Garon Park Southend-on-Sea reviews by real event-goers

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Have been to numerous UB40 events, including 2 previous at this venue, but have to say that we were extremely disappointed this time and would not waste money to attend again.
It was a very long wait for UB40 to appear, previously the earlier acts have been good, however this year there were hours of someone singing badly over records. There was no compare which in previous years has built atmosphere and when UB40 did finally appear Ali Campbell did not interact with crowd at all, unlike previous years, and no sooner had they appeared than they had finished - barely an hour of concert!!
Food was of a poor quality & overpriced- £15 for a bit of rice and 2 pieces of bone with little chicken on it. Drinks expensive & queues long.
Lots of disturbances / fighting with lack of security to deal with it. The people causing trouble were allowed to stay. VIP area was constantly gate crashed, security simply ignored it.
All in all a very expensive day for nothing - never again!!!!

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Trouble, needed more security, VIP facilities were not VIP, not enough stalls, no merchandise stall, waited all day to see them not told prior to attending the time UB40 on stage. Only a short performance by them. Food and drink limited and extremely expensive for the venue, it’s not Wembley stadium. No disabled section within the VIP section for facilities.

Review of Garon Park

I've been to many gigs over at Garon's and this was by far the worse. Spent £154 on two VIP tickets. The atmosphere wasn't good the food, small box noodles £13. £6.50 for a can of larger. Absolutely disgraceful pricing after already paying £154. The VIP are a was rammed ended up walking stratight out. So many fights going on. Not enough security. Not much there either a fun fair and food places. No tents at all so if it rained you were in trouble. Then when Ali came on he didn't com eon for long. Came on at 9.15pm went off at 10.00pm then came back at 10.10pm for 10 minutes. Really not impressed at all. Will nto be going to anymore festivals over at Garon's. Cheaply put on and a rip off.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Ended up leaving early due to feeling unsafe with the type of people in attendance. Felt absolutely ripped of for both a drink as well as the below standard food. Too many drunk people and undesirables. Waste of money!

Review of South East Dance Festival 2023

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

As many people have said. On stage for just an hour 9-10pm .
Run out of beer and fight’s started.
Was really looking forward to this but came away feeling like was that it? A handful of songs. Disappointed 😔 is an understatement.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Ali Campbell was brilliant for what we got to hear, the venue was overrun with the traveller community and atmosphere uncomfortable and we felt intimidated!
Went to the same venue to see UB40 and Astro two years ago and it was a brilliant event chilled happy atmosphere which is why we returned with friends this time. Not enough security and hoards of drunken travellers creating such a bad atmosphere we upgraded to VIP only to discover they had gatecrashed the VIP area and with too few security couldn’t be stopped, security were run ragged at all the separate pockets of trouble. Long queues at the ladies not helped again by travellers jumping the queue! We decided to leave early and glad we did after seeing police with dogs at the gate and later heard reports of more violence. Would definitely see UB40 again but NEVER at this venue! £60 per head for feeling intimidated in Southend was a rip off and we will be looking for a refund!

Review of Garon Park

I felt that the drinks was very expensive. When you’re not allowed to bring in your own drinks or food, I think this was a shame. Apart from that, I thought the whole experience was fantastic. However, I felt that UB40 could’ve stayed longer on the stage. There were some songs that they didn’t sing which were old ones.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

UB40 didn’t come on till 9:15 and we’re on for about 1 hour 15 minutes absolutely disgraceful. The bar ran out of £6:50 beer, absolute joke. There were no late trains to get home, ended up having to wait and get a taxi for £75

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Advertised and priced as a UB40 feat Ali Campbell, they only played for just over an hour, poor! They were good but not long enough for the price. Bitty McLean was good too, but since it was advertised as UB40 there should not have been 5 hours of random guys singing over a DJ!
Caribbean food stall was overpriced and underdelivered, esp in regards to the quality of cut of meat and plain rice for £15, ridiculous, not a good representation of the cuisine associated with the culture of the festival! VIP area was poor for facilities as queued for 40mins for female toilets and overpriced drinks. The atmosphere of the festival was ruined by aggressive violent behaviour, and overly intoxicated morons. The event was under secured for the serious challenges they faced with patron. Some security did not do enough to secure the site and laughed and joked with aggressive festival goers instead of removing them.
This all had a negative effect on the event and I will not be returning.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Bill as UB40 featuring Ali Campbell
Who did not come on stage to 9am.
Crowd full of drunkards starting fights around children.
£6.50 for a can of lager, seriously??

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

The music wasn’t load enough. Too many drunk people, not enough security and the food was rubbish.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Enjoyed the evening although I I thought UB40 could have stayed a on bit longer.felt sorry for the ladies que for the toilets,my bladder would have given out.very overpriced for bar etc.all in all though a good day.v.i.p area very good in that it was not packed.suprised at the ease to exit car park.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Not a good event. Too many fights going on in the crowd. Perpetrators should have been thrown out but weren't. Boring waiting all afternoon for UB40 to come on. Apart from Bitty Mclean support was just records being played. UB40 excellent but only played just short of 1 hour 10 mins. The amount of fold up chairs and picnic blankets in the arena was ridiculous. An accident waiting to happen. We came to watch live music not clamber over chairs and picnic blankets. Spoilt what should be a good evening. Wouldn't go again. Have been to many outdoor concerts and they were not like this. Lots of very young children in audience but didn't feel the event was suitable for them. Not a family friendly environment.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Second time at Southend . Reggae roast played for far too long and became boring after 2 hours . Ali as good as the 7 odd times we have seen them . Down side I don’t drink and far from boring but why do people get the tough man and woman image after a few drinks ? People just can’t behave and along with the numerous groups of travelers present it made for a frosty atmosphere . I’m a big guy but constantly looking around expecting trouble . We have decided this will be our last time to Southend for a gig .

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Seen UB40 3 times before, they were amazing, but the venue was poor, or should I say the security was poor. So many fights in the crowd which spoilt the evening. So much so we left after about 5 songs.. I think the venue was open to early. UB40 didn't come on until about 9pm. Was gutted because we was looking forward to a good evening..

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Waited 5 hours listening to a dj and 2 guys singing over and they were not great at that either! UB40 sounded great but not good at interacting with crowd.
Worse was queuing for hot drinks only to be told none available. Happened at 3 stalls.
Too many fairground rides not enough food/drink stalls to cope with numbers.

Review of UB40 featuring Ali Campbell at Garon Park Southend

Really disappointed.
Hours listening to idiots trying to sing random reggae over a dj.
This is not what I consider to be a music festival
Only 2 hours tops of actual live music in 8 hours!!!
Ali didn't engage with the crowd.
I'm a regular at these local music festivals....I won't be back

Review of Garon Park

Went to see UB40, paid for VIP and the venue was awful. VIP area was packed and did not offer my idea of VIP, over 40 mins wait for toilets, fights and drunk people who were just looking for trouble, really spoilt the event. Also UB49 played for 1 hr at the end of the night, not enough for being billed as a UB40 event. Good over priced and not very good. Bar had no stock and advertised products they did not have, will not be returning to such an event. Security didn’t manage the trash better, just let them carry on fighting and left them on sight where children and people actually there to see the band were impacted! Very disappointed!