Review: Monster Jam - Ramped Up!

Review written by Ally Richmond at Toddle About West Northants

Myself, my husband and three children attended Monster Jam at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham for an afternoon performance of their monster truck show.

The enthusiastic folks that run Monster Jam are currently in the midst of an international tour, gracing Birmingham over the Easter weekend with their unique brand of entertainment before somehow packing it all away and heading off to Germany.

Although the spectacle of monster trucks appear to be far more popular stateside, the appeal is apparent as a formatted 'competition' style show unfolds before your eyes, with four separate events performed by the drivers and their enormously-wheeled themed conveyances. There's a car shaped like a shark, another like a bull, three made up (like everything these days) as Marvel superheroes and one just called Grave Digger. Don't ask me. It's green?

The hosts keep things lively with some audience participation and explain how to vote on your favourite display from the drivers using your smartphone, it's kind of like Gladiators with massive cars, they even sell foam fingers and get you clapping along to Another One Bites The Dust.

The main difference? The NOISE. Even by our standards this was incessantly loud, and although there is a lot there for kids to love, ear defenders are a necessity. Don't worry, they sell them there, but we were scraping three digits on three pairs of defenders.

There's no denying it's all very slick and impressive, if you can stand the noise. There was a very impressive full flip by 'Grave Digger' in the last 'freestyle' portion of the competition. Our youngest children's favourite part though was a mid-show motorcycle trick show performed by a quartet of Motorcross riders. Watching them hurtling through the air as if fired from a cannon was particularly impressive.

Utilita Arena itself is a good venue and the show is set up well. The car parks are easy access and the queue moved very quickly on entry once the doors opened at 11.30am, for a show start of 1pm it was enough time to find the toilets, grab some snacks and settle in before it all kicks off.

Overall, a fun afternoon but loses a star for me because even by huge event standards, the merchandise prices were absolutely sky high.

To find out more about Monster Jam or to book tickets, visit www.monsterjam.co.uk If you can't wait until the next show, stay up to date on the latest developments through social media by visiting: