Audio

Liam Gallagher says Co-op Live is ‘up there’ with Madison Square Garden

And LG is no stranger to MSG.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 17th June 2024

Manc music legend Liam Gallagher has had his say on Co-op Live after his first two visits to the brand new arena, saying it is on a par with Madison Square Garden.

We had the privilege of going along to review Gallagher’s opening night in Manchester at the newest and biggest music venue and it definitely lived up to the billing – Liam certainly seemed to think so too.

He might have joked that he’d happily play a local Lidl if the building wasn’t ready in time amidst their admittedly chaotic opening week, but now he’s been in there and blown the roof of it, it turns out he was just as blown away by as it we were.

Hopping on social media after night two of his Definitely Maybe 30th-anniversary shows, the 51-year-old is “up there with [New York’s] MSG in my opinion as you were LG x”.

Being mentioned in the same breath as one of the most iconic venues not just in the US but the world is no mean feat, especially having only been open for a month. Quite the glowing review indeed.

ADVERTISEMENT

Reacting to the review online as well, the venue said just as much, responding to his post by adding: “High praise from a legend”.

Having now graced both state-of-the-art venues – playing Madison Square Gardens with the band back in the day and now Co-op Live as a solo artist (even if it was basically an Oasis gig minus Noel) – we think it’s fair to say he can speak with some pretty good authority on the subject.

ADVERTISEMENT

For context, Madison Square Garden was built all the way back in 1968 and after multiple renovations over the years, it has a max gig capacity of 20,000; in contrast, Co-op Live tops out at roughly 23,500 people and is now the largest indoor entertainment venue in all of Europe.

Read more:

As you can see, it really is quite impressive.

Liam Gallagher still has another pair of Manchester shows left to play at Co-op Live later this month and you can find our full gig guide HERE.

ADVERTISEMENT

What about you lot: for those of you who’ve had the pleasure of visiting Manchester’s shiny new venue, how was it compared to your favourite all-time gig spaces?

Hey, there’s still time for Lidl to step up their game too…

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Audio/Warner Music Sweden (via Wikimedia Commons)

Audio

Co-op Live announce unreal trio of gigs as debut calendar hots up even more

Danny Jones Danny Jones Co-op Live gig calendar Manchester

Music fans, strap in because Co-op Live has just confirmed a frankly ridiculous trio of gigs, and all in the space of a few hours as their first year of events only gets tastier.

The brand-new music and entertainment venue, the biggest indoor facility of its kind anywhere in Europe, only opened back in April and has already attracted some ridiculous names but they’re not slowing down with the announcements. Not even one bit.

After barely taking a beat between welcoming the Eagles, Liam Gallagher, Smashing Pumpkins and The Killers just to name a few, Co-op Live has revealed that iconic 80s singer Cyndi Lauper would be coming to the arena early next year.

Then, before even getting the chance to catch our breath, they followed that up by revealing that hip-hop and R’n’B legends Lauryn Hill and The Fugees will be arriving in just a few months, along with rock and pop-punk veterans Sum 41 just a couple of later.

Insanity.

To make things even more special, not only will it be Cyndi Lauper’s farewell tour following a career spanning nearly 50 years but these will also mark Sum 41’s final ever shows after confirming their split ahead of their new album.

And there’s The Fugees – an equally legendary trio in their own right – who they have decided to extend their current ‘Miseducation Anniversary Tour’. It’s music Christmas all come at once.

It feels like we get a whole of new acts announced for Co-op Live pretty much every week but it’s so rare you get a run of gigs dropped on you pretty much in go. The atmosphere in the immensely impressive space hasn’t disappointed even once just yet either.

Exhibit A:

Read more:

Although you’ll have to wait until 9 February next year to scream your heads off to ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ at the top of your lungs, Lauryn Hill and The Fugees arrive in Manchester on 12 October, while Sum 21 says their goodbyes just over a fortnight later on 28 October.

Presale tickets for all three events go live to Co-op members at 10am on Wednesday, 26 June and general admission will follow at the same time on Friday, 28 June.

At least in Lauper and Sum 41’s case, this is your last chance to see them live in Manchester, so don’t sleep on lining up for tickets in the morning.

You can book yours via Co-op Live’s events page HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Images

Audio

Troye Sivan at AO Arena, Manchester – a celebration of self-expression

The Manc Audio The Manc Audio

In the seven years since Troye Sivan’s sexual awakening on 2018’s semi-explicit ‘Bloom’, the Australian has emerged as a sex-positive powerhouse.

He’s been soundtracking queer nightclubs across the globe with the dancefloor-ready earworm ‘Rush’ – the lead single from his third studio album ‘Something To Give Each Other’, itself a further step into self-embrace and expressionism and one that has seen Troye embark on a global tour endlessly spilling out online videos of brilliantly sexy and sultry dance routines and on-stage playfulness.

His Manchester outing at the AO Arena is no different, oozing with sensual choreography that wouldn’t be out of place on the Magic Mike Live stage, yet set to make those with a more reserved outlook blush.

But that’s largely the point here, the third step in a chronological journey that carefully treads from the self-questioning of ‘Heaven’ on his 2015 debut ‘Blue Neighbourhoods’ through to his unapologetic onstage gyrating, a symbol of his self-acceptance.

Anybody uncomfortable in tonight’s crowd is undoubtedly at the wrong show, an open celebration of all-round gayness and its culture.

It’s inherent in everything he says, informing the crowd that he made a b-line direct to Manchester’s iconic Canal Street the night before, and tantalisingly hinting that he may do the same after the show, before immodestly suggesting that this may cause some type of stampede.

Perhaps it’s the reason why the show both starts and ends unusually early, and why at just 17 songs, it’s one of the shorter headline sets an arena is used to.

It’s also telling that Troye doesn’t go further back than ‘Bloom’, with the title track, the anthemic ‘My My My!’ and the Ariana Grande-featuring ‘Dance To This’ just about making the cut.

The song choices are in-keeping with the mood of the evening, more mature and more adult than anything off his debut, or ‘Bloom’s retrospective numbers that failed to make the setlist.

Tonight is evidently an acknowledgement of lust, love and sex; a call to live in the moment and not to look back, and a hedonistic masterclass.

With that, each set piece is brilliantly positioned, the performance split into six acts each broken with Troye running off stage for an outfit change or for structures to be seamlessly assembled or disassembled.

Fan favourite ‘One Of Your Girls’ sees him don a lacey corset as he shares an intimate lap dance with one of his dancers, while the sultry ‘STUD’ glides like silk both in its vocal and on-stage performance.

But the biggest reaction is saved for the Charli XCX featuring (although sadly not on stage) ‘1999’, which rounds out the main set with a party befitting its lyrics, and gay anthem ‘Rush’ – complete with full dance routine and mesmerising light show to bring the decadent thrill ride to a close.

As Pride Month draws to a close, and with Salford’s Pink Picnic acting as the show’s pre-party for many, Troye Sivan delivers easily one of the biggest and most freeing celebrations of queerness Greater Manchester has to offer – via Perth, Australia, of course.

Read more

Featured image: Stuart Winecoff

More Audio

Audio

Manchester’s Block Party comes to the streets of Stockport town centre this summer

Affiliate

Band fronted by Liam Gallagher’s son announces headline gig at iconic Manchester venue

The Killers performing the Rebel Diamonds Tour which arrives in Manchester this week. Credit: Photo © 2024 Chris Phelps www.chrisphelps.com

Audio

The Killers at Co-op Live Manchester – still going strong after 20 years

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches