Peter Kay has voiced his disappointment at the postponement of his upcoming shows at the new Co-Op Arena in Manchester for the second time. The venue, which is now the largest arena in the UK, experienced several cancellations of gigs before the official launch. Kay was scheduled to perform as the first official gig at the arena, which was postponed following a test gig with Rick Astley and the arena’s power testing running behind schedule. The gig had been rescheduled for May 23 and 24, and The Black Keys’ show was pushed back from April 27 to May 15.
Organisers of the event stated that they have been undertaking an extensive testing protocol and were rescheduling the gigs to ensure a consistent total power supply. The announcement has caused disappointment amongst fans, and refunds will be issued to those who cannot attend the new dates. The shows from Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Olivia Rodrigo are set to go ahead as planned, as planned previously.
Earlier this week, organiser Gary Roden of the Co-Op Live Arena resigned following his comments on grassroots music venues. Plans to open the arena came into controversy when the Co-Op Live and the existing AO Arena in the city came into a licensing row, which also created public safety concerns. Despite this, the venue had its licence granted last month and more acts are announced to perform at the arena in the coming months.
Kay has shared an update with his fans stating: “My apologies once again but unfortunately the Co-op Live still isn’t ready and so, as yet, remains untested for a large-scale audience. Consequently, they are having to reschedule my two shows yet again (I know I can’t believe it either).”
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