Seating in the olympia

Fi H

Just wondering if anyone had an opinion on seating in the olympia. I have the option of row b or row e in the stalls for a gig but cant decide. Part of me thinks. Row e might be.better cause wouldnt be looking up
Thanks

LeinsterDub

It's all equally as bad. Legs wedged up against the seat in front, if someone wants to get out the whole row has to stand up. How this place is still in hosting gigs is beyond me

wilser

LeinsterDub wrote: »

It's all equally as bad. Legs wedged up against the seat in front, if someone wants to get out the whole row has to stand up. How this place is still in hosting gigs is beyond me

+1

HeidiHeidi

LeinsterDub wrote: »

It's all equally as bad. Legs wedged up against the seat in front, if someone wants to get out the whole row has to stand up. How this place is still in hosting gigs is beyond me

wilser wrote: »

+1

+2

Every time I go there, I swear I'll never darken the door again - but then another good gig comes along and I can't resist. Mind you, haven't been there in about two years.

And you never mentioned the smell, or the shoes sticking to the carpet as you squelch around the place :mad: It really is a horrible place.

rubadub

LeinsterDub wrote: »

It's all equally as bad. Legs wedged up against the seat in front,

not sure about the stalls but in the circle the gaps are not all equal. I can't remember which is best, I know front row circle is pretty tight, but one row, b or c or d is ridiculous, and one is fairly OK.

After the gigs are finished you should try sitting in each row and see which is the best.

grimm2005

LeinsterDub wrote: »

It's all equally as bad. Legs wedged up against the seat in front, if someone wants to get out the whole row has to stand up. How this place is still in hosting gigs is beyond me

+3. I'm 6ft6 and i find sitting in those seats physically painful on my knees. was sitting in the second row for sean locke a couple of years ago and about half way through the first act I stopped enjoying it, purely because of how painful it was to sit there but luckily there were a couple of free seats in the front row so we moved at intermission.

Since then I pretty much avoid seated shows there unless its someone i have to see and even then i have to buy the tickets at an outlet and make sure i get an edge seat for that little bit extra leg room.

JJ

I don't think my knees have forgiven me from the time I sat in the second row for Cathy Davey at the Olympia. It was a great show and the uncomforableness didn't take away from it too much but when I stood up afterwards, the pain really hit me. Last time I was there I got wheelchair seats for my daughter for the Peppa Pig show and that was grand since they give you two standalone seats in the back and plenty of legroom.

run_Forrest_run

supposed to be great for acoustics I believe.
I was only there once for a stand up comedy show though, yeah it's tight but it's an old theatre and has character....so they say

optimistic_

To be honest with you it depends on the row you're in.
It's also a great venue if it's not a seated gig.

Was in row A for Magnetic Fields the other night and couldn't possibly complain, the stage isn't so high that "looking up" is an issue.

People complaining about the venue getting gigs should consider the fact that a lot of artists who play there specifically request it.

LeinsterDub

optimistic_ wrote: »

People complaining about the venue getting gigs should consider the fact that a lot of artists who play there specifically request it.

They should be all made to sit in the seats for 2 and half hours before they are allowed book

indiewindy

LeinsterDub wrote: »

They should be all made to sit in the seats for 2 and half hours before they are allowed book

Thats it, it looks great from the stage but the seats are cramped and the venue really needs to be revamped. Vicar Street is so much more favourable for concerts.

languagenerd

I hate it as a gig venue. The sound is fairly good, granted, but it's not ideal for rock gigs. I'm 5ft 10 (which isn't tall by this thread's standards) and it hurts my knees to sit there. And people constantly get up and down, force the whole row to stand up.

Even when there's a standing area downstairs, it's horrible! They overfill it, there's extra barriers in the middle for no reason and the way the floor is slanted, the back is the same level as the stage so your vision is blocked by pretty much anyone standing in front... and the security guards shout at you if you try to take photos during the gig.

Sorry OP, this went a bit off topic! I think the closest rows to the front have the worst legroom. Try to get the edge of an aisle, maybe?

languagenerd

languagenerd wrote: »

Even when there's a standing area downstairs, it's horrible! They overfill it, there's extra barriers in the middle for no reason and the way the floor is slanted, the back is the same level as the stage so your vision is blocked by pretty much anyone standing in front... and the security guards shout at you if you try to take photos during the gig.

That's so people don't get crushed at the front. Something that came in after that girl died at the Smashing Pumpkins gig iirc

JayzuzHowiye

Who wants to sit down at gigs anyway?

EyesClosed

JayzuzHowiye wrote: »

Who wants to sit down at gigs anyway?

I would agree, but these are fully seated gigs, so you have no choice

jack presley

I'm only 5'10" and if I didn't have an aisle seat it the last time I was there it would have been unbearable

Fi H

Yup definitely off track and not sure I am any wiser but it does make me happy to be short

Decuc500

Regardless of leg room, row B in the stalls gives a fantastic view. You'll see over the head in front of you and it isn't too near/under the stage.

languagenerd

Deleted User wrote: »

That's so people don't get crushed at the front. Something that came in after that girl died at the Smashing Pumpkins gig iirc

They don't have that in other (bigger) venues though! I don't mind them so much when I get to stand against them, but then you get tons of idiots pushing through only to realise there's a barrier there who then decide to stand in front of you or climb over the barrier, kicking you in the face in the process (this has happened, I'm not exaggerating!)

Delta2113

In the stalls can you get out at both ends - I've got seat 1 and 2 somewhere between A- F and wondering am I pinned up against the wall?

Seren_

@Delta2113 - yeah I'm pretty sure you can get out at both ends.

When I was at the Franz Ferdinand gig a month or so back, everyone in the balcony seats just stood up. I'd only had a reserved ticket before that, so I thought maybe that's always what happened in the unreserved balcony seats.

Sitting in the Olympia kinda ruins a gig tbh. I'm not tall and my legs are still always jammed into the seat in front.

Delta2113

Thanks Seren - might have that extra pint then before the Gig - Neil Finn Gig tomorrow if anyone is curious.

horseburger

Delta2113 wrote: »

Thanks Seren - might have that extra pint then before the Gig - Neil Finn Gig tomorrow if anyone is curious.

there is a gap of a few feet at both sides of the seating area in the Olympia, in between the edge seats and the walls.

It means that people can enter and leave the venue from both sides of the venue and there are doors out to the foyer -merchandise area at both sides.

Facing the stage, the left hand door leads to the area to collect any items from the cloakroom, while if there is a signing taking place (sometimes bands will sign cds at the merch booth after gigs) at the merchandise stall, they usually start the queue along the wall after the corridor from the exit door located at the right hand side, facing the stage

there are photos on the venue's website, of the seating plan

http://www.olympia.ie/buy-tickets/seating-layout

Irishshin

Hate the Olympia so much because of the seating.

Row G in stalls is the best. There is a huge gap in front of you to let people get into the middle aisle to their seats. Pretty annoying when people get up during the gig but at least your legs are fine at the end. I did have to call TM to get those seats the day they went on sale though. And i will be doing the same for future Olympia gigs!

Next gig I am going to is Richie Sambora and it will be standing. Its the first standing show at the Olympia I've been at so will be interesting.