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English Comedy Star Peter Kay To Open Co-op Live Manchester
Co-op Live has announced that comedian Peter Kay will open Manchester’s state-of-the-art venue with his current record-breaking “Better Late Than Never” tour, April 23, becoming the first artist in the world to perform at the new 23,500-seat arena.
He joins a roster of artists performing in Co-op Live’s opening season that also includes Olivia Rodrigo, Take That, Eric Clapton, Nicki Minaj, Eagles, and more.
Gary Roden, Executive Director and General Manager, Co-op Live, says: “When you think of Manchester, it’s hard not to think of Peter Kay. He embodies what this city is about, and to have him headlining Co-op Live is tremendously exciting. We’re creating an arena that is truly part of the community around it, and having Peter as our opening act is a perfect reminder of that.”
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Kay is one of the UK’s most successful stand-up comedians of all time. His “The Tour That Doesn’t Tour Tour…Now On Tour” in 2010/2011 earned him 2013 Guinness World Records for 1,140,798 tickets sold across 113 arena dates. The tour included a total of 20 nights at Manchester Arena, selling some 209,000 tickets, and grossing an astounding $11,404,425, according to the Pollstar Boxoffice.
Manchester holds a special place in Kay’s heart, who was born in the Greater Manchester Area. He performed in the city countless times, and had and has multiple dates scheduled at AO Arena this year, as well. His most recent Boxoffice entries are from his Feb. 9-10 shows at the building, selling 13,825 ($1,018,927 gross) and 13,814 ($1,016,951 gross) tickets, respectively.
He’s also currently on a monthly residency at London’s O2, with one show slotted each month through April 2025, at which point he’ll have performed 29 times at the building.
His April 23 performance at the brand-new Co-op Live promises to bring fans closer to the action, thanks to the venue’s unique bowl design.
Co-op Members will gain first-access to Peter Kay tickets through a designated presale launching Feb. 21, 10 a.m. local. The general sale will be available from Feb. 23, 10 a.m.
The show is promoted by SJM Concerts, which is promoting multiple of the opening seasons concerts, including Take That, The Killers, and Niall Horan.