bp pulse LIVE — Attraction in Metropolitan Borough of Solihull

I had been here once before many years ago, when the venue was named something else. It was good then and it was equally good this time.

Getting to the venue is easy from Birmingham International railway station. It's a short, wheelchair friendly walk from the station to the venue, which is clearly signposted from the station so it's practically impossible to get lost.

When we arrived at the venue, the friendly, helpful staff directed my friend and I to the first entrance we came to, and I used my mobile phone to show them our tickets. I had a rucksack with me, so obviously the staff did their due diligence by searching the bag which was done quickly yet thoroughly, and a sticky tag was put over the handle, presumably to let others know it had been checked and was safe.

There were plenty of staff around to point us in the right direction to our seats, which were up one flight of stairs. I walk using a stick, but the steps were easy to ascend - and descend - due to there being handrails on each side.

Our seats were relatively easy to find, although at first I wasn't certain we were in the right section, as there was someone sitting in one of our seats. When I showed him our tickets, he realised he was in the wrong section so he moved without complaint and was apologetic to us.

The only minor downside to the event itself was that there were no big screens next to the stage to help those who were sitting near the back of the room to see the bands more clearly. So, as you can see from my poor quality zoomed in photos, I could barely make out the figures onstage during the performances due to my distance from the stage.

However, I thoroughly enjoyed the show, even the guy who came on between each act to "warm up" the crowd, who was intentionally rubbish (the tour was named "Loserville", after all!). The sound in the room was excellent, as was the atmosphere.

There were refreshments for sale that my friend bought drinks from that were served in reusable(?) plastic cups. £7.90 for two pints of Pepsi Max, which might sound like a lot, but that's standard for a busy music venue in the UK nowadays.

There was a merchandise stand on the ground floor near the toilets that we walked past as we left. Although ordering a taxi home was straightforward, finding it wasn't due to the road outside the venue being closed to traffic which we didn't realise until our taxi driver had been trying to contact us for several minutes.

Overall, a great night out, and had there been big screens erected next to the stage to help us see the acts clearly and if the road closure had been explained/signposted on our way out, I would be rating the venue five stars instead of four. I will no doubt...

I've been to this venue a few times now, and while I've had some great experiences, this visit was a bit mixed. The atmosphere and sound quality for music are fantastic—definitely the venue's strong points—but there were quite a few issues that affected the experience.

The food and drinks are expensive, which is expected, but the quality is lacking. The draught drinks are particularly bad, so I recommend going for the small bottles of pop, even though they cost £4.50. If you're coming from the opposite side of Birmingham, be prepared for heavy traffic, high parking fees, or a lengthy public transport journey. I was surprised that there was no shuttle service from the train station—unless you're up for a 30-minute walk, it's not the most convenient.

Entering the venue was frustrating. We weren't given wristbands at the door, and when we tried to enter the standing area, we were refused entry without explanation. We thought we had to find another entrance and ended up walking in circles before realizing we simply needed wristbands. Sorting it out at the entrance took time, and the staff seemed puzzled about why we hadn't received them in the first place. It felt disorganized, especially for a high-energy event like a Limp Bizkit concert.

Access to drinking water was also a problem. There was only one tap for drinking water, and the vending machine for water was out of order. I got overheated and struggled to stay hydrated, and I saw others in the same situation. For an event like this, better access to basic necessities like water should be a priority.

When I finally managed to get some water, I wasn't allowed to rejoin my friends in our section. I had to push through a packed crowd to find them, and the staff I spoke to didn't seem to care about the situation.

To top it off, road access was closed when we left, causing our Uber driver to cancel. We had to order another one from a considerable distance away, which was frustrating.

Despite all these issues, we still had a good time. The energy of the performance and the overall vibe of the venue helped make up for the shortcomings, but there's definitely room for...

I couldn't believe the size of the arena. It must've held over 5000 people. The sound for the stage could've been better, but it was so loud that you didn't care. On the way in, I needed the loo, but the nearest disabled was locked and there's nobody to ask. I had to walk a lot further up to use the ladies. Then I discovered there wasn't any loo roll at the essential moment, good job I carry tissues for that exact reason. I've been caught before, obvs. The prices of cans of pop, coffee and sandwiches are exorbitant. Don't buy them inside the venue, it's a robbery. On entry to the show, bags are searched as they perhibit food being taken in from outside. Which is a complete scam, the shows or concerts last hours, so you're going to need refreshments. But they can't search your pockets, so hide as much as you can. In all pockets, in your bra, under your jumper, down your socks. Don't give them your hard earned money. It will get very warm too, especially if it's packed like it was when I went. So wear clothes that you can strip off. Obviously not too the naughty bits, that'll definitely get you thrown out. If you have mobility issues like me, the steps up the middle of the seats are very wide. I was very impressed as it helps a lot. Seats are like the ones at the cinema, fold up and not much leg room. Not much space to put bags, drinks etc. And there's the gap in front too, beware stuff falling down there. Quite awkward getting it back. I go for seats on the end if I can, helps if you want the loo. Also front ones, there's several levels of height. But not always available, not if you're in a group. But the day was fabulous, atmosphere was amazing...