CO-OP LIVE CELEBRATE HUGE FIRST WEEK INCLUDING OPENING SHOWS BY ELBOW, THE BLACK KEYS, ERIC CLAPTON + BARRY MANILOW

British rock band elbow opened the UK’s newest arena, Co-op Live, last week with a very special hometown show, marking the start of a new chapter in Manchester's revered music and entertainment story. Located on Etihad Campus, just a short distance from the centre of Manchester, the exciting new venue is the largest indoor arena in the country, with opening week also including performances from American rockers The Black Keys, as well as music icons Eric Clapton and Barry Manilow. 

Boasting an impressive 23,500 capacity, Co-op Live is the UK’s largest indoor arena with the largest standing floor space. The venue brings fans 23m closer to artists than ever before. The arena’s smart ‘bowl’ design means it is big yet incredibly intimate, with the arena also featuring cutting edge visual technology and incredible, world-class acoustics. 

Manchester royalty and BRIT Award winners elbow opened the arena on 14 May with a career-spanning performance that included anthems ‘One Day Like This’ and ‘Grounds For Divorce’. Ohio blues rockers The Black Keys performed the following day, while music legends Eric Clapton and Barry Manilow also took to the stage at the brand-new venue over the weekend. 

Guy Garvey, elbow, said: “It was a wonderful evening in a well-designed building, and a feather in the cap of Manchester’s incredible music scene set to add even more to the local economy. We are so pleased that it ended up being us opening Co-op Live. It was a really proud moment, and the best we have ever sounded.”

Co-op Live is set to bring over 120 events per year to the North West, attracting 1.3M fans to see the world’s biggest and most exciting global artists. The arena’s commitment to delivering unparalleled and world-leading experiences has already garnered an impressive lineup for the remainder of 2024 and into 2025. 

With the stage now set for a vibrant opening season, a stellar lineup of stars including Nicki Minaj and the legendary Stevie Nicks will perform at the music first arena over the coming weeks. Co-op Live will also host several multi-night residencies, including Liam Gallagher, The Killers and UK exclusive performances by the iconic band, the Eagles.