Co-op Live appoints director of booking
The UK’s largest arena Co-op Live has announced that NEC Group veteran Ben Sharman is joining the Manchester venue as its new director of booking.
Sharman’s arrival coincides with Co-op Live director of strategic programming, Katie Musham’s move into Oak View Group International, where she will continue to grow Co-op Live’s programme of bespoke events and support OVG in its expansion across Europe and the rest of the world.
With over a decade of experience in the live events and entertainment industry, Sharman’s achievements include account managing British Athletics’ commercial partners in advance of the London 2012 Olympic Games and securing major sponsorships for Aston Villa Football Club in the Premier League.
He joined the commercial partnerships department at the NEC Group in 2014, transitioning into arena programming in 2017. In late 2022, he was promoted to head of programming for Utilita Arena Birmingham and bp pulse LIVE.
Sharman led the arenas to record-breaking financial success including programming tours such as Genesis’ The Last Domino? Tour and Peter Kay’s Better Late Than Never tour, as well as delivering the 2022 Concert for Ukraine, which raised £13 million for the Disasters Emergency Committee.
“When the opportunity to work with the UK’s largest arena came, it was impossible to turn down”
“Joining Oak View Group and Co-op Live marks an exciting new chapter in my career after an incredible 11 years at the NEC Group, for which I’m deeply grateful,” says Sharman.
“When the opportunity to work with the UK’s largest arena came, it was impossible to turn down. I’m eager to bring my experience in venue programming and strong industry relationships to cement Co-op Live’s status as a must-play venue in the global live events industry.”
Gary Hutchinson, executive vice president global touring and content, Oak View Group International adds: “We are delighted to welcome Ben Sharman to Co-op Live. His impressive career trajectory, unmatched expertise, and industry relationships make him the perfect choice to lead our booking strategy. We’re confident that Ben’s vision will further elevate Co-op Live as a premier destination for world-class events, and continue our established record for hosting the world’s most exceptional artists.”
Sharman’s appointment comes after NEC Group veteran Guy Dunstan was enlisted as Co-op Live’s new general manager and SVP.
Dunstan took the helm on 21 October as the interim general manager Rebecca Kane Burton became EVP of venue management for OVG International.
In 2025, Co-op Live is set to welcome a host of global talents such as Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler, the Creator, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, Hans Zimmer, and more.
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Co-op Live Manchester: The story so far
OVG International’s Rebecca Kane Burton and venue boss Guy Dunstan have peeled back the curtain on a whirlwind six months for Manchester’s Co-op Live.
The UK’s largest live entertainment arena at 23,500-cap, the £365 million facility has rebounded from its delayed opening to host prestigious events including the UFC and the MTV EMAs, as well as exclusive indoor shows by the Eagles and Pearl Jam.
NEC Group veteran Dunstan joined last month as its new general manager and SVP, with Kane Burton becoming EVP of venue management for OVG International, leading Oak View Group’s global business development strategy for its facilities, sports, entertainment and hospitality divisions.
“I’m six weeks in and we’ve delivered quite a few shows – we’re into five shows on the run this week – and I’m loving it,” says Dunstan. “It’s just an amazing building to be running. I feel very fortunate and positive about having this role. I keep reminding the team that we’re six months into a journey, and should still be learning and evolving, but we’re in really great shape.”
Kane Burton, whose CV includes stints at the helm of London’s The O2 and Alexandra Palace, and CEO at LW Theatres and Sodexo Live, tells IQ that her move to the company – which saw her reunite with former AEG executives, OVG chief Tim Leiweke and OVG International president Jessica Koravos – felt “very natural and obvious”.
“It’s a great privilege to be able to harness all the great brain power that exists within OVG”
“When I ran The O2, it was Tim who employed me originally and that was a great honour and a privilege,” she says. “Tim is just a force of nature; he’s dynamic, he’s driven, he’s passionate, he’s ambitious and he doesn’t sit still. He’s always wanting to push for something better and that was a real appeal to come back and work for him in the new setup at OVG.
