We were fortunate enough to be invited to this year’s staging of the Monster Jam held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto. The last time I went to see a Monster Truck Show was probably 20-25 years ago so I thought it would be an interesting event to check out.
I looked up online prior to going to see what to expect from the show and the majority of reviews that I found about the show were all from events held in other cities so I thought doing a review on the Toronto Monster Jam show would be beneficial for those that are considering going in the future.
There are two shows usually held on a Saturday night and an afternoon Sunday show. There is usually an opportunity for fans to come on to the field 2 hours prior to the shows but I didn’t have the time to check out the Monster Jam Pit Party.
The event itself is set up in four parts; the time trials, the head to head races, the freestyle portion and a demolition derby put on by the Ontario Demolition Derby organization.
The time trial portion is fairly mundane; 2 trucks go in a figure 8 and try to set the lowest time. The head to head race runs the same figure 8 course with no real excitement to it. They run an elimination bracket of 4 rounds to crown the Monster Jam Champion. You get the distinct wrestling feel that the outcomes are predetermined as there were a few races that Grave Digger (the fan favorite) and Northern Exposure (the Canadian entry) were close to losing a race when suddenly their opponent would conveniently wipeout allowing for them to win. On this day neither truck won but they were given all the chances.
The freestyle event can be a lot of fun; monster trucks get to basically run the course at their leisure showing off their talents and tricks. Unfortunately trucks break down during the event and only a few of the participants manage to survive the 2 minute timed run.
Although it’s a throw in for the fans, the demolition derby can be fun to watch. Many fans head for the exits but seeing cars crash into each other until only one is left standing can be entertaining.
For people heading to the Toronto Monster Jam looking for a jam packed exciting event, you may be disappointed. For kids, the roar of the engine and watching the trucks run around the course seemed to entertain the masses under 10 years old. As a kid I remember more cars being driven over and fewer attempts to make it into an actual race. Fans just want to see cars get crushed by the Monster Trucks and the promoters need to focus the show more to that.
The 4 year old I took to the Toronto Monster Jam enjoyed himself but had moments of boredom while races were being reset or cars were being fixed.
In the end, if you have a child who is a fan of monster trucks on TV, taking a trip to the Toronto Monster Jam show at the Rogers Centre once will appease them for a lifetime. If you are a teen or young adult looking to get a thrill from monster trucks, this show may not fit the bill.
Toronto Monster Jam
Northern Nightmare
Toronto Monster Jam
I really doubt you can find a greater show for the price of admission.