JLS VIP concert experience

We may be in the first month of a new year, but I’m throwing it back to 2021 with this blog post! It’s been a hectic few months, however I couldn’t miss the opportunity of sharing another concert related blog post – and it’s a special one.

Back in October, I saw JLS live for the first time in 8 years. It was also the first concert I’d been to in over 18 months.

Pre-pandemic times, me and my friend Jess decided that we were going to do two shows on JLS’ upcoming tour, because why not?

When I saw that the VIP packages included a meet and greet, I was very tempted.

I last met JLS in 2012, and desperately wanted to have that experience all over again. However, purchasing this sort of thing isn’t often straight forward for disabled people like myself. It was worth a go though right?

 

Booking tickets

As soon as we started to consider the VIP packages, I instantly knew that I wanted to go to one of the shows at AO Arena Manchester (formally Manchester Arena) as this is my favourite venue. I’ve always had exceptional experiences here in terms of accessibility, and that is often the deciding factor for me as a disabled concert lover.

I contacted the venue before the tickets went on sale to see if they were selling accessible VIP packages. The arena promptly got back to me and informed me that they would be selling the packages. Such a sigh of relief!

I was asked about my accessibility requirements, and was given information on the personal assistant/companion ticket. I was really impressed that the option of a personal assistant/companion ticket was available for such packages, as this is something that I’ve never been able to get hold of in previous years.

 

AO Arena Manchester has an access guide on their website which is also available in a range of formats.

As soon as the tickets went on sale, I contacted the arena to try to purchase a meet and greet package. As instructed, I sent an email detailing the tickets I wanted, as well as my contact details.

To my surprise, they got back to me straight away! I was provided with information on our accessible seats, as well as confirming the pricing and what would be included in the package. The fact that they had my access requirements already from previous visits made the process much more seamless.

Once everything was confirmed, I received a call to make payment.

I was meeting JLS!

 

The process of booking the accessible VIP package was easy, and thankfully not stressful. I’ve previously had some awful and disappointing experiences when booking similar packages in the past, so it was a welcome change.

 

The VIP experience

The tour had to be rescheduled twice due to the global pandemic. When it finally came around, the pandemic meant that there also had to be some changes to the VIP package. This included keeping a safe distance from the band. I was a bit sceptical about how this would affect the meet and greet experience for me as a blind fan, would we even get to talk to them? I worried that the money I’d paid would be a waste as I wouldn’t have the same experience as sighted fans. I completely understood that these measures were necessary to ensure maximum safety.

No matter what happened, I wanted to make the most of the experience. It would be memories that I would cherish after all.

 

Wednesday 24 November was soon upon us, it was JLS day! I got the train to Manchester where I met my friend Jess. Thankfully, I didn’t have any issues with passenger assistance throughout the journey.

Once we met up, we made our way to the hotel with plenty of time to spare. Upon arrival at the hotel, we were informed that our room wasn’t ready, so we’d have to wait.

We had to wait for a lot longer than expected, and our room still wasn’t ready. This meant that we had to leave our luggage at the hotel and head to the arena as there was no time to spare.

Once at the arena, we were directed by a steward where to go. Once inside, we checked in for the VIP package where we received our VIP goody bag which included a signed print, pin badges and a Bluetooth speaker among other things. As my friend Jess was classed as my companion, she sadly wasn’t able to receive a bag of her own. Luckily, we were able to split it between the two of us.

It was then time for our tickets and Covid tests to be checked, and we also went through the security procedures.

We were then directed to stand in a queue and were told what would happen, as well as guidance on keeping a distance for everyone’s safety.

 

After a short wait, it was time to head into the main arena where the meet and greet would be taking place.

I have to admit, it felt rather strange being in an arena that was pretty much empty! It was an experience for sure.

We made our way down to the front and waited for our turn to meet the boys. Before I knew it, we were next.

JLS were on the stage whilst fans stood behind a barrier in front, so that everyone could keep a social distance and for maximum safety for the band, crew and fans.

We made our way in front of the stage and were greeted by each member of the band. Each of them took the time to ask us questions such as how we were, whether this was our first time seeing the tour and whether we’d met them before. I’d met them back in 2012 at a charity concert in London, so we reminisced about that gig.

I took the time to thank them as they have been such a huge part of my life for the last 14 years. They also thanked us for supporting them!

It was then time for our photo with them, which was over before I knew it.

I had just met JLS!

They were so genuine and down to earth. They weren’t awkward about interacting with a blind fan, something that has stuck with me ever since.

I was apprehensive about how accessible the meet and greet would be for a blind fan like myself, luckily it all worked out.

 

Once our meet and greet was over, we found ourselves a couple of seats for the Q&A.

The Q&A consisted of questions that had been submitted by fans before the show. Each member of the band answered the questions with true honesty and humour as always.

Once the meet and greet and Q&A were over, we had a couple of hours to spare before the gig. We got ourselves seated and waited for the concert to start.

Our seats were on the second row, so it was perfect.

 

The concert

Before we knew it, the concert was under way. Casa Jackson was their support act. I’d enjoyed seeing her in Sheffield the previous month, and thought she put on an impressive set once again.

DJ James Barr then took to the stage to get the crowd ready for the gig, playing a variety of brand-new tracks and throwbacks.

It was then time for JLS!

 

I went into much more detail about the show itself in my blog post on the Sheffield concert, and the concert was just as good the second time around, if not even better. Their love for Manchester was evident.

Hearing some of my favourite songs having met the boys earlier on that day was such a special feeling. I was taken back to my teenage years; it was so nostalgic.

Hearing both new and the classics live was incredible. I think I was even more blown away by the setlist the second time around.

There was even a proposal in the crowd before the final song.

 

Meeting and seeing JLS perform live again is something I’ll never forget, Memories that I’ll treasure for a very long time.

 

Booking the VIP packages for myself and my friend Jess was surprisingly stress-free and simple. I was once again reminded why AO Arena Manchester is my favourite venue for accessibility.

 

Have you been to AO Arena Manchester, or are you a JLS fan? Pop over to the comments and let’s have a chat.

 

Holly x