“Working with someone with that passion and leadership – who will change the dial, is not scared to do things differently and will rip up the rule book if he needs to – is incredibly exciting. And what’s even better for me is there’s a very strong female leadership team at OVG as well: Francesca [Bodie] is our COO and Jessica Koravos is my boss.”
Kane Burton describes her role, which covers the UK and Europe, as “far-reaching”.
“I’ve not really worked outside the UK before, so it’s a great opportunity to meet good people who are doing brilliant stuff with their facilities, but might just need a bit of help making their ambitions come true,” she explains. “Everyone talks about having a destination venue. There’s a lot of chatter about how you sweat these assets harder, and improve the fan experience, but there are very few companies or individuals who’ve got the capability and the experience to make that happen.
“It’s a great privilege to be able to harness all the great brain power that exists within OVG, with all that energy and yet the cash behind us, to then go out and make some of these visions a reality.”
Originally slated to join the OVG fold over the summer, Kane Burton was parachuted in as interim boss of Manchester’s Co-op Live in April following the resignation of the general manager, as the venue’s launch was pushed back two weeks following a series of hitches.
“My career has been full of challenges – I seem to like them – but I could see firsthand we were on the cusp of something special”
“I was in the middle of some gardening leave at the time, expecting to join on 1 July. And then Jessica very kindly invited me to Rick Astley [in April], which was a test event,” explains Kane Burton. “Whilst that event was obviously fraught with challenges, it showed off to people like me – who had no skin in the game at that time – what an amazing building they had on their hands.
“To then be asked four days later to lead the charge was daunting, and it would be a lie to say that wouldn’t be daunting for anybody. I could see a team that were feeling raw, tired, desperate to deliver the promises that had been made.”
She continues: “My career has been full of challenges – I seem to like them – but I could see firsthand we were on the cusp of something special and that keeps you going when you’re still up at two, three in the morning, wading through paperwork and getting everything in order. That gets you through.”
Co-op Live ultimately launched on 14 May with a triumphant hometown concert by Elbow.
“Obviously, Elbow was a huge moment,” reflects Kane Burton. “I think any of us now, if we hear any Elbow music, will cry tears of joy, because that’s the moment we finally got the doors open and ready and away. And then June just was amazing, because it was just literally back-to-back gigs and you start becoming a very well-oiled machine.”
A particular milestone was mixed martial arts event UFC 304, which took place at Co-op Live on 27 July and didn’t begin until 11pm – with the main event not commencing 3am – to meet the standard PPV start time in the US.
“The confidence is reinstated very firmly in this place”
“They started coming in at 10am, and at 6am we still had a full arena,” marvels Kane Burton. “So to bring it back to Manchester after 10 years of absence and do the first all-nighter in a building that two and a half months before, was a bit behind and needed to get itself open, was one hell of a feat. It was safe, it was well run, it was a brilliant customer experience and it got us global reach.”
The experience garnered from the night helped prepare the team for hosting another event of international interest – the 30th anniversary MTV EMAs on 10 November.
“We’re never complacent, but it’s like, ‘We’ve done UFC, now we’ve got MTV. Let’s get used to being in the spotlight and own that,'” shares Kane Burton. “Each time we do major events and prove to partners of different scale and size the capability of not only the building, but the credibility of our team, it builds confidence. And I can see that Guy will now be able to pull in bigger and better events as we roll, because the confidence is reinstated very firmly in this place.”
Dunstan joined the venue from Birmingham-based NEC Group, where he was the MD of arenas. As well as overseeing the management of the Co-op Live’s executive team, he is tasked with guiding the strategic leadership of the facility as SVP, as well in addition to helping develop its commercial and operational strategy.
“I’m very passionate about Birmingham and a proud Brummie,” says Dunstan. “I spent 28 years working there and a lot of people thought I’d be there till it’s time to retire. But over the last year, I thought about my career and I’m at an age where I thought I needed to find a new challenge and a new opportunity.
