Olivia Rodrigo’s Manchester Shows Canceled Due to Technical Issues at Venue
Olivia Rodrigo‘s upcoming concerts at Manchester, England’s new Co-Op Live arena have been called off. The singer was set to launch her U.K. tour at the venue on May 3 and 4 following a show in Dublin, however Co-Cop Live cited “technical issues” as it canceled multiple shows.
“I’ve been having such a great time in Europe so far and I’m sooooo disappointed that we’re unable to perform in Manchester due to ongoing technical issues,” Rodrigo wrote in an Instagram story. “We’re doing our best to reschedule the show.” She added, “I’m so bummed and I really hope to see you all soon.”
The venue added on X, formerly Twitter, “Due to an ongoing venue-related technical issue, the scheduled performances of Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts world tour on May 3 and 4 are being postponed. Ticket-holders can either hold on to their tickets or obtain a refund at point of purchase.”
Co-Op Live, a 23,500-capacity arena that has been highly publicized in the lead-up to its opening, has had to cancel or postpone several concerts in recent weeks. In April, Rick Astley performed as a surprise guest to about 11,000 arena workers, VIPs, and press as a trial event, but around 4,000 tickets were canceled shortly before the show. The venue then postponed a makeup gig by the Black Keys and two shows by comedian Peter Kay, and axed a performance by A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, set for earlier this week.
A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s show was called off 10 minutes after doors were set to open, with numerous fans lined up outside. The rapper confirmed on X that “something happened” during his soundcheck that led to the cancelation. “I’m heated about the situation too, but safety first. Manchester, I got you, just stay tuned for further info.”
The venue’s operators, Oak View Group, blamed an incident during the soundcheck for the last-minute cancelation, noting that it occurred when “a component of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, used to direct air, separated from the ductwork,” according to the BBC. They added that the fault had been caused by a “factory defect” with a nozzle used to direct air and the entire system would need to be tested for further defects.
Oak View Group chief executive Tim Leiweke said in a statement following the incident, “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.”
Co-Op Live, located next to the Manchester City football ground, is now the largest indoor arena in the U.K., costing £365 million to build. It is scheduled to host Keane, Take That, the Killers, Eric Clapton, and Barry Manilow in the coming weeks, among other artists. According to The Guardian, there are plans to hold the MTV Europe music awards at the venue in November.
Rodrigo is currently on the European leg of her Guts World Tour, with upcoming dates in London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Madrid. She returns to North America in July for another leg that extends through August 17.