Co-op Live makes first gig announcement

Co-op Live, a new 23,500-capacity arena scheduled to open in Manchester next April, has announced the Jonas Brothers as one of the artists that will perform during its opening season.

The pop trio will perform at the arena on June 17. It marks the first music act announcement for the venue, which is a joint venture between Oak View Group and City Football Group.

Co-op Live said the Jonas Brothers gig will be the first of “many” event announcements in the coming weeks, with 25 shows already programmed in the first month of the arena opening. As well as music gigs, the arena is set to host awards shows, international sporting events and tournaments, entertainment shows and emerging formats such as esports.

Co-op members will gain early access to Jonas Brothers tickets through a designated presale from August 2, before general sale tickets are available from August 4. Co-op, the UK consumer co-operative, acquired naming rights to the arena in September 2020 as part of a 15-year agreement with OVG.

Gary Roden, executive director and general manager of Co-op Live, said: “We’re counting down the days until we can open the doors of this incredible new venue for Manchester and the UK. I’m thrilled that shortly after announcing our April 2024 opening date, we can reveal that Jonas Brothers will be part of our opening season of globally renowned artists, highlighting the strength and diversity across our forthcoming line-up of shows.”

Amanda Jennings, director of marketing communications at Co-op, added: “This first artist and pre-sale ticket announcement marks a key milestone for the eagerly anticipated opening of Co-op Live. The arena embodies Co-op’s principles, values and vision and we’re looking forward to seeing these brought to life through this unique partnership.

“Additionally, we’re excited to start sharing what we have in the pipeline for our members, which includes exclusive benefits such as first in line access to tickets, food and beverage discounts at Co-op concessions and hospitality experiences.”

Co-op Live, which will be the UK’s largest live entertainment arena, had been expected to open by the end of the year, but it was announced last month that the opening date had been pushed back to April.

Test events will reportedly be held at the arena in April, with an exact date for the opening act to be revealed in due course. Construction work on the arena commenced in May 2021.

Co-op Live will form part of Manchester’s Etihad Campus, which is also home to Premier League football club Manchester City. It is being built at a cost of £365m (€427m/$469m) and is scheduled to host over 120 shows annually.

Earlier this month, Co-op Live welcomed the first guests to its main bowl as it held a ‘topping out’ ceremony attended by partners, venue stakeholders and premium guests, marking the final stage of roof construction.