“Rewind back to the ILMC where OVG was announced, and then Co-op Live was announced, and I cast an envious eye at what I knew was going to be a groundbreaking venue and an organisation led by Tim, who is a pioneer. So when the role became available, I thought this was a great opportunity for me at this stage of my career.
“There was a lot of shock when I went out and said, ‘I’m leaving,’ but I think a lot of people put two and two together very quickly. It was the worst kept secret in the industry since the Oasis reunion!”
“My dream is that we’ll have a few more flagships in the UK and across Europe… You can expect London in the pipeline”
Upcoming acts at Co-op Live include Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Robbie Williams and Billie Eilish, as the arena continues to attract stadium-level artists.
“Outdoor shows used to be a completely different market to the indoor market, but what we’ve seen over the summer period is Pearl Jam and the Eagles playing outdoors and then coming to play here at Co-op Live. We’ve got that again next summer with Bruce Springsteen playing at Anfield and here, and we’ve got a great programming team who are really proactive in seeking those opportunities.”
He continues: “Looking ahead over the next 12 months, it looks really positive. But you can’t sit waiting for artists to be routing tours, we’ve got to be proactive in terms of content. We’re putting on a West End musical theatre show, Manchester at the Musicals, on 20 December, which we only announced last week and put together over a few weeks before.
“That demonstrates to me that there’s a great opportunity to bring content into the arena market that wasn’t there before, and we feel it can become a regular part of our annual calendar. We’ve got to continue to do that, because we can’t wait for the phone to ring – we’ve got to make things happen ourselves.”
Kane Burton trumpets Co-op Live as a “very important flagship” in the territory and a “fantastic showcase to demonstrate what OVG stands for”.
“My dream is that we’ll have a few more flagships in the UK and across Europe, but I will never, stop having a passion for this place,” she adds. “I’d never worked outside of London before, so they finally managed to move me up north and I will always have a soft spot for Manchester and what we’ve managed to achieve here. It’s really important as part of the OVG ecosystem and showing everyone what we’re capable of. So I’m very proud and I know it’s in very safe hands.”
Leiweke, of course, revealed plans to build “the greatest arena in the world” in London, during this year’s ILMC in March. While details remain scarce, the CEO told delegates that the venue giant will plant its flag in England’s capital city, which he called “the greatest market in the world for music”.
“Tim’s talked very loudly and proudly about his ambitions, so you can expect London in the pipeline in the UK,” confirms Kane Burton. “Why wouldn’t we? It’s an important capital market. There are two arenas in Manchester, why not put more into London?”
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Pet Shop Boys, Raye, Shawn Mendes star at MTV EMAs
Performances by global stars such as Pet Shop Boys, Busta Rhymes, Raye, Shawn Mendes and Peso Pluma lit up the 2024 MTV EMAs at Manchester’s Co-op Live.
The show, which was hosted for a third time by Rita Ora, marked the awards’ 30th anniversary and was broadcast in over 150 countries.
Featuring a set inspired by Manchester’s music heritage and warehouse party legacy, last night’s (10 November) production was the first time the event had been staged in the city.
Benson Boone opened the show in acrobatic fashion, suspended in the air playing a golden grand piano, while other performers included The Warning, Le Sserafim, Teddy Swims and Tyla.
The inaugural MTV EMA Pop Pioneer recipients, Pet Shop Boys closed the show alongside local string players the Manchester Camerata with a cover of David Bowie’s All The Young Dudes followed by West End Girls, celebrating the single’s 40th anniversary.
Taylor Swift topped the winners list, netting trophies for Best Video with Fortnight (feat. Post Malone), Best Artist, Best Live and Best US Act. Swift, who sent a video acceptance speech from her tour in the US, was followed by three-time winner Tyla, who scooped her first ever MTV EMAs for Best Afrobeats, Best R&B and Best African Act.
The show also featured an emotional tribute to the late Liam Payne from Ora, who collaborated with the former One Direction singer on the 2018 hit For You (Fifty Shades Freed).
