Audio
Elbow at Manchester’s Co-op Live – support act, stage times, setlist and everything you need to know
Barring another very drastic turn of events, the gig is scheduled to go ahead as planned.
Danny Jones -
13th May 2024 
Just a few weeks on from when it was initially due to open, Co-op Live is finally set to live up to its name and welcome Manc music legends Elbow as their first-ever gig this Tuesday.
The brand-new arena has had a turbulent start to life shouldering the reputation as the largest indoor entertainment venue in Europe, but after weathering a series of unfortunate setbacks, it actually feels rather fitting to have such a renowned local name kicking off their freshman calendar of events.
Led by award-winning songwriter, producer and frontman Guy Garvey, Elbow have enjoyed an incredible three-decade-long career, cementing themselves as one of the most influential British rock bands ever and now they’re set to help start a whole new chapter for live music in Manchester at the Co-op.
Here’s all the important information you need to know ahead of a momentous night.
Tickets (don’t get your hopes up)
We’re sorry to kick things off with the bad news first but, unfortunately, tickets for Elbow and Co-op Live‘s opening night have completely sold out. No surprises there, really – it is their first tour since 2018 after all.
You can obviously keep your fingers crossed that a few spares will pop up on trusted resale sites like Twickets and TicketSwap, but please do your research when it comes to dealing with any resellers.
And, as always, we strongly urge you to avoid illegal ticket touts altogether. No gig is worth the risk of being stung over and simply ignoring them is the only to help stop them from continuing to be a problem in the industry.
Who is supporting Elbow in Manchester?
The single support act from Elbow’s Co-op Live gig comes with a great pedigree in the form of multi-talented duo, The WAEVE, who are also the warm-up act for Noel Gallagher’s huge Warwick Castle gig later this year.
Made up of singer-songwriter and Blur guitarist, Graham Coxon, and former Pipettes member-turned-Mark Ronson collaborator and solo artist, Rose Elinor Dougall.
The pair released their debut self-titled album back in February 2023, receiving strong reviews for their unpredictable mix of folk rock, post-punk and even psychedelic moments. Confidently dipping their toes into so many genres, they’re the perfect complement to Elbow’s often sprawling sound.
Stage times for Elbow’s Co-op Live show
Co-op Live’s new opening night kicks off with the doors opening from 6:30pm and support act The Waeve taking the stage an hour later.
Elbow themselves are due to start their headline set at 9pm and with all main bowl events set to the same curfew, you can expect to be leaving the venue around 11pm.
But don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time between the acts to grab another drink, nip to the loo and just take in the surroundings as the very first gig-goers to attend the brand-new arena.
Setlist
Now, with Elbow having released their 10th studio album Audio Vertigo back in March, the four-piece who’ve been playing together since 1990 and under that moniker since 1997 will naturally be playing a selection of songs from the latest record, as well as a sprinkling of the hits.
Here’s what you can expect based on what they performed at The O2 in London:
- Things I’ve Been Telling Myself for Years
- Lovers‘ Leap
- The Bones of You (+ outro of ‘Summertime’ by George Gershwin)
- Mirrorball
- Charge
- Fly Boy Blue / Lunette
- The Picture
- Dexter & Sinister (with Jesca Hoop)
- Balu
- Puncture Repair
- Kindling
- The Birds
- Good Blood Mexico City
- Station Approach
- My Sad Captains
- Magnificent (She Says)
- Grounds for Divorce
Encore:
- Lippy Kids
- One Day Like This (obviously)
We also recently filmed a cool episode of our Short Stuff series about how one tiny Manchester bar helped inspire one of their most iconic tracks:
Travel info – how to get Co-op Live, parking etc.
Tram
Now, as for how you’ll get to shows at Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
If you want to take another new and improved arm of Manc public transport system, not only is there a whole host of routes that drop you off close to the venue but there’ll also be a free shuttle bus from the city centre to and from events between 20 April-30 June 2024.
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
- Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
- Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
- Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
- Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
- Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
- Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the boke all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Read more:
- O2 Victoria Warehouse cancels PVRIS gig last minute as water pours through ceiling
- Is Bugzy Malone really going to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr?
- A company has created some extremely sarcastic greeting cards mocking Co-op Live
And that should be just about everything you need to know about Elbow’s Manchester gig this week and Co-op Live’s inaugural night of live music.
We always recommend keeping your eye on socials to find out more info on stage times which can always be subject to change, you might want to be even more on the ball in case there are any last-minute announcements.
That being said, at present, there have been no indications of any further hiccups at the arena from either Co-op Live or the band themselves, so (touch wood) we should be all good.
Keep those fingers firmly crossed, people.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Press Images/The Manc Audio
