Co-op Live assures fans arena WILL open this week in time for Olivia Rodrigo and other gigs

Manchester’s huge new arena the Co-op Live has assured fans that it will definitely, actually, for sure open this week.

The staggering new music venue beside the Etihad Stadium has been hit by a couple of high-profile delays in the last fortnight.

Although a test event with Rick Astley went ahead on 21 April, giving a small audience a glimpse inside the state-of-the-art arena, the brakes were slammed on soon afterwards.

Co-op Live pushed its opening date back while it ironed out some kinks, namely ‘power supply issues’, and underwent rigorous testing to ‘run all shows safely’.

That meant Peter Kay was rescheduled to 29 and 30 April… but then got postponed again, along with The Black Keys, who were meant to perform last weekend.

All the delays have left fans panicking that their shows will also be delayed, with some huge shows like Olivia Rodrigo, Take That, and Liam Gallagher lined up in the coming weeks and months.

But Co-op Live has now issued a statement reassuring gig-goers that they are full steam ahead and ready to open as planned this week.

The first act to perform here officially will now be A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie on 1 May (not quite as local a name as they were gunning for, but we move).

He’ll be followed by Olivia Rodrigo and her Guts Tour, who will perform two sold-out gigs on 3 and 4 May.

Then Keane will play the Co-op Live on 5 May to mark 20 years since the release of Hopes and Fears.

Co-op Live posted: “Let’s do this! Less than 48 hours until we kick off our full opening season.

“Our scheduled shows with @aboogievsartist, @oliviarodrigo and @keaneofficial are going ahead.

“Ticket holders can expect an email with everything they need to know about this week’s events to land in your inboxes tomorrow!”

Fans have breathed a sigh of relief at the news, with one person writing: “YAY THANK GOD OMG THIS IS AMAZING WAS LITERALLY HAVJNG A MENTAL BREAKDOWN BOUT OLIVIA BEING CANCELLED.”

Another commented: “THANK GOD!!! 4th mayyyy.”

Someone else posted: “IM SO HAPPY AHHHHHH I’VE BEEN NERVOUS ALL WEEK BUT NOW I KNOW ITS GONNA BE FINE AHHH.”

Olivia Rodrigo fans are BIG believers in an all-caps comment, clearly.

Co-op Live will open in Manchester on Wednesday 1 May.

It’s going to be worth the wait, we’re pretty sure…

Read more

• A guide to the brand-new Co-op Live Arena: drinks prices, how to get there, capacity and more
• Peter Kay’s statement in full as his Co-op Live gigs are postponed for SECOND time
• Olivia Dean at Albert Hall – star stuns in every way in Manchester

Featured image: The Manc Group