First held in Berlin, Germany in 1994, the EMAs had most recently been staged in the UK at London’s OVO Arena Wembley in 2017.
The 2023 EMAs were cancelled last October “out of an abundance of caution” amid the escalation of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Full List of 2024 MTV EMA Winners
BEST SONG
Sabrina Carpenter – Espresso
BEST VIDEO
Taylor Swift ft. Post Malone – Fortnight
BEST ARTIST
Taylor Swift
BEST COLLABORATION
LISA ft. Rosalía – New Woman
BEST NEW
Benson Boone
BEST POP
Ariana Grande
BEST AFROBEATS
Tyla
BEST ROCK
Liam Gallagher
BEST LATIN
Peso Pluma
BEST K-POP
Jimin
BEST ALTERNATIVE
Imagine Dragons
BEST ELECTRONIC
Calvin Harris
BEST HIP-HOP
Eminem
BEST R&B
Tyla
BEST LIVE
Taylor Swift
BEST PUSH
LE SSERAFIM
BIGGEST FANS
LISA
Full list of 2024 MTV EMA Worldwide Winners
BEST AFRICAN ACT
Tyla
BEST ASIA ACT
BINI
BEST AUSTRALIAN ACT
Sia
BEST AUSTRIAN ACT
RAF Camora
BEST BRASILIAN ACT
Pabllo Vittar
BEST CANADIAN ACT
Shawn Mendes
BEST CARIBBEAN ACT
Young Miko
BEST DUTCH ACT
Roxy Dekker
BEST FRENCH ACT
Pierre Garnier
BEST GERMAN ACT
AYLIVA
BEST INDIA ACT
Mali
BEST ISRAELI ACT
Noa Kirel
BEST ITALIAN ACT
Annalisa
BEST LAT AM CENTRAL ACT
Manuel Turizo
BEST LAT AM NORTH ACT
YeriMua
BEST LAT AM SOUTH ACT
Dillom
BEST NORDIC ACT
Zara Larsson
BEST POLISH ACT
Daria Zawiałow
BEST PORTUGUESE ACT
Bárbara Bandeira
BEST SPANISH ACT
Lola Indigo
BEST SWISS ACT
Nemo
BEST UK & IRELAND ACT
RAYE
BEST US ACT
Taylor Swift
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AXS named ticketing partner for Manchester’s AO Arena
AEG-owned ticketing firm AXS is the new ticketing partner for the AO Arena in Manchester, it has been announced.
AXS says the partnership will involve streamlining the ticket-buying process for the venue’s 1m+ customers each year and working to reduce fraud and inflated secondary ticketing by rolling out its AXS Mobile ID and AXS Official Resale platforms.
The ASM Global-operated arena has welcomed over 30 million guests and thousands of world-renowned artists since opening its doors in 1995.
In January 2024, the venue announced the completion of its £60 million redevelopment, as well as the extension of its naming rights partnership. As a result of the redevelopment, AO Arena’s capacity has increased to 23,000, reinforcing its place as one of Europe’s biggest indoor venues.
“AXS has a strong track record of delivering stand-out shows across the country”
Meanwhile, AXS has been rapidly expanding with new activity in both France and Germany. The firm’s presence in Europe also includes UK partners such as The O2, OVO Arena Wembley, Venues South Wales, BST Hyde Park and All Points East festivals. In Sweden, AXS is the exclusive ticketing provider for Stockholm Live! and Swedish Elite Football.
“We’re thrilled to welcome AXS as our new official ticketing partner,” says acting general manager of AO Arena, Gemma Vaughan.
“Both the AO Arena and AXS have a proven track record of providing guests with the very best live experiences, so this partnership makes perfect sense. By introducing the straightforward and seamless ticket experience that AXS is known for, fans now have access to a platform that is easy to use, highly intuitive and will make buying tickets a breeze. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate this new chapter for our venue and for fans in the North-West and beyond.”
