The Music Venue Trust has hit back at Manchester’s Co-Op Live for saying some grassroots venues are “poorly run” - despite their own issues.
23/4/24 The Music Venue Trust has hit back at Manchester’s Co-Op Live for saying some grassroots venues are “poorly run” – despite having had to delay its own opening this week.
Co-Op Live, which cost £365million, is set to become the UK’s largest indoor arena when it opens, with a capacity of 23,500.
The venue’s executive director Gary Roden spoke to the BBC recently, where he discussed the proposed £1 ticket levy on all gigs arena-sized and above, to help secure the future of grassroots venues and artists.
Roden said that he was “very aware it’s a hot topic”, and that he was “embracing the conversation”, but that he believed the levy was “too simplistic”.
The report suggests that he thinks support should come directly from the government, and added that while he acknowledges the financial pressures on small venues, he thinks some of them are poorly run.
-> full article here at nme.com
Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd on twitter 20/4/24 :
linking to this article:
Bosses say they had to cancel some tickets for the Rick Astley gig to test the venue "effectively".
20/4/24 Bosses of the UK's largest arena have apologised for cancelling tickets to a test show hours before it was due to start.
It comes after organisers at Co-op Live in Manchester said they had to cut capacity for a preview concert by Rick Astley to allow them to test the 23,500-seater venue "effectively".
Those affected have instead been invited to the Black Keys show at the £365m arena next week.
Co-op Live is set to be officially opened by comedian Peter Kay on Tuesday.
-> full article here at bbc.com
and then the day before the official opening night..
Rick Astley played a test event at the weekend
22/4/24 Organisers at Manchester’s new Co-Op Live arena have postponed their opening Peter Kay shows.
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A statement from the venue said: “Following our first test event on Saturday, regretfully we have made the difficult decision to reschedule our two opening performances by Peter Kay. It is critical to ensure we have a consistent total power supply to our fully electric sustainable venue, the completion of which is a few days behind.
-> full article here at nme.com