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6 months ago
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The Co-op Live has cancelled indie band Keane's gig in a week of chaos for the troubled arena which has already seen two other shows axed in the space of 24 hours.
'Technical issues' had already caused Olivia Rodrigo to have two of her concerts postponed at the £365million venue in Manchester, while fans of US rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie were queuing outside last night when they were told 'to leave the area'.
Keane, the band behind 2004 hit song Somewhere Only We Know, were due to perform on Sunday evening as part of its Hopes And Fears 20th anniversary tour.
The band said they were 'gutted' but that it was 'entirely beyond our control'.
The Co-op Live has cancelled indie band Keane's gig in a week of chaos for the troubled arena
Fans of US rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie were queuing outside when they were told 'to leave the area'
Pictures taken outside the Manchester arena today show work is still being carried out on the £350m building
The group wrote on Instagram: 'We're absolutely gutted not to be able to celebrate 20 years of Hopes and Fears with you at the Co-op Live on Sunday.
'This is due to on-going technical issues at the venue and is entirely beyond our control.
'We've tried extremely hard to find a solution as we know so many of you have made travel plans, but it's just not been possible. We are really disappointed that this has happened and are doing all we can to re-schedule the show.
'Love Tom, Tim, Richard and Jesse x.'
It means three stars due to perform at the venue this week have all had their concerts postponed in the space of 24 hours.
Last night three-time Grammy winner Olivia Rodrigo said she was 'so bummed' that her shows had been cancelled on Friday and Saturday with just 48 hours notice.
While hundreds of fans of A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie were left furious when they were told last night the gig wouldn't be going ahead, just 10 minutes after doors were scheduled to open.
The US rapper's show has now been rescheduled to take place this Saturday at the nearby AO Arena.
Two of his concerts had already been pulled but it was axed again at the last minute due to a 'ventilation defect'.
Keane, the band behind 2004 hit song Somewhere Only We Know, were due to perform on Sunday evening as part of its Hopes And Fears 20th anniversary tour
The band wrote on Instagram that they were 'gutted' but that it was 'entirely beyond our control'
Footage filmed outside the arena just hours before showed the area looking like a construction site, with a digger and dumper parked up outside among building materials.
The venue's developer, the Oak View Group, later told the PA news agency there had been a ventilation defect.
During a soundcheck, a component of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system used to direct air separated from the ductwork, they said.
The organisation believe it to be an 'isolated incident caused by a factory defect' but it was not able to verify that all similar nozzles were free of similar defects.
Nobody was injured in the incident and the installer, contractor and third-party inspector will now test each nozzle to confirm they are free of defect, it said.
Tim Leiweke, chairman and chief executive of the Oak View Group, said: 'The safety and security of all visiting and working on Co-op Live is our utmost priority, and we could not and will not run any event until it is absolutely safe to do so.
'Today was a very unexpected situation but without a doubt the right decision. I deeply apologise for the impact that this has had on ticket holders and fans.'
The Co-op Group, who has naming rights for the venue, issued a statement to MailOnline in which it said it was left 'shocked' by the late cancellation of the rapper's show.
A Co-op Group spokesperson said: 'We are relieved that no-one has been injured, but we share the disappointment and frustration of ticket holders, many of whom are Co-op members, with the continuing delay to the opening of Co-op Live and the disruption that this is causing to everyone who has been looking forward to attending events.
'We will be seeking a full explanation from Oak View Group (OVG), who are responsible for the building, to the obvious questions arising from this, together with a clear plan from the Co-op Live venue management team at OVG for opening the venue and postponed and future events.
'Safety is of course the number one priority and it is critical that Co-op members and other ticket holders can enjoy events in a venue with the very highest levels of security and safety measures in place.
'We are very grateful for Manchester City Council’s and the emergency services' continued engagement with OVG to ensure that Co-op Live opens as soon as possible.'
The new venue has been hit by a wave of cancelled shows, including by Peter Kay, amid a chaotic opening as general manager Gary Roden quit just 12 months into the job after criticising smaller grassroots venues.
Co-op Live Arena had been due to open on April 23 and is expected to compete with the 02 Arena for the some of the world's biggest sporting and music events.
Rebecca Kane Burton, an ex-boss of London's O2 Arena, has stepped in as interim general manager.
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