Blaine Legere, president of international, AXS, says “We are proud to partner with the iconic AO Arena which has played a vital role in shaping the UK’s live scene and add another massive venue to our growing portfolio in the UK. AXS has a strong track record of delivering stand-out shows across the country, and by welcoming another ASM Global venue to AXS – our seventh this year – it means we can deliver the very best experiences to fans from all UK regions.”
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AO Arena ups Gemma Vaughan to acting GM
ASM Global has promoted Gemma Vaughan to acting general manager of AO Arena in Manchester, UK, with immediate effect.
Vaughan joined ASM Global in 2023 as sales and marketing director at AO Arena, having previously held roles at Live Nation, Cuffe & Taylor and Manchester’s Escape to Freight Island.
During her 14-year career, she has worked as a promoter and marketer, and supported artists such as Faithless, Cliff Richard, Mariah Carey and Britney Spears.
Since joining ASM, Vaughan has been involved in the re-imagining of the AO Arena with the launch of The Mezz, the UK’s first celebrity chef restaurant and bar experience inside a live music venue. The Manchester-born exec also sits on the board of Brighter Sound and the Manchester Music City network.
“Gemma has a wealth of understanding of the wider UK music business and the needs of the local Manchester market”
Vaughan takes over from Jen Mitchell, who has managed the AO Arena since 2022.
“The AO Arena is embarking on another year of unprecedented demand,” says Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe. “Gemma has a wealth of understanding of the wider UK music business and the needs of the local Manchester market. Through her work at the forefront of the recent £60m reimagination of the arena, she has demonstrated her passion for this brilliant city, its cultural footprint and our ambition to deliver the ultimate in live entertainment experiences to the people who live here. It’s a very exciting time for the venue and for the city.”
In January 2024, AO Arena announced the completion of its £60 million redevelopment, as well as the extension of its naming rights partnership.
As a result of the redevelopment, the arena’s capacity has increased to 23,000, reinforcing its place as one of Europe’s biggest indoor venues.
The arena, which welcomes more than one million people to the venue annually, is set to host events with Peter Kay Live, Chris Stapleton, Becky Hill and Les Misérables.
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Sacha Lord exits Parklife, The Warehouse Project
Sacha Lord has left his leading roles at Parklife and The Warehouse Project, two of the biggest events in Manchester, UK.
He today (18 July) confirmed the transfer of his shares to LN Gaiety – which has owned a controlling stake in The Warehouse Project and Parklife since 2016 – to “focus on other endeavours”.
This includes his roles as Greater Manchester’s night-time economy adviser, appointed to him by Mayor Andy Burnham in 2018, and chair of the Night Time Industries Association.
Lord says that his departure from Parklife and The Warehouse Project was agreed in 2021 and that “it was not an easy decision for me to make”.
“I will miss the team, the events, the customers, I’ll even miss the stress and the late nights, but I’ve known for a long time that Parklife 2024 was going to be the last for me,” he said.
“This decision will free up my time to focus on my roles in the nighttime economy and hospitality sectors”
“There could not have been a more perfect moment for me to step away than now – exactly 30 years since my first event at The Hacienda – and I’m so excited for what’s to come. This decision will free up my time to focus on my roles in the nighttime economy and hospitality sectors, and of course, most importantly, the birth of my first child with my beautiful wife Demi later this year.”
Lord is also Founder of the Sacha Lord Foundation, a charitable organisation which seeks to encourage and support young people entering the hospitality sector, and Chair of Wythenshawe FC.
Today’s news comes following an announcement that Arts Council England and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) are probing a £400,000 Culture Recovery Fund (CRF) grant awarded to a business controlled by Lord called Primary Event Solutions (PES).
Lord said he would “fully cooperate” with the process and was confident that “the outcomes will confirm that Primary Events Solutions Limited has not misled the Arts Council or the public, nor has it misused any public money”. Both authorities are yet to publish any findings from the investigation.
Parklife, Europe’s largest metropolitan festival, was launched in 2010 and has welcomed the likes of Liam Gallagher, the 1975 and 50 Cent. The annual festival, held in Heaton Park, welcomes 80,000 gig-goers each day of the festival and is said to employ over 2,500 people.
