Latest news with #CoopLive
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Drake UK and Europe tour 2025: How to get tickets — plus Manchester's Co-Op Live seating plan
Canadian superstar Drake has officially announced his 2025 UK tour — $ome $pecial $hows 4 UK. Marking his first UK and European performances since 2019, here's everything you need to know so you don't miss out on tickets. 3 3 In the summer of 2025, following on his headline appearances at the Wireless Festival in London from July 11 to 13, Drake will extend his presence in the UK with four additional tour dates. These shows will take place at two iconic venues — Birmingham's Utilita Arena and Manchester's Co-op Live: July 20, 2025 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham July 21, 2025 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham July 25, 2025 – Co-op Live, Manchester July 26, 2025 – Co-op Live, Manchester He's then going on a massive European tour: July 30, 2025 — Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands July 31 — Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands August 7, 2025 — Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium August 11, 2025 — Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland August 15, 2025 — Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany August 16, 2025 — Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany August 21, 2025 — Avicii Arena, Stockholm, Sweden August 22, 2025 — Avicii Arena, Stockholm, Sweden August 24, 2025 — Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark August 25, 2025 — Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark August 29, 2025 — Unipol Forum, Milan, Italy August 30, 2025 — Unipol Forum, Milan, Italy September 7, 2025 — Accor Arena, Paris, France September 8, 2025 — Accor Arena, Paris, France September 11, 2025 — Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany September 12, 2025 — Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany September 16, 2025 — Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany September 18, 2025 — Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany September 22 and 23 at Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany Joining him on tour is special guest PartyNextDoor, a longtime collaborator and fellow OVO Sound artist, adding extra excitement for fans. Sharing the news on Instagram, Drake said: "FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 6 YEARS, DRAKE PERFORMING THE HITS, OLD AND NEW, ACROSS THE WATERS." This announcement set the stage for what promises to be a memorable summer of music, with fans eager to secure tickets as soon as they become available. Ticket information Tickets for the $ome $pecial $hows 4 UK tour will go on general sale on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 12 pm. They will be available through major platforms including Live Nation, Ticketmaster and AXS. To get ahead of the crowd, fans should ensure they have accounts set up on these sites before the sale begins. Presale Presale opportunities are available, starting Wednesday, June 4 at 12 pm via Live Nation, Ticketmaster, SeatUnique and AXS. There's another presale starting on Thursday, June 5 at 12 pm through SeatUnique. These presales offer fans multiple chances to grab tickets before the general public sale. Ticket prices Ticket prices have yet to be confirmed, but are expected to align with typical arena concert pricing for an artist of Drake 's caliber. For those seeking a premium experience, VIP ticket packages will be on offer. These include benefits such as faster entry through VIP entrances, premium seating in the best sections of the venue and access to hospitality lounges before and after the show, with certain VIP packages also featuring food and drinks. Fans interested in VIP tickets can register their interest via SeatUnique, which also hosts the official Co-op Live Premium Afterparty in the Hideaway, enhancing the overall concert experience. Seating plan Manchester's Co-op Live, where Drake will perform on July 25 and 26, is one of the UK's newest and largest indoor arenas, offering state-of-the-art facilities and a flexible seating plan. 3 The venue features a large standing floor area near the stage, tiered seating in lower and upper sections, accessible seating options and VIP areas. The stage is positioned at one end, providing excellent sightlines throughout the arena. Co-op Live is located on the Etihad Campus, approximately a 25-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station, with frequent tram services to the nearby Etihad Campus stop. On event days, Metrolink travel is often included with tickets for four hours before and after the show. Parking