“Let’s open this venue properly shall we?”: After Peter Kay drama, fans in tears and a falling ventilation unit... Co-op Live is finally here - but was it worth it?

“Good evening Manchester,” bellowed Elbow frontman Guy Garvey, his fierce Northern roar echoing off the walls of Manchester’s shiny new arena.

“Let’s open this venue properly shall we?” Yes, let's.

It’s been a long time coming, but on Tuesday night, Co-op Live, the biggest arena in the UK, finally opened its doors.

After an embarrassing series of cancelled openings, rescheduled gigs, and a near ‘catastrophic’ incident with an air conditioning vent, a collective sigh of relief could be felt in the air - but there were also some pre-gig nerves.

READ MORE: Co-op Live boss gives Olivia Rodrigo Manchester gigs update as he admits 'it's up to her'

“Everyone who has been working on this building has been so nervous and so excited,” added Garvey, prompting a few raised eyebrows amongst gig-goers.

“There was already electricity in the air before you got in here and now it’s fully amped up - I hope you can feel it.”

That could have been a perceived as a gentle jibe from Garvey, alluding to the ‘technical issues’ that have delayed the landmark venue’s opening by three weeks and seen gigs such as Peter Kay’s rescheduled twice, others like Olivia Rodrigo’s postponed indefinitely, and Take That’s homecoming moved to the city’s other arena.

However, it was said with complete sincerity, the singer looking visibly moved by the crowd’s reaction and to be given the task of officially ‘housewarming’ the arena - even if it was by default.

Peter Kay was due to open the venue which has cost close to £450 million on April, 23 but a test event held days before and headlined by Rick Astley highlighted that it was far from finished.

Over the next two weeks, the venue would try two more times - once with American rockers The Black Keys and again on May 1 with rapper A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, the latter of which was called off at the eleventh hour as a component of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system fell from a ceiling, and the gig was cancelled.

So, and with great relief, it was fourth time lucky for Co-op Live. Elbow fans expressed apprehension in the hours before the gig, but many felt at least ‘reassured’ by the arena’s earlier statement that it had been cleared for use following inspections and the incident with the air conditioning system was an “isolated manufacturing default”.

For weeks, hard hats and hi-vis jackets have become a familiar site outside the cavernous black box, but last night, building crews were replaced by national media and affable stewards - one so eager that he became a designated photographer for fans posing in front of the shiny Co-op Live sign.

As they poured into the venue, whooping and fist pumping their way through the body scanners, some fans cheekily alluded to the issues that have plagued the venue - one donning a hard hat as they waited their turn to explore the building’s concourse level, The Street, an almost cruise ship-esque entrance complete with a 22-metre long bar where you can buy £8 pints and visit the Co-op shop.

For most venues, teething issues are expected, but given what has transpired over the last few weeks, everyone was watching. Queues can sometimes be overlooked, but they did bookmark the event - first as they stretched over the bridge and snaked back all the way to the Manchester City ground, and later as fans filled out and rushed to the tram stops.

Elsewhere, the toilets all seemed to work after only a few were available during the test event, though the lyrics emblazoned onto the walls were a bit obvious - but maybe we’re just nit-picking. The self-service tills - a nice touch and nodding to the venue’s modern ambitions - needed a reboot, but really these things are part and parcel of an opening.

The bowl itself has been billed as ‘state-of-art’, and features a unique design that apparently brings the audience closer to the audience. Surveying the space from the AMP club seats though, it still appears that not every seat - or view in this case - has been created equal.

There’s some nice touches though and for those looking to splash the cash, the spread of lounges, clubs and private bars will no doubt impress, though some of the general admission areas could do with a few more furnishings to frame the space and make them feel a little warmer and welcoming.

How excited one can get about a music arena is another question. Some on social media have likened it to a warehouse or a shed, and while there are plenty of bars and a dotting of food options, perhaps we don’t really need it to do much more. After all, music fans will flock to where their favourite artists perform, however, a smooth guest experience is always appreciated.

The last few weeks have been far from smooth sailing. It has led to questions about the need for large-scale arenas at a time where grassroot venues are struggling to stay afloat, and led some to suggest this will damage Manchester's musical legacy. On the latter, we will bounce back, our musical pedigree wasn’t built overnight, and it won’t be torn down by three weeks of disarray.

Elbow were never intended to open Manchester's newest arena, but as it happens, there really was no better recipients of the Co-op Live opening baton than the beloved Bury band. Having spent over 30 years grafting and building up a loyal fanbase, they know all to well that some things simply take time.