The Warehouse Project was co-founded by Lord, Sam Kandel and Rich McGinnis in 2006. It plays host to internationally acclaimed artists including Disclosure, Megan Thee Stallion, Nile Rodgers & Chic, The Prodigy, New Order, The Chemical Brothers and Calvin Harris.
Located at the 10,000-capacity Depot Mayfield in Manchester, it welcomed over 275,000 customers during its 2023 season. Kandel and McGinnis will be staying on at the company.
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LGBTIQ+ List 2024: Rivca Burns, Factory International/From the Other
The LGBTIQ+ List 2024 – IQ Magazine’s fourth annual celebration of queer professionals who make an immense impact in the international live music business – has been revealed.
The ever-popular list is the centrepiece of IQ’s fourth Pride edition, sponsored by Ticketmaster, which is now available to read online and in print for subscribers.
To get to know this year’s queer pioneers a little better, we interviewed each of them on the development of the industry, the challenges that are keeping them up at night and more.
Throughout the next month, IQ will publish a new interview each day. Catch up on yesterday’s interview with Rhys France (he/him), corporate and private events booker at CAA.
The series continues with Rivca Burns (she/her), director of From the Other and acting head of music at Factory International.
For the past 15 years, Rivca Burns has been a freelance creative programme producer. More recently, she’s worked as director of From the Other, home to the nearly 20-year-old new music festival Sounds From the Other City in Salford, Fat Out Fest, and music residency program Samarbeta. Having programmed and produced Festival Square for Manchester International Festival since 2019, she is also currently the acting head of music at Aviva Studios, home of Factory International.
She also co-chairs the Greater Manchester Music Commission and sits on the board of Manchester Music Cities, as well as holds the reigning title of Manchester’s Cultural Hero, as voted for by BBC Introducing and City Life.
Tell us about the professional feat you’re most PROUD of in 2024 so far.
Stepping into the acting head of music role has been huge, not only following the inimitable Jane Beese but also stepping into a building that has so much potential and opportunity for artists, audiences and the city – it’s a real honour. Having spent my whole working life calling Manchester home, the Music City that encompasses its borders is greater and more exciting than ever before – especially in its grassroots – and this venue is another step to solidify that as artists can now play in Manchester at every step of their career.
“The industry needs to recognise that misogyny in music is very much still a thing”
What’s your most pressing challenge in the industry right now?
There are a number of things: from supporting the grassroots, funding to artists from streaming services, ticket prices and audience behaviours, through to equality and diversity in the industry. There are so many things I could pick on but I’m going to focus on something very close to me, and that is that the industry needs to recognise that misogyny in music is very much still a thing. Following the damning report at the start of the year, that in my opinion has not had enough action or follow on attention, there are some huge issues to tackle to make a change.
There is still a huge gender pay gap, unequal childcare set ups and nowhere near enough women in positions of power, there are not enough women in backstage areas in technical roles, or in A&R or label positions shaping the artists we hear daily and crucially there are not enough women in mixing and mastering positions. Until these scenarios change and become more meaningfully equal then nothing will change and women will still be at risk in this industry, it requires much more acknowledgement and action.
Tell us about a professional challenge you’ve had to overcome as a queer person in this industry.
Being taken seriously. I think because I look so young due to my androgynous looks and the way I dress as a queer person, it’s sometimes hard to get taken seriously and get the right attention in ‘the room’. But I continue to be authentically me, live by my values and support those around me to be the best they can be.
“This year is full of incredible queer icons performing live”
Name one thing the industry could do to be a more equitable place.
Copy the football set-up and create an independent body that can collect a nominal ticket levy from large arenas, and a percentage of profit from large streaming suppliers and labels to create a self-supporting industry fund that can support the grassroots; from artists to venues to labels and everything in between.
Name one queer act you’re itching to see live this year.
