Olivia Rodrigo’s Manchester tour dates fall foul of Co-op Live arena fiasco
US songstress Olivia Rodrigo has voiced her dismay following her inclusion in the latest casualties of the ongoing crisis at Manchester’s beleaguered Co-op Live arena.
Scheduled to kick off her UK tour with two sold-out performances at the newly inaugurated venue this weekend, Rodrigo found herself sidelined.
The verdict was delivered after the arena’s third postponement, which occurred midweek when a mishap thwarted a concert by rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.
Expressing her disappointment to fans, Rodrigo conveyed her sentiments via Instagram, lamenting the missed opportunity while expressing hope for a swift reunion with her audience.
The deferment of high-profile shows featuring one of the globe’s preeminent artists adds another layer of embarrassment to Manchester Arena, already plagued by a string of setbacks.
The £365 million facility, boasting a capacity of 23,500 attendees, was initially slated to debut under the spotlight of comedian Peter Kay’s performances, which have themselves faced two postponements.
The decision to sideline Rodrigo’s shows stemmed from the fallout of A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s canceled event, which left throngs of fans disillusioned after receiving last-minute notice, a mere 10 minutes post the scheduled opening of the venue’s doors.
Arena authorities attributed the setback to an incident during soundcheck, wherein a component of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system disengaged from the ductwork, necessitating comprehensive system testing to preempt further malfunctions.
Despite assurances of safety and apologies, ticket-holders, many of whom had journeyed considerable distances, were left disheartened. The rapper, empathizing with his disappointed fans, emphasized the priority of safety while promising forthcoming updates.
Rodrigo’s admirers similarly found their plans dashed, with numerous individuals left financially impacted. Scott Tostevin, hailing from Guernsey, shared his group’s investment in travel arrangements, having allocated several hundred pounds toward flights and accommodation for what was meant to be an unforgettable concert experience.
“I can either use my flights and hotel to now sit and watch a film in Manchester or lose the money and just cancel it all with no refunds,” he said.
The venue’s operators, Oak View Group, said they appreciated “the inconvenience” this would cause for “many”. The fault had been caused by a “factory defect” with a nozzle used to direct air, they added.
However, staff were unable to verify that other such nozzles were free of similar problems.
The next show in the schedule is Keane on Sunday, followed by a five-night residency by Take That next week.
The venue said it understood “the need to reassure fans over future shows”, but did not rule out further postponements.
“We are working with artist management and promoters to limit the impact on the opening season schedule,” its statement said.
“Where necessary, we will identify alternate dates, and will continually reassess to provide fans with sufficient notice regarding imminent shows.
“Should shows be canceled or rescheduled, fans will be contacted by their point of purchase and offered a full refund where preferred.”
Oak View Group chief executive Tim Leiweke apologized to fans but defended the cancellation.
He added: “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 safe to do so.
“Today was a very unexpected situation but without a doubt the right decision.”
The Co-operative Group, which sponsors the venue, said it was “shocked” by what had happened.
A 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, 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.”
Last week, Co-op Live’s general manager Gary Roden resigned following the initial delays and a backlash over comments he had made about some smaller live music venues being “poorly run”.
Rebecca Kane-Burton, who has run the O2 arena in London and Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s LW Theatres, was drafted in to replace him.
Rodrigo opened the European section of her Guts world tour in Dublin on Tuesday, but now has a gap in her diary before dates in Glasgow, Birmingham and London.
Her tour made headlines in the US when contraceptives and morning-after pills were handed out at a concert in Missouri, where abortion is banned.