is available, but must be booked in advance. Top tips Don't wait until the morning of the sale to register — set up accounts with suppliers ahead of time Don't leave accounts unverified — a phone number and passcode may need to be set up Avoid assuming old accounts are active — if you already have an account, check that it's still working, your billing info is accurate and saved, and ensure you know the password Poor internet connection — ensure your internet signal is strong Low batteries — check devices you use are plugged in and/or fully charged Avoid refreshing the page while in the waiting room — ticketing sites use queuing systems where the page updates automatically, so once in the queue it's a good idea to just wait and keep your fingers crossed Drake's 2025 tour is shaping up to be a landmark event, combining his classic hits with new material and supported by PartyNextDoor. Fans should act quickly to avoid disappointment.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Man behind the music Tim Leiweke hits all the right notes
Inside Co-op Live the stage is set. As I arrive, the finishing touches are being put to the Bruce Springsteen gig – the first of three shows 'The Boss' is performing at Europe's largest indoor entertainment arena. Sniffer dogs weave along the myriad rows of the 23,500-seater stadium – a timely reminder of the essential security measures that mass-event organisers routinely take following the suicide bombing of the nearby Manchester Arena eight years ago that killed 22 concertgoers. But for Tim Leiweke this is more than just another day in the office. The American boss of Oak View Group, the entertainment giant that runs Co-op Live, is revelling in the news that the venue has just been voted the top arena in the UK and Europe, selling over one million tickets and grossing £87 million in its first, eventful year. It's a far cry from the chaotic launch of Co-op Live, which was dogged by technical delays and safety concerns that led to a slew of performances from the likes of comedian Peter Kay and singer Olivia Rodrigo being cancelled at the last minute. PR Week magazine called it one of the biggest corporate communications disasters of the year. 'Everyone was wondering whether we were going to get it open or not,' Leiweke recalls. After a month of setbacks the troubled arena, which cost £450 million to build, finally opened with hometown band Elbow headlining. He says he kept telling the band's lead singer Guy Garvey: 'It's going to be ready, trust me!' Leiweke adds: 'He ignored the headlines and came. It turned out that was kind of the line in the sand. Everything got easier after that.' Garvey wasn't the only one to help him out during the crisis. 'Paul McCartney did us a favour and played two nights in December,' the Missouri-born entertainment mogul says in his deep southern drawl. And Springsteen, who was booked for the opening, also re-scheduled after Leiweke persuaded him to play 'the best acoustics arena in the world'. Leiweke, 68, was able to pull these strings because he is very well connected – and not just in the music industry. He was dubbed David Beckham's 'American mentor' after luring the former Manchester Utd and England footballer from Real Madrid to LA Galaxy, which was owned by the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) he ran at the time. He still speaks to Beckham 'every week'. Leiweke's vast experience and contacts served him well during the Co-op Live launch drama. 'When you're in the business for 45 years the good news is you develop a lot of good relationships,' he reflects. 'If you treat people well, if you honour your word, and if you build the greatest acoustical arena ever built artists will want to play here.' Co-op Live is the 20th entertainment venue he has built, including London's O2 Arena, which as head of AEG he transformed from the ailing Millennium Dome. 'I've done more of these projects than anyone on the face of the Earth. It ultimately teaches you to learn to be patient,' he adds. Leiweke points out that 'there's never been a perfect' launch and cites Tottenham and Wembley football grounds as examples of other delayed openings. He also praises the patience and perspective of Co-op Live's backers, including the deep-pocketed Abu Dhabi-based owners of neighbouring Manchester City, who put up half the money for the arena. Leiweke, who founded Oak View Group in 2015, told them to trust him and 'they hung in there with us'. He adds: 'We built this arena for 50 years, not 30 days.' It's a lesson that won't be lost on the Co-op as the retailer, which owns the naming rights to the arena, grapples with the fallout from a recent cyberattack. Part of Leiweke's confidence that it would be all right on the night stems from his faith in the arena itself. A unique acoustical bowl minimises background noise with all advertising and signage inside removed. 