Audio

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

The opening act isn't QUITE the local legend they'd aimed for now...

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 30th April 2024

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.

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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.

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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.

Olivia Rodrigo has announced a Manchester gig at Co-op Live
Olivia Rodrigo has announced a Manchester gig at Co-op Live. Credit: Nick Walker
Keane 20th anniversary Hopes and Fears world tour Manchester tickets
Keane – Photography by ALEX LAKE insta @twoshortdays WWW.TWOSHORTDAYS.COM
Olivia Rodrigo and Keane will both play Co-op Live in Manchester this week when it finally opens

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

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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.”

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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…

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Audio

Lady Gaga is a tour-de-force of talent at the Co-op Live Manchester

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Lady Gaga proves she’s a truly world-class act after two sold-out nights at the Co-op Live Manchester, as if we needed any reminding.

The city of Manchester has been flooded with harness-wearing, mesh-sporting little monsters over the past two days.

And that’s because the absolute icon that is Lady Gaga brought her ‘Mayhem Ball’ to the Co-op Live for two nights.

I don’t think you’ll find anyone who doesn’t know who this fabulous woman is. Over the past decade, she’s won an Oscar, headlined the Super Bowl, performed in blockbusters alongside Al Pacino, no less, and her songs are literally ingrained into our minds.

Credit: Audio North

It’s been a whole 11 years (yes, really) since she performed in Manchester, and it’s safe to say she was back with a bang.

The performance was split up into five distinct acts, and each one was as exhausting and exhilarating as the next.

She begins the show by bopping out of a comically huge red dress, but this staging was only the start of what madness was about to ensue.

Luckily, we’d been prepared by the other half of the Audio North team, who had the equal privilege of seeing her on night one and were left similarly speechless.

Throughout the 30-song epic, we had crutches, sand pits, cages, skeletons, enough wigs to produce an amateur production of Annie, and we didn’t question any of it. Why would we? It’s Lady Gaga.

Kicking things off with ‘Bloody Mary’, the two and a half hour marathon didn’t leave any stones unturned.

We had all the bangers, from ‘Just Dance’ and ‘Paparazzi’ to ‘Bad Romance’ and ‘Applause’, it had us wondering why any other superstar even bothers putting a song out these days.

Pop is in a good place at the moment with the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Dua Lipa, Billie Eilish and so on, but you can make a strong case for Gaga having helped pave the way for every lady in the business ever since.

Credit: The Manc

Gaga truly had us in the palm of her hands (or claws at one point), even more so when she left the stage to de-robe and show her more vulnerable side for the last two songs – beanie firmly on.

It wasn’t just a concert: this was a fully-fledged tour de force of talent that Manchester won’t forget any time soon.

Sometimes there’s no point in intellectualising why someone has that ‘X-factor’; sometimes you just have to take a step back and say WOW.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Audio

Manchester nightclub clamps down on no-phones policy after ‘disappointing’ rule breakers

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Manchester nightclub Amber's clamps down on no-phones policy after 'disappointing' rule breakers

Amber’s, a nightclub in Manchester with a strict no-filming policy inside, has shared a strict new set of rules to prevent people using their phones.

The venue says it’s seen an ‘increased amount of phones on the dance floor’ despite its very clear policy against such a thing.

That’s included a recent set from Fred Again, where videos of his show were all over social media the next day.

Amber’s has said it’s ‘disappointing’ to see people flouting the rules of the space, leading to the venue introducing a zero tolerance policy.

Fans who are caught filming on their phones will be asked to leave Amber’s on the spot – no second chances.

There’ll even be extra members of staff patrolling the venue, to protect the ‘vibe of the space’.

“If you are spotted at any point across the night using your phone to record, you will no longer be permitted inside Amber’s,” they shared.

Amber’s wrote in a statement today: “Since our launch back in December, we have made it very clear that we are a No Phones venue. We want to create an experience for everyone where they are present in the moment and not distracted by phones.

“While the majority of people that attend Amber’s keep their phones away, there are a select few that don’t.

“This is of course disappointing.

“Over the recent weeks and months, we have seen an increased amount of phones filming on the dancefloor and we are aware of numerous videos shot on phone appearing online.

“To those that come to Amber’s and respect our house rules, thank you, you are contributing to an incredible vibe in the room.

“For those that don’t, we ask that you think about the space and the people around you before removing your stickers.

“The rules previously have been that if you are seen filming on your phone, you are politely asked to stop, if you are seen again, you are asked to leave the venue.

“From now on, as a renewed pledge to our No Phones policy, if you are seen recording in the venue, you will be asked to leave, there will be no second chances.

“There will now be extra members of staff patrolling the venue, ensuring that the vibe of the space is protected and if you are spotted at any point across the night using your phone to record, you will no longer be permitted inside Amber’s.

“Open your mind. Honour the concept. Respect the space.”

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Featured image: Supplied

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