Take That has announced that it would be moving its five shows from the troubled Co-op Live arena. The AO Arena has confirmed that it would be hosting the band’s upcoming dates next week, along with rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Keane, both of whom have also announced a switch to AO Arena. Popstar Olivia Rodrigo has had an upcoming concert cancelled. Co-op Live said that it would be taking a “short pause” and will welcome members of the public to the arena from 14 May. It said it was taking a break to “ensure the safety and security of fans and artists visiting the venue”. Oak View Group, which owns the arena, has blamed defects with parts of its ventilation system for the cancellations.
According to the company, a nozzle used in the building’s ventilation system became detached during a sound-check due to what it believed was a “factory defect”. When staff could not guarantee other components were free of similar defects, OVG said it was left with no choice but to cancel. Fans left in the lurch by Wednesday’s last minute cancellation expressed concern about future events at the arena, which is now the UK’s largest.
In a BBC interview in March, Co-op Live general manager Gary Roden had spoken dismissively about the AO Arena, saying music stars would prefer to play at his newer venue. “It’s going to be difficult for an artist to say, ‘Yeah, I’ve booked the arena that is 30 years old versus the arena that’s brand new’,” he said. But now, stars are turning back to the tried and trusted AO, which has been operating under a variety of names since 1995. Co-Op Live said it was working “incredibly hard” to get the venue up and running for what remains of its opening season.
Losing a residency by one of Britain’s biggest bands, Take That – and local heroes – to its rival venue will arguably be seen as the biggest humiliation amid a succession of highly embarrassing postponements and problems for Co-op Live. The rapper said that “Yesterday’s cancelled Manchester show has been rescheduled for this Saturday at AO Arena! We won’t give up that easy let’s go!
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