Nicki Minaj has now finally confirmed the rescheduled date for her Manchester gig following her arrest in Amsterdam over the weekend.
In case you need bringing up to speed, the Trinidadian-born rapper and singer-songwriter was due to be flying from the Dutch capital over to Manchester this past Saturday (25 May) to perform a handful of sold-out shows at the city’s newest state-of-the-art arena, Co-op Live, as part of her ‘Pink Friday 2’ world tour.
But, in what was a chaotic and rapidly-developing saga, the 41-year-old was arrested at Amsterdam Schipol Airport after allegedly trying to take what was described as “soft drugs” into another country, according to Dutch Police.
Unsurprisingly, despite fans being let inside the arena and waiting several inside the brand-new premises hoping that Minaj would come on stage to perform, the Co-op Live, gig had to be called-off right at the last minute.
A statement from Co-op Live announcing the gig’s postponement on the night said: “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday 25th May has been postponed.
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“Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced ASAP.
“Despite Nicki’s best efforts to explore every possible avenue to make tonight’s show happen, the events of today have made it impossible. We are deeply disappointed by the inconvenience this has caused. More information will be available at your point of purchase.”
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The ‘Starships’ and ‘Anaconda’ singer was providing a live commentary of her arrest saga on her official social media platforms on Saturday night, and was very vocal on how her situation was being treated and handled by authorities, before eventually issuing a public apology to all fans who had travelled to see her in Manchester on the first night of her shows.
Nicki Minaj has confirmed the date for her rescheduled Manchester gig after Amsterdam arrest chaos / Credit: Nicki Minaj (via Facebook)
“Please please please accept my deepest and most sincere apologies,” Minaj wrote on X.
“[Dutch police] sure did know exactly how to hurt me today, but this too shall pass. They’ve been doing this over and over and over and over and over again, and I’ve tried so hard to not discuss it because you guys deserve to just get the good stuff. I hate involving you in anything that isn’t for entertainment purposes only.
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“We will have another date for [the 25 May] show shortly, and I’ll probably be able to share it tomorrow.
“One July option and one June option is currently being discussed. I’ll find a way to not only make up the date with the performance, but I’m going to create an added bonus for everyone that had a ticket for this show. Promise.”
Minaj also expressed her gratitude to Co-op Live’s willingness to keep the venue’s doors open until past 11:30pm on the night, in the event that she may have been able to perform.
OK guys, I was JUST RE-ADVISED that we actually CAN NOT do any other date for the make up #gagcityMANCHESTER date besides JUNE 3rd. So JUNE 3rd is the new official date for all ticket holders who originally had tickets to the MAY 25th #Manchester show. I apologize for all the…
And now, following days of discussion to agree on the plan of action – and following ‘confirmation’ of an incorrect reschedule date, which was already booked for Kings of Leon – Minaj and Co-op Live have now officially confirmed the date for the rescheduled show.
The ill-fated 25 May show has now been rescheduled for next Monday (3 June 2024), it has been confirmed.
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“OK guys, I was JUST RE-ADVISED that we actually CAN NOT do any other date for the make up #gagcityMANCHESTER date besides JUNE 3rd. So JUNE 3rd is the new official date for all ticket holders who originally had tickets to the MAY 25th Manchester show.
“I apologize for all the inconvenience this has caused. I really hope you can make the #JUNE3rd show. It’ll be really special.
“Ticketmaster will contact you to advise officially. Love you.”
Featured Image – Nicki Minaj / Live Nation / Ticketmaster
News
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”
Emily Sergeant -
28th May 2024 
