative performance . A black and white theme was the order of the day , graphics , outfits etc and it was a classy show . Fab lead singer who who be at home in a rock band . The 2 sisters accompanying her were fab musicians , the violinist a virtuoso. They still mix politics and current affairs into their music despite being blackballed in America following comments about American involvement in Iraq . This forced them into a leave of absence from touring for a few years . A nod was made to Beyoncé and her lyrics lambasting her husband on the new Lemonade album. The highlight for me was their tribute to Prince , singing Nothing Compares to You . Dixie chicks it also applies to you. read more

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I have heard a lot of people give the Hydro a bad rap and I just do not get it. It's definitely somewhere I'm excited about as a venue. I've been to a number of events here: numerous rock concerts, Il Divo, Danny Elfman and the Royal Orchestra, Kevin Bridges and NXT Live. Quite a mixed bag! And I'm honestly yet to be disappointed with this place. Yes, the acoustics can be a bit ropey at a metal gig if you're standing at the side. There is quite a bit of reverb at this type of gig here and that just doesn't seem to be something they can resolve with the shape of the place. But the great thing about the Hydro is that there is loads of room and if you're unhappy with the sound you can move towards centre, get a better sound experience and not compromise on the view. Happy days. For Il Divo and Danny Elfman the arena was perfect. I was front row centre of the first tier for both of these and I'm pretty sure that this is the "acoustic sweet spot" for this type of show. You can practically feel the music whilst sitting here and I actually got a bit emotional at both. For NXT we were in the raised seating on floor level and WHAT A VIEW! We weren't too close to the ring that we were crowded and struggling to see, but we still had a great view and the set up made for a fantastic night of wrestling. If you're lucky enough to have a ticket for RAW in November and it's in this section then you are in for a treat. Mostly, the staff are friendly and super helpful too. At a Slipknot gig last year I took not well after support act Korn and didn't feel like I could stand the rest of the gig. After frantic texting to some friends in seating and a very helpful box office manager I managed to swap my standing tickets for seating for Slipknot's set. This is honestly such a stand out memory for me of this place as I would have had to go home if I didn't get a seat and I was able to enjoy the rest of the show in comfort. The drink and food prices are pretty standard for this type of venue and although it will never compare to my beloved Barrowland, it's still a venue that I'm really happy to see on a gig announcement. My next visit is due to be standing at another rock concert in November and I can't wait. One of the best venues in Glasgow for any occassion. read more

I took my elderly mother to see the Dancing on Ice tour yesterday Sat 12 April 2014 for the matinee performance. The show was magical and fabulous. The arena staff were helpful and friendly making it easy to find our seats. Food, bar and toilet facilities were all good. However, after the show there was mayhem outside the venue as literally hundreds queued at the taxi rank with only a couple of taxis picking up fares every 5 mins. As we arrived at the venue via the No 100 bus (Queen Street Station) we assumed we could get back to the city centre via bus and subsequently queued - WRONG! Somehow the service stopped at 5pm. There was inadequate shelter outside the venue and the crowds were left in the cold, wind and rain (many elderly) not knowing how to get back to the city centre. We eventually headed for the metro however the queues there too were unbelievably long. In the end I had to make my 83 year old mother walk to Argyle Street - not an easy fete - but we had to get back to Queen Street Station to catch a train. For me it's nothing short of a disgrace at the lack of transport links and/or information available at the venue and those responsible in The Hydro management and The City of Glasgow Council should be ashamed. It's a poor representation of Glasgow to it's visitors (many from all over Scotland) and spoiled what should have been a perfect day. I will think twice before attending another show at The Hydro. read more

What a waste of 20 million £ I'd rather have a gig in the Armadillo any day, The place is a concrete jungle with seats in the sky or the nose bleed seats as most people call them, if u ever manage to get front seats remember to take ur binoculars cause u will still need them if u want to see anything. The stage is too tiny for the venue and too far away from even the front row seats, The side screens are useless so tiny and narrow, I thought the SECC big red shed was bad but it was better than the Hydro, theres been nothing good to view bands since the old Glasgow Apollo got demolished even the Pavilions better than the Hydro overpriced tickets and try getting a decent seat ticket even sat on the day ready to buy the second tickets are on sale even with 48 hours presale joke of the century a massive failure this place !!! read more

