Elbow and Co-Op Live team up to donate sound equipment to Manchester grassroots venues

nme.com:

Elbow have teamed up with the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester to help donate sound equipment to the city’s grassroots venues.The collaboration comes nearly a year after the iconic Britpop band took to the stage as the first performers at the venue last May, and sees them look to keep smaller venues in the city thriving.With the fund, spaces including Manchester’s Night & Day Café, Matt and Phreds, Aatma, SOUP, Peer Hat, and The Castle Hotel will all benefit from the partnership, and money raised will be used to buy new PA equipment, instruments and backline technology.It was put together by the Night & Day Café, and looks to both celebrate the ongoing legacy of the Northern Quarter and further improve the city’s vibrant music scene.“Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded,” said Elbow frontman Guy Garvey. “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 of Co-Op Live – continued: “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.”The latest work with Elbow comes as an extension to the efforts made by Co-Op Live to give back to the community.

Already the venue has donates at least £1million annually to its charity partner, The Co-Op Foundation, and has also provided funds for.