The Black Keys release statement as Co-op Live concert cancelled yesterday

The Black Keys have released a statement on social media after their concert at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena was cancelled the day before.

The American rock band were due to perform tomorrow night (Saturday 27 April) at the new £365 million Eastlands venue. The band’s show was due to take place in the ‘lower section’ in front of around 10,000 fans – around half the venue’s total capacity of 23,500.

But Co-op Live bosses announced today that the venue would not open as planned this weekend due to a number of issues. The Black Keys concert has been postponed until Wednesday, May 15.

READ NEXT: Peter Kay’s Co-op Live concerts cancelled again and The Black Keys concert also postponed

In a statement released on X, the band said they had agreed to postpone the date at the venue’s request. The statement read: “At the request of Co-op Live, we have agreed to postpone the date to May 15th.

“We look forward to getting on stage when everything is up and running.”

Tickets for the show remain valid for the new date and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who can no longer attend the show.

Two Peter Kay shows have also been cancelled and postponed, with the Bolton comedian saying he “couldn’t believe it”. He was due to officially open the venue last Tuesday (April 22).

He was also scheduled to perform on Wednesday. But both performances were cancelled and postponed until next week as safety testing continues.

Today it was announced that next week’s performances, April 29 and 30, will have to be cancelled again. They will now take place on May 23 and 24.

Following the announcement of the cancellation, Manchester City Council and our region’s emergency services issued a joint statement expressing their “support” for the decision. They revealed the exact issues that led to the decision and the “outstanding items” that need to be addressed before a proper show can take place.

These include a fully tested emergency services communications system, some remaining internal security systems and fire safety measures. Last week, the arena capacity for the test event was reduced from approximately 11,000 to 4,000 hours before the scheduled start due to power supply issues.

THE MEN revealed that Greater Manchester emergency services had expressed concerns ahead of the move. Last night, the venue’s manager dramatically resigned amid a tumultuous week for the new venue.

In an official statement released today, Co-op Live said: “Since making the difficult decision to postpone Co-op Live’s live shows that were scheduled to take place this week, we have implemented an extensive testing protocol of critical procedures to ensure all areas are ready for fans. To ensure all areas are ready for fans.

“In order to ensure we can deliver all shows safely, we have unfortunately had to make the decision to reschedule the scheduled shows of The Black Keys and Peter Kay.

“The Black Keys and Peter Kay have graciously agreed to reschedule their concerts. The Black Keys will now perform on May 15, 2024, and Peter Kay on May 23 and 24, 2024.

“All tickets remain valid and ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase. Refunds will be available for those who are no longer able to attend the match. We are deeply aware of the impact this will have on enthusiastic fans and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this change may cause.

“Peter Kay and the Black Keys’ postponement will give us the additional time we need to continue to thoroughly test enhanced emergency communications. This is critical to meeting the rigorous set of guidelines and protocols required for a venue of this size to ensure our fans, artists and staff have the safest possible experience.”

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