Blue plaque installed at Manchester Lidl to honour Liam Gallagher “almost” playing there

nme.com:

Liam Gallagher “almost” played there earlier this year.Last month, the former Oasis frontman joked that if his show at the city’s Co-Op Live Arena wasn’t “sorted” in time, then he would have to play at Lidl instead.At the time, the Manchester venue was going through a torrid series of complications and delays as it was trying to open its doors, causing Gallagher to make the quip on social media.Gig in LIDL— Liam Gallagher (@liamgallagher) May 2, 2024And now, the Newton Heath branch of the supermarket, the closest one to Co-Op Live, has unveiled a commemorative blue plaque, bearing the words “Liam Gallagher.

Legend. ‘Almost Played Here’. June 2024.”In the end, Gallagher’s shows at the arena are going ahead as planned, both tonight (June 15) and tomorrow night (June 16).Co-Op Live is the UK’s largest indoor arena with a capacity of 23,500.

It was supposed to debut with comedian Peter Kay on April 23 and 24. However, following a test event featuring Rick Astley on April 22, his gigs were pushed back to the end of April with the venue citing technical issues.Later, a gig from The Black Keys that was scheduled for April 27 had to be moved to May 15, and the Peter Kay shows were moved for the second time.

Following the second postponement, Kay shared a statement with fans, explaining that he was left “disappointed” by the news.Initially, organisers ensured those with tickets that all other shows scheduled for the new venue would be going ahead as planned.