Hip hop fans were left disappointed last night as Manchester’s Co-op Live cancelled a performance by American rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie at the last minute due to a “venue-related technical issue”. Thousands of fans were waiting outside the venue when they were informed that the gig would not go ahead. The announcement came 10 minutes after doors had been due to open.
The arena has said that part of an air conditioning unit fell from the gantry inside the venue during a sound check. They said no-one had been injured and that they were “deeply sorry”, but the whole system would need to be tested for further defects. Naming rights partner the Co-op Group has demanded a “full explanation”, after this incident has caused the venue fail to open as scheduled for the third time.
Arena bosses have also announced that pop singer Olivia Rodrigo’s two shows, which were due to take place on Friday 3 May and Saturday 4 May, would also be postponed.
The Co-op arena, which is situated next to Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, has maximum capacity of 23,500 people, making it the largest indoor arena in the UK. It has been built by City Football Group, which is owned by Sheikh Mansour, an Emirati royal and current vice president and deputy prime minister of the UAE, along with Oakview Music Group, which was co-founded by US music mogul Irving Azoff and Tim Leiweke, a leader and veteran in the sports and entertainment industry. Harry Styles is among other the investors in the venue.
The £365 million (US$456 million) venue has already postponed its opening twice, resulting in the rescheduling of comedian Peter Kay’s opening shows, while 7,000 tickets for the arena’s inaugural test event starring Rick Astley on Saturday 20 April were abruptly cancelled.
Following the series of setbacks, Gary Roden, the general manager of the arena decided to step down from his position last week. Roden found himself caught up in controversy over remarks he made about the management of smaller music venues. In response, Jessica Koravos, president of international at Oak View Group, sought to distance the organisation from Roden’s comments, stating, “Neither Co-op Live nor Oak View Group share the sentiment expressed by former Co-op Live general manager Gary Roden regarding the grassroots industry.”
Rebecca Kane Burton, a former executive of London’s O2 Arena, has been named as the venue’s interim general manager.
The arena is set to host a series of high-profile events, including performances by Take That, Eric Clapton and Liam Gallagher in the upcoming months. Peter Kay’s rescheduled shows will also take place on 23 and 24 May.
The arena has apologized for the inconvenience caused to fans and performers, pledging to ensure that the venue is fully operational and safe for future events. An official statement from the venue said: “Since making the difficult decision to postpone the live shows at Co-op Live due to take place this week, we have been undertaking an extensive protocol of testing critical procedures to ensure all areas are ready for fans.
“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend. We deeply appreciate the impact this will have on excited fans, and sincerely apologise for the inconvenience that this change will undoubtedly cause.”
Tim Leiweke, chairman and CEO, Oak View Group added: “It’s always been very important to me that we only open Co-op Live when it is safe and appropriate to do so. I would like to offer my sincerest apologies to every fan that has been impacted by this decision and others this week, and join the full team in thanking them for their continued patience and support as we prepare to open our doors.”
