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Elbow and Co-op Live donate equipment to Manchester venues
March29
Almost a year after their acclaimed debut at Manchester’s Co-op Live, Elbow has partnered with the
Almost a year after their acclaimed debut at Manchester’s Co-op Live, Elbow has partnered with the UK’s largest live entertainment arena to support grassroots music venues in the city’s Northern Quarter.
The donation, made by Co-op Live in Elbow’s name, will fund new sound equipment for venues including Night & Day Café, Matt and Phreds, Aatma, SOUP, Peer Hat, and The Castle Hotel. These spaces, integral to Manchester’s vibrant music scene, will receive PA systems, instruments, and backline technology tailored to their needs.
Curated by Night & Day Café, the initiative merges Elbow’s celebrated legacy with Co-op Live’s commitment to supporting emerging talent. The arena, renowned for its world-class acoustics and praised by artists like Liam Gallagher, Gary Barlow, and Don Henley, continues to strengthen Manchester’s global music reputation.
Speaking of the initiative, elbow frontperson Guy Garvey says: “Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded. When the venue donated funds in our name to support the city we love, it made complete sense to carry that through to the Northern Quarter, and to venues that have meant so much to my bandmates and I throughout our career.”
Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live adds: “In the past year, I have been proud to see Co-op Live become an integral part of such an incredible city. Teaming up with elbow to directly support the venues that first put Manchester on the map, and to share something so intrinsic to us as venues – proper sound – is something truly special.”
Jennifer Smithson, owner of Night & Day Café adds: “Live music is a careful ecosystem, and everyone has an important role to play. It’s wonderful to see Co-op Live recognise the local and national impact of venues such as ours, and we are thankful to elbow for working with the arena to help strengthen what we are offering to artists and fans coming through our doors. Manchester has always been famous for our sound, and we are delighted to come together to extend our legacy in 2025 and beyond.”
The donation is part of Co-op Live’s broader commitment to community and sustainability, which includes at least £1 million in annual contributions to the Co-op Foundation. Recent artist-led initiatives backed by the arena include donations to Liam Gallagher’s Happy Doggo and Eric Clapton’s addiction recovery center, Crossroads.
Elbow performed at Co-op Live on May 14, 2024.
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