Olivia Rodrigo has spoken out about her upcoming shows at Manchester’s Co-Op Live being postponed at the last minute, saying that she is “so disappointed” by the news.
The pop star was set to perform at the new arena in Manchester tomorrow night (May 3) and Saturday (4) as part of her ongoing ‘GUTS World Tour’.
However, just two days before the shows were set to go ahead, an update was shared from the venue organisers, confirming that the dates had been pushed back due to ongoing technical issues at the arena.
It marked the latest in a series of shows that have been delayed due to ongoing issues with the opening week for Co-Op Live. Originally, the 23,500-capacity arena, located opposite the Etihad Stadium, was supposed to open with performances from Peter Kay on April 23 and 24. However, following a test event with Rick Astley, the comedian’s gigs were moved to April 29 and 30 due to a failed power test.
Later, a gig from The Black Keys that was scheduled for April 27 had to be moved to May 15, and the Peter Kay shows were moved for the second time. They are now expected to be held on May 23 and 24.
Initially, organisers ensured those with tickets that all other shows scheduled for the new venue would be going ahead as planned, however, they announced last night (May 1) that A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie‘s show was cancelled following a “venue-related technical issue”.
The news arrived just 10 minutes after doors had opened for the gig, and fans were instructed to leave the area. Shortly afterwards, it was confirmed that Olivia Rodrigo’s shows would also be pushed back.
Now, the ‘Vampire’ singer has shared a statement about the postponement, and told fans that she has been left feeling “so disappointed” by the news.
“I’ve been having such a great time in Europe so far and I’m sooooo disappointed that we’re unable to perform in Manchester due to on-going venue-related technical issues,” she explained, writing on Instagram Stories.
“We’re doing our best to reschedule the show. you can hold onto your tickets for further info or request a refund at your point of purchase. More info will be sent directly to ticket holders,” she added. “I’m so bummed and I really hope to see you all soon”.
Following the venue announcement, a spokesperson for Co-Op Live told Manchester Evening News that the technical issue was caused by part of an air conditioning unit falling from the gantry inside the venue during soundcheck. Nobody was injured.
An employee who was there at the time reported to the outlet that he saw what looked like a “steel bar fall from the ceiling into the bowl” at about 5.30pm.
The circumstances that have led to the cancellation of both Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Olivia Rodrigo’s shows add on to the plethora of issues that have plagued the arena in recent weeks.
Initially, organisers insisted they were “not embarrassed” by the postponements, and instead focused on getting the venue up to scratch. However, just days later, news broke that Gary Roden, the boss of the new arena, had resigned amid the controversy.
Ahead of his resignation, Roden had come under fire for his comments about grassroots music venues, in which he argued that some smaller venues in the UK are “poorly run” and dismissed calls for a £1 ticket levy on all gigs arena-sized and above.
In response, Mark Davyd, CEO of the Music Venue Trust, told NME that he believed Roden’s comments were “disrespectful and disingenuous”, while also highlighting the irony of making such “ill-judged, unnecessary and misleading” remarks on the week that their own venue was forced to postpone their own launch, due to a number of logistical problems.
Before then, Co-Op Live and the existing, 21-000 capacity AO Arena in the city came to blows in a licensing row. ASM Global, which operates the latter, objected over “public safety” concerns and accused the application for a licence as being “simply unlawful”. Despite the row, the venue officially had its licence granted in March.
Liam Gallagher, Take That, Nicki Minaj and Keane are among the acts who have been announced to perform at Co-Op Live in the coming months. It’ll also stage the 2024 MTV European Music Awards later this year.
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