The SSE Hydro brings Glasgow into the top league of cities with big-scale purpose build indoor venues, alongside London's O2, and New York's Madison Square Gardens; "Glasgow's answer to..." as the Evening Times would say. Fully configurable, the venue has hosted Commonwealth Games gymnastics, big name acts like Beyonce, Kylie and Prince, and events like Disney on Ice and Top Gear live. The tiered circular seating means excellent sight lines to the stages. Although the top tier might leave you squinting a bit to see the action because this venue is huge! Plenty of toilets, bars and snack areas mean little if any queuing, and the high staffing means things run efficiently despite the huge crowds. I haven't used the car park (its a pet hate of mine, ugly ugly structure!) and believe getting out after a big event can take as long as the night's entertainment itself (slight exaggeration). But being part of the SECC complex, it's linked to Exhibition Centre railway station by walkway, a quick 10 minute walk at most. I drove by the site watching the venue take shape on a daily basis, and marveled at the fantastic design. The finished building is fabulous - big, bold, and colourful. Like the world's biggest Mathmos lamp, the entire exterior changes colour spectacularly... read more

I've got to start by complimenting the security guards, even though I think they aren't specific to the venue. They worked for an agency called G4S. Super nice, civilized people who treated the audience kindly and did a good job keeping the artist and everyone else in the venue safe. I interacted with about ten of them, and they were all very lovely people. The venue people working at information and merch were great too. I found them to be intelligent and helpful. One bad seed. Guy who worked for the venue... Was doing coatcheck at the end if the night (21st of March) and was acting security up next to the stage right when the concert ended. Scrawny guy with rectangular glasses, reddish blondish brownish hair , a little shaggy. Looked really young. That guy sucked. My jacket fell right next to him and I politely asked him to hand it back to me. He refused to, very proudly. Then, smirking, he tried to look at the two G4S security guys next to him for validation. They didn't acknowledge him; instead, one of them handed me my jacket. I thanked him for being kind and said something negative about the scrawny glasses guy. He responded professionally just making a face about the mean venue guy and not touching on what I'd said other than that, and commenting something about it being cold out there, in regards to me thanking him for being nice handing me my jacket. The barrier holds probably 35-40 people between where the speakers are setup. The seats are comfortable. Bathrooms are decently kept. Clean venue overall. read more

Located next door to the Secc & within a relitively short walk of the city centre. This first purpose built music venue with 3 levels & a rather big seating capaticy & moderate standing area. read more

Love the hydro!! It's a great building to look at from the outside and although it's really big inside the atmosphere is not lost.

Best venue out specially for disabled food dear but other than that I love it. Only one chance I would make is to taxies u wait for ages

How this building has been passed by the health and safety brigade beggars belief. It is an accident waiting to happen. I attended a concert last night and was horrified to see people clinging for dear life trying to make their way up and down the concrete stairs. Elderly folk were actually climbing down the stairs backwards on all fours. Total disgrace that there are no hand rails to hold on to. It was my first visit and it will be my last. The only rating I can offer is on the entertainment value of the concert which was super. read more

Venue great but don't take a car it's a nightmare getting out the car park next to it massive ques to get a ticket to get out then a massive que to get out take a sleeping bag you will need it £8 for parking joke read more

Terrible, unfinished looking venue with terrible sound. I really can't understand the difference between what the previous reviewers are saying versus the reviews on TripAdvisor. 4 or 5 stars on Yelp v 1 or 2 on TripAdvisor. The concrete slab walls are already grimy and stained but the main problem is the absolutely, terrible sound quality..... read more

Was at the opening show and boy what a show,the hydro is as impressive inside as it is outside.we were standing and were not crushed as with other venues ,plenty room to move about and change location if need to. there was an amazing atmosphere in the arena and could say it was possibly because it was the first night of a new music venue but it jut felt good inside.i am lead to believe that the seating areas on the decks were a bit scarey especially on the top deck and there are no handrails or lighting to guide you to your seat if you leave your seat when show is on.plenty loos as each entrance to arena has loos and more ladies loos than gents. There are plenty bars as well and the bars were still open half an hour after show finished ,that let people decide to leave with the crowd or let the crowd disperse before venturing out,the latter suited us as by the time we left the crowd had gone and we got a taxi easily.would give it five stars but a few wee things have been overlooked.not enough hand dryers in loos and not in the obvious places so you go hunting for dryers.overall it has a good feel to it and rod stewart made it such an amazing night. read more