Pop-punk under the Big Dome
Simple Plan’s Manila stop is a headline show at the Araneta Coliseum on November 25, 2026, a Wednesday. The band comes from Montreal and formed in 1999. In the Philippines it is known for the songs that filled 2000s radio and karaoke rooms: “I’m Just a Kid”, “Welcome to My Life”, “Perfect” and “Untitled”.
Locals call the venue the Big Dome. It opened in 1960 and is still one of the largest indoor arenas in Asia. In 1975 it hosted the Ali–Frazier “Thrilla in Manila”. Steep tiers of seats circle the floor under one round roof, so even the top rows look down onto the stage instead of across at it.
Sections and tickets
Araneta’s seating has used the same tier names for decades. From the floor up:
- Floor sections, which are set up for concerts and vary from show to show
- Patron, the lowest fixed ring
- Lower Box
- Upper Box
- General Admission, the highest tier, under the roof
Concerts here are usually ticketed through TicketNet, the coliseum’s own ticketing arm. This page leaves out the support acts, door times and price tiers on purpose, because none of those details were given to us.
Getting to Araneta City
The coliseum sits in Araneta City, the mall and entertainment district in Cubao, where EDSA meets Aurora Boulevard.
- MRT-3: Araneta Center–Cubao station on EDSA. Elevated walkways run into the district.
- LRT-2: Araneta Center–Cubao station on Aurora Boulevard, next to Gateway Mall.
- Grab and taxis: drop-offs are inside Araneta City, and the malls have multi-level car parks.
A Wednesday-night show runs into EDSA’s evening rush, one of the slowest stretches of road in Metro Manila. Most concertgoers coming from Makati or BGC take the train rather than sit in a car.
Dinner, merch and the ride home in Cubao
Fans usually turn up hours before the show and make an evening of it in Cubao.
- Before the show: Gateway Mall and Farmers Market have food courts and chain restaurants a few minutes’ walk from the dome.
- Something more local: Cubao Expo, a horseshoe of small bars, record shops and cafés in the old Marikina Shoe Expo, is a short ride away on General Romulo Avenue.
- Merch: queues form at the stalls around the concourse. Most fans buy on the way in, because shirts often sell out by the encore.
Entry means a bag check, and venue staff generally don’t allow large bags or outside food. Paying is easy. Cash works everywhere, and GCash and cards are taken at most mall counters and many stalls.
Manila crowds sing every chorus. At pop-punk shows the Upper Box and General Admission tiers are often as loud as the floor.
Getting home is the hard part. Both rail lines stop in the late evening. When the show lets out, thousands of people book Grab at once and prices surge.
Regulars usually do one of three things:
- Walk out to Aurora Boulevard or EDSA and call a car from there
- Wait in Gateway Mall until the rush thins
- Share a car with friends going the same way
Frequently asked questions
Where was Simple Plan's Bigger Than You Think Tour show in Quezon City?
At the Araneta Coliseum, also called the Big Dome, in Araneta City, Cubao, Quezon City. The show was on Wednesday, November 25, 2026.
How do I get to the Araneta Coliseum by train?
Take the MRT-3 to Araneta Center–Cubao station on EDSA, or the LRT-2 to Araneta Center–Cubao station on Aurora Boulevard. From either station it's a short walk through Araneta City to the coliseum.
Who sells tickets for Araneta Coliseum concerts?
Araneta Coliseum concerts are usually ticketed through TicketNet, the venue's own ticketing arm. Seats are sold by section: floor, Patron, Lower Box, Upper Box and General Admission.
Where can I eat near the Araneta Coliseum before a concert?
Gateway Mall and Farmers Market have food courts and restaurants a few minutes' walk from the dome. Cubao Expo, a short ride away on General Romulo Avenue, has small bars and cafés.
How do people get home after a show at the Big Dome?
The trains stop in the late evening and Grab prices surge as the crowd leaves. Many people walk out to Aurora Boulevard or EDSA and call a car from there, or wait in Gateway Mall until the rush thins.
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