The highly-anticipated Co-op Live in Manchester, located next to the Etihad Stadium, is almost finally ready to open its doors. The £365m arena, which is the UK’s largest and most sustainable live entertainment venue, hosted its first live event with performances from the likes of Rick Astley, Everything Everything, The KTNA, and a special appearance from McFly’s Danny Jones.
The Co-op Live arena boasts the largest floor space of any indoor venue, a significantly lower ceiling and tiered seating that brings fans closer to the artist. Unlike venues designed primarily for sporting tournaments or public exhibitions, the 23,500-capacity venue is the first of its kind to be built around concert acoustics. The venue’s capacity just trumps Manchester’s AO Arena which has a capacity of 23,000 and has held the title of being the largest in the country.
Originally set to open in December 2023, the final touches to the Co-op Live arena have been made, with work being carried out by BAM Construct UK. The arena is a joint venture between Oak View Group (OVG) and City Football Group, alongside Harry Styles who has privately invested in the development.
Co-op Live Arena is set to open to the general public on April 23 with a performance from Bolton comedian and local legend Peter Kay. Other acts set to perform at the new arena include Olivia Rodrigo, Liam Gallagher, Take That, Stevie Nicks and Barry Manilow, to name a few.
The Black Keys will be the first live music gig on the Co-op Live stage once it is officially opened to the public, with the performance set to take place on April 27. However, Co-op Live has more big events to come as it will host the MTV European Music Awards (EMAs) in the brand new space – putting Manchester even more on the map when it comes to music.
As well as hosting great live entertainments, visitors and gig-goers will find multiple outlets serving refreshments in the venue including food and drink from local businesses. For example, you’ll find beer from Salford brewers Seven Bro7hers available on tap at the venue.
Co-op Live is committed to sustainability with a strong focus on all-green electric power, zero waste to landfill, and 100% rainwater collection. By aligning with the values of its naming rights partner Co-op, Co-op Live will donate at least £1m a year to help the Co-op Foundation deliver on its new youth-led strategy and Co-op’s vision of ‘Co-operating for a fairer world’. This collective effort will be known as ‘Gigs that Give Back’ emphasising the venue and partnership’s commitment to making a positive impact.
The launch of a brand new live entertainment venue also sees the arrival of a new walking route, transforming CityLink’ an existing walking route and bridge between city centre neighbourhoods and the Etihad Campus. The walking route has been designed to create a vibrant pre-event experience with proposed features including interactive lighting installations, busking spots for performances by local musical talent, and pop-up food and drink stalls.
Last month, Co-op Live and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) announced an initiative which will see travel on Metrolink and new city centre shuttle buses included in all arena event tickets for free from April 20 to June 30, 2024, during the brand new venue’s opening season. Fans will be able to use the Metrolink from four hours before and up to four hours after (depending on the timing of each show) with a valid arena event ticket.
Co-op Live will be located on the Etihad Campus and will open its doors to the public on April 23, 2024, starting with a performance from Peter Kay.