MANCHESTER, UK (CelebrityAccess — After multiple false starts, Manchester’s newest arena, Co-Op Live is now planning to officially open its doors with a concert by the Manchester-based rock quintet, Elbow.
Elbow is scheduled to take the stage at the Oak View Group-managed Co-Op Live on May 14th, marking the venue’s first official show.
The original opening act, comedian Peter Kay, is now slated to perform on May 23 and 24. Other shows on calendar include rescheduled dates by The Black Keys on May 15, Eric Clapton on May 18, and Barry Manilow on May 19th.
The announcement follows a challenging several weeks for the recently completed arena, during which multiple performances were impacted due to technical issues, including a soft opening show with Rick Astley, that was ultimately allowed to proceed with a reduced audience.
Other shows that were impacted by the technical issues include performances from Olivia Rodrigo, The Black Keys, Peter Kay, and A Boogie With Da Hoodie, whose on May 1st concert at Co-Op Live was postponed at the last minute after a piece of equipment fell from the venue’s ceiling shortly before the show was due to start.
“Following the incident in the bowl on 1 May 2024, an inspection and verification report was undertaken by SES subcontractors,” a rep for Co-Op Live told the Manchester Evening News. “In consultation with Manchester City Council, responsible authorities, and wider stakeholders, we are satisfied with the process and outcome of the investigation identifying the HVAC nozzle as an isolated manufacturing default. This is a standard process of review in any venue when such an incident occurs.”
