Fans left furious as US rapper’s Manchester show is cancelled just hours before he’s due on stage
FURIOUS fans have been left seething after the doomed Co-Op Live cancelled a major US rapper’s show with just hours to go.
Excited fans were already at the state-of-the-art Manchester arena in their droves before being told to head home after the venue cancelled the performance.
US rap superstar A Boogie wit Da Hoodie was scheduled to perform at the UK’s biggest arena this evening but technical issues at the venue saw the concert axed with just moments to go.
The Co-Op Live has been hit with consistent problems over the past few months with countless rescheduled shows and technical problems.
The venue is yet to successfully host an event having either cancelled all other performances or cancelled a large number of tickets at the last moment.
Confirming that the Swervin rapper would not be playing as expected, Co-Op Live said: “Due to a venue-related technical issue, tonight’s A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie show will no longer go ahead.
“We kindly ask fans to leave the area.
“Tickets holders will receive further information in due course.
“We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”
Saddened concert-goers could be seen leaving the arena in disbelief upon the announcement being made.
One fan’s parent raged online: “This is a joke. My daughter has paid for travel and hotel to get there and cancelled. You said it was going ahead last week. This place needs shutting down.”
Another added: “Compensation claim! Hotel, trains and waste of 2 days off work. Absolute joke.”
Before another added: “This is genuinely beyond ridiculous now. people have booked non refundable hotels and transport so if you know that the venue can’t handle these shows an official announcement just needs to be put out.”
The Look Back At It star is not the only performer to have seen his concert axed.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Olivia Rodrigo had been left “furious” at the venue cancelling her weekend shows at the last moment.
Promoters are scrambling to reschedule the gigs although it is not yet clear whether that will be possible.
Olivia, who topped the charts with her second album Guts last year, is said to be gutted about the news.
It was the third time that the opening night has been cancelled, after Peter Kay twice had to postpone his show, which had been due to launch the venue last month.
Co-op Live manager Gary Roden resigned last week amid the delays and following furore over comments he made about grassroots venues in the UK.
Olivia Rodrigo, who is touring UK arenas for the first time, will now launch the UK leg of her tour in Glasgow instead.
She is due to perform two shows at the OVO Hydro next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Co-op Live had previously faced problems with opposition raised just weeks ago which saw a local council row, including a battle with rival Manchester arena, AO Arena.