Fans expressed their disappointment over hold-ups at the Paul McCartney gig at Co-op Live. Concertgoers rushed to online platforms to air grievances over delays outside the venue prior to the first of McCartney’s weekend performances.
While McCartney wowed the crowd inside the venue, the problems outside left a sour note on the much-awaited gig.
Despite doors opening at 6.30pm for the rock legend’s show, his first major UK act since his stellar Glastonbury appearance two years past, there were reports of fans still queuing at 7.30pm, with complaints about seemingly unending singular queues for entry. Co-Op Live responded, attributing the crowd build-up to ‘significant early arrival’ whilst assuring that the lines were dealt with swiftly within 20 minutes, ensuring all attendees were present before McCartney took the stage.
Social media was abuzz, with one frustrated fan describing the experience as a ‘shambles’, venting: “Sort your act out. Been stuck in a queue in rain for an hour and a half.”
Another attendee bemoaned the poor management: “Pity can’t get into the venue. Absolute joke walking in rain for 5 miles away from venue. First and last time here.”
One disgruntled concert-goer even claimed a lack of facilities forced them to seek relief in the woods nearby, stating: “Do you honestly think it’s okay to arrange hour long queues by bunging multiple entrances into one, with no portapotties en route? ” “A large amount of us had to make our OWN QUEUE in a wooded area to relieve ourselves. this is unacceptable and humiliating. sort it out.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.
A flood of complaints has hit Co-op Live after music lovers branded the venue as the “worst organised” they’ve ever experienced. One irate fan exclaimed: “Worst organised venue ever been to in my life won’t be buying any more tickets for here,” and another added fuel to the fire by remarking: “What a mess to get into the venue to see Paul McCartney. One of the worst organizations I’ve ever seen.”
The situation escalated as one exasperated concertgoer reported: “Anyone arriving for the McCartney gigs at Co-op Live know they are making EVERY SINGLE TICKET HOLDER queue in one single queue. Absolutely mental.”
In response, a spokesperson for Co-op Live attempted to cool tensions by asserting: “Following significant early arrival before tonight’s advertised opening time of 18:30, once doors opened on time fans accessed the building within a maximum of 20 minutes.”
They insisted that the chaos had subsided by the time McCartney graced the stage, stating: “There were no queues by the time the act took to the stage at 8.15pm.”
Paul McCartney is poised to captivate fans again at a sold-out show at Co-op Live on Sunday (December 15), but there is an expected surge in traffic due to simultaneous matches featuring both Manchester City and Manchester United at the nearby Etihad Stadium.