Audio

The Black Keys at Co-op Live – tickets, support act, stage times, setlist and more

You might even get another bite at them with their famous post-gig record hangs...

Danny Jones - 15th May 2024

With the Co-op Live finally open (we can hardly believe it either), it feels like the action-packed live season in Manchester this summer is starting to ramp up and with blues rock heavyweights The Black Keys set to follow Manc music royalty as the brand-new arena’s second night, we can’t wait.

The Manc Audio had the pleasure of reviewing their incredible show at the AO Arena last year and it only served as a reminder of just how polished these guys are when it comes to bringing the last 23 years of studio material to life on stage, so it was little surprise when they were confirmed for the Co-op.

Ok, yes, they might have been on the unfortunate end of the venue’s early setbacks, but the fans haven’t gone anywhere and, fortunately, their rescheduled show is now set to go off without a hitch this Wednesday, 15 May.

That being said, unless you happened to be at Elbow last night as well, this will be your first time at Co-op Live so, as always, we thought we’d put together a useful gig guide with all the important information you need to know ahead of The Black Keys’ highly-anticipated headline slot.

the black keys manchester gig — They put on quite the show, we’ll tell you that for nothing. **Read our full review** from last time out.

Are there tickets left for The Black Keys at Co-op Live?

If you’re hoping to swindle a last-minute ticket for Co-op Live’s sophomore show, you’re in luck. Given the rescheduled date, there are quite a few tickets left for The Black Keys‘ Manchester gig – it just depends on how much you’re willing to pay.

With standing and resale tickets on the floor starting from £42.50 (before fees), there are also plenty of seats available all around the arena’s lower bowl; all of these spots are nice and close to the stage too, with tier-one seating ranging anywhere from £75.95 to £88.06 depending on your view.

You can grab yours HERE and, of course, we strongly urge you to avoid illegal ticket touts. No gig is worth the risk of being stung over.

Who’s supporting The Black Keys in Manchester?

Arguably one of the most exciting parts about The Black Keys’ return to Manchester is who they’ve picked as the support act for this UK tour, as they’ve kept things fittingly North West because, you know, all the best music is from ’round here, isn’t it?

They might not be Mancs but Liverpool-based Circa Waves have become favourites amongst the indie scene over the past decade or so, not only playing huge festival slots but selling out their own headline tours all over the UK for years now.

We’d pay good money to see Circa on their own – in fact, we have and will continue to – so folding them in as part of Wednesday’s night performance makes this an insanely good value-for-money show as far as we’re concerned.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Circa Waves (@circawaves)

Stage times

As for when you’ll get to see both of these incredible acts, doors Co-op Live open from 6:30pm and, according to the website, Circa Waves are due to start the gig at 7:30pm.

There will be an interval between sets and we can estimate that The Black Keys themselves won’t take the stage until 9pm, meaning that you’re in for a roughly two-hour action-packed headline show before the curfew at 11pm.

As always with gigs, these times are always subject to change, so make sure to keep an eye on the artists and the venue’s socials for all the latest information.

Setlist

The Ohio rockers kicked off the UK leg of their massive European tour with three nights at London’s Brixton Academy – where they also brought out Manc music legend and recent collaborator, Noel Gallagher – before nipping for a couple of shows in Paris before flying back here to Manchester.

Going entirely off the songs they played across those shows, we think we have a pretty good idea of the setlist, and there are plenty of tunes off the new album too. Here’s what you can expect (we think):

I Got Mine
Gold on the Ceiling
Your Touch
Tighten Up
Have Love Will Travel (Richard Berry & The Pharaohs cover)
Everlasting Light
Next Girl
Lo/Hi
This Is Nowhere
Heavy Soul
Weight of Love
Howlin’ for You
Beautiful People (Stay High)
Only Love Matters
Fever
On the Game
Wild Child
I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Gladys Knight and The Pips cover)
She’s Long Gone

Encore:

Little Black Submarines
Lonely Boy

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Black Keys (@theblackkeys)

Is The Black Keys’ ‘record hang’ party still happening in Manchester?

Now, The Black Keys tours have become famous for their ‘record hang’ parties at local venues all over the globe, with their last visit to Manchester ending in the YES. I know, imagine bumping into Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney in Pink Room (we literally did).

Obviously, their April show had to be ultimately rescheduled the venue they did have earmarked for after their Co-op Live gig was cult favourite nightclub, Hidden, over in Cheetham Hill.

Although there has been no update from the band as to whether or not their afterparty is still happening, we thought it only right to give you a heads-up in case they decide to follow through with their original plan and go play a semi-secret DJ set – and again, keep an eye out for any announcements.

Travel info – how to get there, 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 Manchester’s 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.

Co-op Live and TfGM to offer FREE trams and buses to and from new arena for all event ticket holders

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.

That should be just about everything you need to know if you’re heading to see The Black Keys at the Co-op Live in Manchester tonight and we sincerely hope you have a belter.

Better still, we hope the venue lives up to your expectations and we must admit, now we’ve seen inside and it truly is Live, it is pretty darn impressive.