'It's a black box, like it's a theatre. It means you can have 24,000 people here and Bruce can sit on stage and feel like he can touch every one of them. We've built the perfect environment,' he gushes. Backstage it's like a five-star hotel with 13 hospitality lounges – or 'clubs' – 14 dressing rooms, a gym, even a recording studio. Leiweke says: 'It's a city back there.' It's certainly gone down well with artists. Opera legend Andrea Bocelli told Leiweke Co-op Live was 'the best sound check he'd ever heard' while Liam Gallagher of Oasis said the only comparable arena in the world was Madison Square Garden in New York. 'We knew we had something special,' Leiweke says. 'We knew that would shine through. We just had to get people and artists in here.' Co-op Live has also given the local economy a £1.3 billion boost as concert-goers spent money in Manchester's bars, clubs, and restaurants. Leiweke is proud that the arena – and a new 460-room hotel that will come on stream nearby next year – have been built without a penny of taxpayer subsidy. As for his next project, Leiweke is eyeing an even bigger arena in London to rival the 20,000-seater 02. He points out that New York and Los Angeles each have four such venues whereas London has only one. But for now, his focus is on Co-op Live, where there are still a few 'nicks and nacks' to sort out before that night's extravaganza. Muhammad Ali once told him that the mark of a great champion was not the boxer who's never been knocked down – it's the boxer who gets knocked down and keeps on getting up. 'That advice was perfect for this building,' says Leiweke. 'When you get knocked down, get back up and keep on fighting.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'I was 300 miles away, then Bruce Springsteen was in my kitchen'
The owner of a tiny Stockport music studio has told how he raced 300 miles back home from holiday - after getting a call telling him veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen wanted to book himself a recording session. Martin King, who runs a modest outfit tucked away in the borough's suburbs, had been enjoying a break in Hampshire, and admitted his first thought was: 'Is this for real?' But, in spite of his reservations, he told the Manchester Evening News he had no choice but to make the mammoth journey back to Greater Manchester to meet The Boss. READ MORE: The seaside town near Greater Manchester with a beach bar and amazing sunsets READ MORE: Bruce Springsteen pops in to see the Lads just minutes before sell-out Co-op Live show 'I didn't know for sure he was going to show but just the possibility was worth the trip back," he said, adding it was even more 'surreal' when Bruce and his team walked into the kitchen. Springsteen has been hitting headlines during a three-night residency at the 23,500 capacity Co-op Live venue, the first of his 16-date Land of Hope & Dreams Tour. On the first night of his stay in the city, the 75-year-old took aim at President Donald Trump with a fiery barb describing 'dangerous times' currently being faced in the USA. But the Boss, known for hits like Born to Run and 'Dancing in the Dark, was in a slightly less confrontational mood as he wandered around the Stockport studio, snapping photos and had a great sense of humour. Martin said: 'What made me laugh is I asked him if I could take some photos with him and I just haven't got the technology skills to take a selfie, I couldn't get it to work, and he said to me with a smile on his face, 'Let me do it, I'm good at these''. Speaking about why he thinks Bruce liked his studio, Martin said perhaps it reminded the global artist, in some way of the kind of place he recorded in when he was starting out. He continued: 'It's pretty down to earth here and has a comfortable vibe so hopefully he felt relaxed.' Reflecting on the finest moment of recording the septuagenarian rocker Martin said it was when Bruce listened back. 'He was listening so intently, it was about the music for him, and it felt for me at that moment that it doesn't matter if you're famous or if you're a young musician starting out, ultimately the commonality in it all is the music.' He said the star, who will play his last show at Manchester's Co-op live last night (May 20) has an 'amazing personal aura'. He added: 'He inspires a respectful reverence in everyone around him. It's not surprising given decades of success in the music industry built on genuine artistic and personal integrity still so evident in his live shows.'
