FRI 22 OCT 2027
Deacon Blue Manchester Hospitality 2027
Co-op Live, Manchester
Deacon Blue Tour 2027
Deacon Blue Manchester Hospitality 2027
Deacon Blue play Raintown in full at Co-op Live on Friday 22 October 2027, their only Manchester night on the tour. With a capacity of 23,500, Co-op Live is the UK's largest indoor arena. Its premium spaces include The Club by Barclays, with Level 2 dining and designated premium seats, and the Gallery Suites, with informal dining and views of the stage.
About
Deacon Blue play Co-op Live in Manchester on Friday 22 October 2027, the only Manchester date on Raintown, The 40th Anniversary UK and Ireland Tour. At 23,500, Co-op Live is the UK's largest indoor arena by capacity, so it is also the biggest venue on the tour's UK dates. The Manchester show is one of only two Friday shows on the UK and Ireland tour, and the only one outside Glasgow.
On the night, Deacon Blue play Raintown in full first, then a second set of songs from across their career. The arena's premium options include the Co-op Backstage Club, an early-entry upgrade for general admission tickets, and Level 2 dining with designated premium seats in The Club by Barclays.
Co-op Live hosted the BRIT Awards in February 2026 and was chosen to host them again on Saturday 27 February 2027. Elbow played the arena's opening concert on 14 May 2024.
When do Deacon Blue play Manchester in 2027?
Deacon Blue's only Manchester date on the Raintown tour is Friday 22 October 2027, at Co-op Live on the Etihad Campus in east Manchester, next to Manchester City's stadium. It is one of the shows celebrating 40 years of Raintown, the debut album the band released in May 1987.
No running order has been published. For the album's track list and what is known about the show, read what Deacon Blue will play on the Raintown tour.
After Manchester come two nights at Eventim Apollo in London on Sunday 24 and Monday 25 October, P&J Live in Aberdeen on Wednesday 27 October, and three closing nights at OVO Hydro in Glasgow from Friday 29 October. Read about Deacon Blue in Glasgow and Deacon Blue in Liverpool, or see all 18 UK and Ireland dates on the tour.
What hospitality does Co-op Live offer on the Deacon Blue night?
Co-op Live's Deacon Blue page, read on 25 September 2026, lists separate premium doors for the night and the Co-op Backstage Club. The Backstage Club is a general admission upgrade with early entry, a private bar, seating and street food, and the venue says it does not include early access to the main floor. Nothing the venue lists for it includes meeting the band. Alcohol is served to over-18s only, and ID may be required.
The arena's other premium spaces, as Co-op Live names them:
- The Club by Barclays: dining and drinks on Level 2 with designated premium seats.
- Gallery Suites: informal dining with premium seats and views of the stage.
- Hideaway: dining with live entertainment, from a Mediterranean menu by the chef Simon Rimmer.
- Encore Restaurant: pre-show dining, open to premium guests only.
- The Bentley Record Room: a members' club next to the green room used by the performers.
Level 4 has two more lounges: the OVO Lounge, and the Sky VIP Lounge for Sky customers. Our guide to Co-op Live covers each space in full.
What time do doors open for Deacon Blue at Co-op Live?
Co-op Live staggers entry on Friday 22 October 2027, according to its Deacon Blue page. The Co-op Backstage Club opens at 5.30pm, premium doors at 6pm and general admission doors at 6.30pm, and the show starts at 7pm. Premium guests are therefore inside a full hour before the show begins. Times can change before the night, so check the venue's page nearer the date.
Is Co-op Live step-free for premium guests?
Co-op Live lists step-free access to every floor and at every entrance, with lowered service counters, a respite room, support for assistance dogs and hearing loops. The venue also says all its bars, restaurants and lounges can be reached step-free, with four public lifts to every level. It does not say how its suites are reached, so confirm the route with the venue for any guest with access needs.
How do you get to Co-op Live, and home after the show?
The Etihad Campus Metrolink stop is directly beside Co-op Live, and trams from the city centre towards Ashton-under-Lyne stop there. The venue puts the direct tram from Manchester Piccadilly at 10 minutes and the walk from the city centre at about 25. Because the Velopark and Holt Town stops shut after events to manage the crowds, the Friday journey home starts from Etihad Campus. The taxi drop-off is on Edwin Road.
Official parking on site is limited and pre-booked only, and the venue says spaces may only be released closer to the date. Getting to Co-op Live has the rest of the travel detail.
Can under-16s come to Deacon Blue at Co-op Live?
Co-op Live's rule for the Deacon Blue show is that anyone aged 14 or under must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over, and nobody under 16 is allowed in the standing area. The venue adds that event organisers can set further restrictions, so check with Co-op Live before bringing children or teenagers.
Last updated: 28 September 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Not in Manchester, where Friday 22 October 2027 at Co-op Live is the band's only night. Elsewhere in the north of England, Deacon Blue play M&S Bank Arena Liverpool on Saturday 9 October and first direct bank arena in Leeds on Sunday 10 October. Deacon Blue in Liverpool covers the Saturday.
At Co-op Live, The Club by Barclays and the Gallery Suites both come with premium seats, as the venue describes them. The Club by Barclays adds Level 2 dining and drinks, and the Gallery Suites add informal dining and views of the stage. Hideaway pairs dining with live entertainment, and Encore Restaurant serves pre-show dining to premium guests only. Alcohol is served to over-18s only, and ID may be required.
Tickets for the Manchester show went on sale in September 2026. A pre-sale opened at 10am on Wednesday 16 September, and general sale followed at 10am on Friday 18 September. On 25 September 2026, Co-op Live's Deacon Blue page listed its premium doors and the Co-op Backstage Club for the night.
Hospitality for Deacon Blue at Co-op Live is arranged by enquiry with Prestige Corporate Events, and the first question is whether your group wants to dine. The Club by Barclays, the Gallery Suites and Hideaway all include dining, while the Co-op Backstage Club is a general admission upgrade with street food and a private bar, opening at 5.30pm on the night. Alcohol is served to over-18s only, and ID may be required.
Co-op Live is on the Etihad Campus in east Manchester, and the tram stop of the same name is right beside it. For walkers, the venue signposts a step-free CityLink route from Manchester Piccadilly station and puts the walk at about 25 minutes. Taxis drop off on Edwin Road, and parking on site is pre-booked only. Our guide to Co-op Live has the full travel detail.
No. Co-op Live says its Backstage Club does not include early access to the main floor. It is a general admission upgrade that opens earlier, at 5.30pm on the Deacon Blue night, with a private bar, seating, street food, a photobooth and arcade games. Alcohol there is served to over-18s only, and ID may be required.
Co-op Live's limit is one small bag, A4 at most. The venue runs a paid bag drop, and it does not allow re-admission once you are through ticket checks.
Co-op Live's general guidance is that its main shows usually finish by 11pm. The venue has not published a finish time for the Deacon Blue night, so treat 11pm as a guide for planning the journey home.