Power problems, loose wiring and gigs cancelled last minute, inside £365m Manchester Co-op Live Arena launch catastrophe
IT was touted as the most revolutionary venue in the country – one that would usher in a new dawn of live music.
But a week after the £365million Co-op Live Arena was due to open in Manchester, it has turned into a catastrophe.
Concerts have been cancelled and fans left devastated, while the venue’s chief executive has also quit.
US rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie was due to launch the arena — which counts singer Harry Styles as a minority shareholder — last night after comedian Peter Kay’s opening performances were twice cancelled last month.
But as queues gathered outside, punters were told the gig had been axed at the last minute, throwing the saga into another level of turmoil.
Plans were halted after part of an air-conditioning unit fell off, striking fear into a city already uneasy about concert venues after the bombing of Ariana Grande’s show at the nearby AO Arena in 2017.
An initial test event at Co-op Live in mid-April highlighted major concerns, with loose wiring, unfinished interiors and some cables even gaffer-taped to walls.
The capacity for that event, which featured a performance from Rick Astley, had to be cut by 4,000 with two hours to go due to power issues.
When it was first announced, the Co-op Live — the biggest indoor arena in Britain with a capacity of 23,500 — promised to “elevate both the artist and fan experience”.
But the current shambles has raised a series of questions about how long it could take to finally get the building up to scratch — and whether anyone will actually want to perform, or go, there once it is.
A music industry insider told The Sun: “The whole thing is a night-mare and an embarrassment.
‘Miracle no one hurt’
“The developers are absolute experts on building venues so it is shocking how wrong it has gone.
“Every issue which the operators have is to do with the building itself.
“When Peter Kay was first supposed to perform in April, half the building didn’t even have electricity.
“There have been loads of problems with getting power, which is pretty key. You can’t have a gig in front of 23,500 people with no power.
“But the fact something fell off the air con is even more concerning. It’s a miracle no one was hurt.
“It doesn’t bear to think about what could have happened if people had been allowed in as planned.”
It has also been reported that the backstage toilets are still incomplete, meaning artists have to use the public loos until they are finished.
After Wednesday’s cancelled gig, a statement from operator Oak View Group said: “During soundcheck, a component of the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system, used to direct air, separated from the ductwork. There was nobody injured.
“Although we believe this to be an isolated incident caused by a factor defect, we were not able to verify that all similar nozzles were free of such defects.”
In response, a spokesman for The Co-op Group said: “As the naming rights sponsor for Co-op Live, we are shocked at the incident which has led to late cancellation of tonight’s show at the arena.
“We are relieved that no one has been injured, but we share the disappointment and frustration of ticket holders.”
US superstar Olivia Rodrigo’s opening shows of her UK tour, which were scheduled to take place tonight and tomorrow at the venue, have now been axed.
Olivia, who would have appeared suspended from a crescent moon hanging from the ceiling, was understandably upset — as were almost 50,000 fans who were due to see her.
She wrote on Instagram: “I’m sooooo disappointed that we’re unable to perform in Manchester due to ongoing venue-related technical issues. We’re doing our best to reschedule the show.
“I’m so bummed and I really hope to see you all soon.”
TikToker Chelsea Salt, who was due to attend, said in a video: “We spent so much time planning, talking about it, booking hotels, booking surprises.
“I booked my make-up online to get done, I bought matching bracelets, spent time talking about outfits.
“I’m just absolutely gutted. It’s just such a shame and they’ve let so many people down.”
Olivia was part of an all-star line-up for the launch season.
But there are now questions over which concerts will go ahead, meaning hundreds of thousands of fans are still in limbo.
Pop band Keane are due to perform on Sunday, followed by Take That, Elbow, The Black Keys, Eric Clapton, Barry Manilow, Nicki Minaj and the Eagles throughout May.
But panicked stars are understood to be frantically trying to make alternative arrangements in case the lucrative shows are cancelled.
The Eagles are set to play five nights from May 31 as part of an exclusive residency on their Long Goodbye tour — the last chance to see the band perform in the UK.
They are believed to have been booked due to their link with former manager Irving Azoff, whose son Jeffrey manages co-owner Harry.
However, Liam Gallagher said he is hopeful his concerts on June 15, 16, 27 and 28 will go ahead.
In response to a post questioning whether they will happen, he tweeted yesterday: “Keep the faith Rastas.”
Speaking about yesterday’s gig cancellation, headliner A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, real name Julius Dubose, told Good Morning Britain: “I just grabbed a glass of wine and started drinking like, damn.
“Cancelling a show a week or two weeks, a month ahead of time . . . but never the day of.
“This is crazy. A lot of fans in my DMs [direct messages] going off.”
Last week, Gary Roden, the venue’s general manager, resigned after the original series of problems and delays.
He is understood to have been paid hundreds of thousands in his role — but failed to deliver the building in time.
And he faced a backlash after claiming, ironically, that small music venues are closing down because they are poorly run.
Rebecca Kane Burton, who was previously in charge at London’s O2 Arena, has been brought in as interim general manager.
Former Westlife star Brian McFadden, who lives in Manchester and has played at the nearby AO Arena multiple times, said he saw no use for the costly new venue — which is just a five-minute walk from Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium — in the first place.
Brian, now touring in duo Boyzlife, told The Sun: “The AO is a fantastic arena.
“When I was in Westlife we did ten nights sold out when it was called the MEN Arena and I still to this day remember it. It was by far the best venue.
“It had the best facilities and it was big. It was always amazing.
“I understand London having a few venues but the Liverpool Echo [now M&S Bank arena] is not too far away and you’ve got the Leeds First Direct Arena.
“I’m not sure they needed another one. Someone clearly thought they did and they’re probably regretting it now.”
On what will happen next, the venue admitted it has no answers over when things will finally be sorted.
A Co-op Live spokesman said: “We understand the need to reassure fans over future shows.
“We are working with artist management and promoters to limit the impact on the opening season schedule.
“Where necessary, we will identify alternate dates, and will continually reassess to provide fans with sufficient notice regarding imminent shows.
“Should shows be cancelled or rescheduled, fans will be contacted by their point of purchase and offered a full refund where preferred.”