There are so many; from the haunting beautiful vocals of Anohni & the Johnsons to the legendary Beverley Glenn Copeland through to the much-anticipated return of queer powerhouses Gossip and the superstar that is Janelle Monae; this year is full of incredible queer icons performing live. I’m also really excited about trying to see Alice Longyu Gao again as well, such an amazing live set, and it’s been far too many years since Serpentwithfeet performed in the UK. Sorry that was six!
“I continue to be authentically me, live by my values and support those around me to be the best they can be”
Do you have a favourite queer space?
Islington Mill in Salford is a queer hub/mecca of Greater Manchester that has been operating as a venue since the mid-noughties and has seen so many people come through its doors from Grimes, Christeene, Peaches, Hunx & his Punx, Ssion even Bjork. The main club space is currently being run by Partisan Collective and there are so many upcoming and underground queer nights and artists starting up there. It is a proper Queer Utopia.
Shout out any LGBTIQ+ cause(s) you support.
Mermaids are doing some incredible work for trans youth who have my full backing, alongside charities such as the Proud Trust, George House Trust and the LGBT Foundation who all continue to do such important work for different humans in the queer community.
How do you like to celebrate Pride?
Pride is a protest, let’s not forget, so the parade for me is always at the heart of a Pride celebration. Community groups and charities are so important to queer culture; to provide support and community when people often feel left without one and this is so clearly visible in the diversity of groups you see marching year in, year out. But also it’s about friends and raising people up and providing platforms, so I spend a lot of time doing just that and do the rounds of many of the alternative pride events that happen across Manchester.
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Nicki Minaj’s Co-op Live gig axed after drugs arrest
Nicki Minaj’s concert at Manchester’s Co-op Live was called off at the last minute, following her arrest at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
The American rapper was arrested on suspicion of exporting soft drugs before being fined €350 and allowed to continue her journey, Dutch authorities said.
The artist didn’t make it to Manchester in time for her concert on Saturday (25 May), which was postponed just after 21:30 BST, with 20,000 fans in the arena waiting for her to take the stage.
On social media, Minaj said she was in a jail cell for between five and six hours, and finally arrived at her hotel in Manchester around midnight.
In a statement, promoters Live Nation said: “Nicki Minaj’s scheduled performance at Manchester’s Co-op Live on Saturday 25 May has been postponed.
“Tickets will remain valid for the rescheduled performance which will be announced as soon as possible.
“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.”
Co-op Live posted the same statement.
Thank you to everyone who prayed for me today. May God cover you & all that is connected to you. May you be blessed beyond your imagination.
Barbz, I’m @ the stock exchange hotel in #Manchester I arrived a little over an hour ago.
After sitting in a jail cell for 5-6 hours, my…— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 26, 2024
Minaj continued her tour in Birmingham last night (26 May) and is due to visit London and Glasgow, before a second scheduled date in Manchester on Thursday.
It is the latest problem to hit the 23,500-cap Co-op Live, which has also been forced to postpone or move gigs by the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Take That and Peter Kay in recent weeks after suffering a string of delays and technical problems.
The Oak View Group (OVG)-operated arena finally opened on 14 May for an opening performance by Manchester’s Elbow.
Co-op Live’s interim general manager, Rebecca Kane Burton, recently told OVG-owned publication VenuesNow that the venue is “all up and running and fully furnished”.
“We’ve had a natural ramp-up in terms of the capacities we’ve been hosting. Peter Kay was our biggest event (May 23-24). We had between 14,000 and 15,000 people – all of the levels in full use. All suites and premium areas have been working at full-tilt. There’s still work happening within the building, but it tends to be offices and back-of-house areas.”
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Elbow show gets Co-op Live up and running
Manchester’s Co-op Live has successfully opened with a hometown concert by rock band Elbow.
The launch of the UK’s largest arena – a joint venture between Oak View Group (OVG) and City Football Group – was pushed back two weeks following a series of hitches, but last night’s belated opening gig passed by without incident.