The Sun
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Rock legend Bruce Springsteen & actor Stephen Graham surprise staff at Huddersfield restaurant
MUSIC great Bruce Springsteen cooks up some excitement at a Huddersfield restaurant with actor Stephen Graham — who plays his father in a new biopic. Adolescence star Graham, a chef in 2021 drama Boiling Point, took The Boss along following sold-out concerts at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester. 6 Oliver Roberts, who runs Norman's, thought their visit was a 'prank' at first. He said Springsteen, 75, and Graham, 51, shared ten small plates including tomatoes with garlic ice cream. The rocker is pictured as a kid with his dad and sister. Deliver Me From Nowhere is due out in October. Last year, The Sun reported that fans trying to buy £150 Bruce Springsteen tickets early were shocked at having to pay for at least two, plus a hotel room — costing up to £800. Packages on Ticketmaster, part of Live Nation, included £796 for two front standing tickets and a double room at the four-star Novotel in Liverpool ahead of next June's gig at Anfield. Two rear standing tickets in last Thursday's pre-sale were £754 with a room at the Hilton. Two plus a night at the Ibis were £732. A pair and a room at the three-star Holiday Inn cost £698. Ticketmaster was criticised over its 'dynamic pricing' for Oasis shows when £135 tickets suddenly shot up to £355. But a fan of The Boss tweeted: 'This tie-in with hotel packages is taking it to another level.' Music video for Bruce Springsteen's hit song Born in the U.S.A. 6 6 6 6
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
From early setbacks to a storming Springsteen show: Co-op Live, a year on
When Bruce Springsteen opened his European tour at Manchester's Co-op Live arena on Wednesday night, it went off without a hitch. Thousands of fans belted out the lyrics to Dancing in the Dark with not an empty seat in sight, and the show was met with glowing reviews. But some had thought The Boss's appearance might never happen. The venue, the largest indoor arena is Britain, was officially opened a year to the day before, with local talent Elbow playing the first gig. But its debut came after a series a setbacks. The arena was originally due to open in April 2024, but was besieged by technical issues. Shows were cancelled or postponed, sometimes at very short notice – fans were already queueing outside when a concert had to be axed after part of the arena's ventilation system fell to the floor. 'I spent two months here, during what we call the glory days,' said Tim Leiweke, the chief executive of Oak View Group, the company behind the arena. 'I tried to get it open and get through all of our problems. 'So many people that worked on this project, I think, went through such a difficult time, and mentally and physically it's probably one of the most challenging projects I've ever seen, and the toll that it took on people was pretty amazing.' He was one of the thousands in the audience on Wednesday night for Springsteen's gig, and he later said it was a moment for 'those same people … to understand that last night, that crowd, that artist, that band, that energy, is what we always dreamed that this building would be. 'I think it was an amazing moment for them to understand that our vision had come full circle.' Even before the technical problems that blighted the arena's opening, Leiweke said people had doubted his vision when he picked Manchester as the place where he would build his eighth arena. Located at Manchester City's Etihad Campus, the 23,500-capacity arena was born out of a collaboration between the commercial real estate company, the football club, the Co-op, and singer Harry Styles, who grew up in nearby Cheshire. 'I've always been amazed that folks worldwide, and especially in the UK, tend to overlook Manchester a bit,' Leiweke said. 'I think it's one of the great cities in the world, and so we saw this opportunity, and most people thought we were nuts.' This week, an economic impact report, produced independently by planning consultancy Lichfields, revealed that the arena has generated more than £1.3bn in gross economic output, with a £456m investment during the construction phase and £852.2m in total turnover during its first year of operation. The report also found that in its first year, the arena supported more than 16,500 jobs and engaged more than 400 business suppliers, totalling £33.5m in supply chain expenditure. Describing himself as a 'pretty positive, optimistic person', Leiweke said he never lost faith that Co-op Live would be a success. 'This does not surprise us at all,' he said. 'We knew this was one of the great markets in the world for music and live entertainment, and so I'm proud of Manchester. 'I'm happy for Manchester. They deserve this. Proud of the economic impact and proud of the bet we made. I'm really proud that we proved people wrong.' The support of the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and the city council had also helped in bringing big events to the city, Leiweke said. 'We have more big events coming,' he added. 'I think we're gonna surprise some people here in the next few weeks with some announcements. 'This is a wonderful city, and so I'm not at all surprised that we are achieving these kinds of heights. And I'm going to shock you, I think we're just getting started.'
