Abbey Road Studios, Adidas, and Co-op Live have opened the doors to a first-of-its-kind recording studio within Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.
Situated inside the UK’s largest music arena, the Adidas Originals Recording Studio is designed as a “vibrant hub for emerging musical talent and young creative communities”.
The space has been engineered by Abbey Road’s own team of technicians and sound engineers, blending decades of audio expertise with the latest workflows and cutting-edge gear.
Slated to open to musicians this August, the Manchester studio will support up-and-coming talent through a joint effort with several existing creative programmes.
These include Abbey Road’s Amplify and Equalise initiatives – aimed at inspiring the next generation of artists, producers, and creatives while promoting greater diversity in music – as well as Factory International’s Factory Sounds programme, which provides financial support and mentorship to underrepresented groups within the Greater Manchester area.
With on-site access to Abbey Road’s engineers, artists and creative communities will be supported by some of the industry’s most experienced recording and mixing experts – bringing decades of learning and a deep commitment to audio excellence to every session.
Liam Fray, frontman of Manchester-based indie rock band Courteeners, opened the space with a live performance; he also praises the studio for providing opportunities for musicians who may be geographically disadvantaged.
“Opening up a space like this to get people through the door – I’m all for it,” says Fray. “There are obstacles to get into the industry, finance is one of those barriers, but geography is also one. To have something of this level up here that is a focal point in Manchester opens up the industry and takes it to a wider audience. There will be geniuses out there that we don’t yet know about.”
Sally Davies, Managing Director of Abbey Road Studios adds, “The launch of the adidas Originals Recording Studio is a world-first collaboration creating a new, Abbey Road-engineered recording space beyond the walls of our home in London.”
“We are enormously proud to partner with adidas, Co-op Live and Factory International to create a new platform for talent in Manchester and the North-West, expanding our mission to enable and empower the global community of music makers and creators, and shape the future of music making.”