“It’s been tough,” OVG chief Tim Leiweke told reporters ahead of the event, as per the Guardian. “I’m emotional because this is a big deal and we want to do right by Manchester.
”It’s never easy getting these things built with Brexit and Covid but at the end of the day we’ve built the greatest arena ever built – for Manchester. It’s been tough. I’ve apologised to those [fans] we disrupted… now the building is open and will be for another 30 years.”
”Everybody that’s been working on this building has been so excited today, so nervous but so excited,” Elbow frontman Guy Garvey told the crowd at last night’s (14 May) show. “There was already electricity in the air before you lot got in today and now it’s thoroughly amped up. I hope you can feel it.”
The 23,500-cap Co-op Live was originally set to launch with Peter Kay on 29 April, only for the comedian’s dates to be pushed back due to a delay in completion of the power supply at the site. Days earlier, a free test performance by Rick Astley was only permitted to go ahead at a significantly reduced capacity, while a 10,000-cap test event with the Black Keys was also postponed.
“We were going to take our time to make sure we did this right”
A performance by rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie was then axed for “technical reasons” 10 minutes before doors were due to open on 1 May after part of the air conditioning system at the arena became detached, prompting OVG to announce a “short pause” to events to “allow for an independent inspection of all elements of the arena ceiling”.
“If that was 15 minutes later, something catastrophic could have happened,” said Leiweke, speaking to the BBC. “We [have since] got that double checked and triple checked,” he continued. “We’ve looked at thousands of bolts up in that ceiling now. We’ve looked at the life safety lines. And we were going to take our time to make sure we did this right.”
The A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie performance and five nights with Take That were relocated to the rival AO Arena in Manchester due to the delays, while former boss of The O2, Rebecca Kane Burton, was brought in as interim boss of Co-op Live in late April following the resignation of general manager Gary Roden.
The Black Keys’ postponed show will take place at the venue tonight (15 May), followed by Eric Clapton (18 May), Barry Manilow (19 May), Peter Kay (23-24 May), Nicki Minaj (25 & 30 May) and the Eagles (31 May) set to follow this month.
Other upcoming acts will include Liam Gallagher, The Killers, Stevie Nicks and Pearl Jam.
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Take That rack up AO Arena Manchester milestone
Take That have become the first band ever to play 50 shows at Manchester’s AO Arena.
The band, who first played the venue in 1995 during their Nobody Else Tour, reached the milestone during their five-night run at the venue from 7-12 May as part of their current This Life On Tour.
This Life On Tour has sold more than 700,000 tickets across 41 dates in 15 UK cities, making it the biggest-selling tour ticket sales for a UK artist this year. Plus the band broke their own record last month for the most number of shows performed at The O2 in London, with their tally now totalling 39.
“We’re delighted that we’ve been able to celebrate Take That’s 50th Show at the AO Arena, right here in the heart of the action,” says AO Arena general manager Jen Mitchell. “Not only do we enjoy having the band here, we love hosting their fans and making every moment memorable.”
“I’d like to thank AO Arena for stepping up and at the 11th hour to endure the mammoth task of working with ticket outlets to transfer tens of thousands of tickets”
Thousands of fans were surprised with Golden Tickets over the course of the residency, upgrading their experience into the arena’s new Mezz bar. The ASM Global-operated AO Arena has seen a £70m investment over the past two years, transforming the venue and upgrading its capacity to 23,000. The redevelopment has reimagined existing spaces and new offerings including The Mezz bar and restaurant and a new lower concourse.
AO Arena stepped in to host the five concerts, along with a show by A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, following a delay in the opening of rival Manchester site Co-op Live, which was originally due to host the dates.
“I’d like to thank AO Arena for stepping up and at the 11th hour to endure the mammoth task of working with ticket outlets to transfer tens of thousands of tickets,” adds Sacha Lord, night time economy adviser for Greater Manchester.
Upcoming concerts at AO Arena include Nickelback, Girls Aloud, Troye Sivan, Tool, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Becky Hill, The Corrs, Alice Cooper, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Childish Gambino.
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