Gigs & Nightlife

Dave at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour

The Boy Who Played The Harp is coming to Manchester (This article contains affiliate links).

Thomas Melia - 16th March 2026

Highly-acclaimed rapper-songwriter Dave is heading to Co-op Live for two nights, in support of his recent release The Boy Who Played The Harp. 

Manchester is gearing up for two nights of high-energy rap with a sprinkle of prose courtesy of rapper and songwriter Dave, taking place at Co-op Live.

The rapper has been cultivating an audience of dedicated fans through his impressive solo work and some pretty huge collaborations with acts like Central Cee, AJ Tracey, Fredo and more.

The Brit-Nigerian star has three albums to his name and an even bigger number of chart-toppers, recently earning his fourth, a collaboration with Afrobeats artist Tems titled ‘Raindance’.

Now, Dave is compiling a 10-year discography, creating a setlist perfect to be played at 23,500 seater venue Co-op Live right here in Manchester. 

Gig guide | Dave at Co-op Live, Manchester – all you need to know

Dave UK tour dates

• Fri 13 March – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
• Mon 16 March – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
• Tue 17 March – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
• Sat 29 August – Little John’s Farm – Reading, UK
• Sun 30 August – Bramham Park – Leeds, UK

Are there tickets left for Dave at Co-op Live?

You ‘Wanna Know’ if there’s any Dave tickets going spare? Well guess what, you’re in luck as you can still find a handful of tickets to both dates.

It might not be a ‘Funky Friday’, but Dave is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester on Monday 16 March with tickets HERE.

There’s two chances to witness some of the best ‘UK Rap’ so grab your ‘Trojan Horse’ and get ready to watch him live on Tuesday 17 March – tickets HERE.

Dave setlist for 2026 tour

• History
• No Weapons
• Verdansk
• Clash
• System
• Both Sides of a Smile
• Screwface Capital
• Location
• Thiago Silva
• No Words
• Professor X
• Funky Friday
• Kat Slater
• Titanium
• Victory Lap Freestyle
• Trojan Horse
• UK Rap
• Selfish
• Chapter 16
• The Boy Who Played the Harp
• Sprinter
• Starlight

Stage times for Dave and support act at Co-op Live, Manchester

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Doors for the ‘Money Talks’ hitmaker are set to open from 6.30pm with no official starting time listed although the rapper has taken to the stage around 9pm at previous dates.

The show officially begins at 7.30pm, with Lost Boys performing as support.

You’re guaranteed to get swept away by Dave’s songs and the storytelling weaved throughout his lyrics.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know 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 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

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.

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 on 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 on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike 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:

• A$AP Rocky announces huge Manchester gig on new world tour
• Audio North’s Artist of the Month: Roukaya B | February 2026
• Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | February 2026

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Featured Images – Press shot via supplied / Wikimedia Commons via supplied