Manchester - Ariana Grande returned to the city where lives were torn apart by a suicide bomber at her concert only two weeks ago, and delivered a message of love, hope, and defiance.
As the took the stage at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground for the One Love concert on Sunday night, she said: ‘Manchester, I love you so much.’
In tears, she added: ‘Tonight’s all about love — am I right?’ And later after a song which she performed with her boyfriend Mac Miller, she said: ‘I want to thank you for the unity.’
I honestly can't watch this without crying so hard #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/dCF3YJxvO4
— Tanya👑 (@shwnatemymuffin) June 5, 2017
And she made dreams come true when she was joined for a song by the Parrs Wood High School choir from Didsbury in Manchester — whom she had spotted on YouTube performing one of her numbers.
Beautiful performance from Parrs Wood High School performing with @ArianaGrande. #OneLoveManchester ❤️ pic.twitter.com/QInLpitNfE
— Love Entertainment (@LoveShowbiz_) June 4, 2017
Those packing into the One Love concert in aid of the victims and their families were determined to show they will not be bowed by the outrage which killed 22 people three miles away after the Ariana concert at Manchester Arena.
This was not just any ordinary concert. #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/ouZz15xPMN
— alexia (@lexi_jenea) June 5, 2017
All together now, All we need is love...♥️ #OneLoveManchester
— Jan (@shyone269) June 5, 2017
Ariana and the Black Eyed Peas performing Where Is The Love #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/FpwB1eQQbK
— Nemo & Vanessa 🥀 (@ArianatorIsland) June 5, 2017
Ariana and Miley Cyrus singing "Don't Dream Its Over" during #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/3LYo1USiJU
— Ariana Updates! (@ArianaDailyWW) June 4, 2017
Niall performing This Town at the #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/afDEbzrtYY
— 1D UPDATES (@1DUpdatesOnline) June 4, 2017
Memories of that night were still raw for many. On top of that, the terror attack in London on Saturday night had heightened anxieties for some ahead of what was being called the ‘biggest gig in the world’.
But there was remarkable resilience among the crowd. They wanted to honour those who lost their lives, and they needed an event where memories could be forged that bolstered the spirits and soothed the soul.
With the stellar line-up featuring not just Ariana, but Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Take That, Robbie Williams, The Black Eyed Peas and Coldplay, they got that. But beyond that, there was an atmosphere of togetherness and positivity that was touching, inspiring and all-pervading.
I'm so emotional ☹️ thank you so much Justin Bieber. #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/scIXqWRBrW
— Justin Bieber Charts (@biebercharts) June 4, 2017
You saw it in the wide-eyed wonder of the children watching their pop idols. It was there in the roars from the crowd which greeted every song. And it radiated from the stage.
Above all, you felt the real stars of the show were the fans who had been at the May 22 concert and overcome their fears to attend on Sunday night
Elicia Jackson, 14, who has received trauma counselling after the Arena blast, said: ‘Nothing was going to stop me being here. We’ll never let the terrorists beat us. Nothing will break us. We’re here as pop lovers, we’re united.’
The schoolgirl from Bolton-le-Sands, Lancashire, was among thousands of fans from Ariana’s gig who were given free £40 tickets for the fight-back show, at which all children under 16 had to be accompanied by an adult — it was 14 at the star’s earlier gig.
Elicia was accompanied by her mother Kara Jackson, 45, a teaching assistant, who said: ‘She was lucky to have got out of the Arena without any injury, but she was hysterical afterwards and received counselling at school.’
The concert was a sell-out, but not every seat was filled on Sunday night. ‘My friend Lois who I was with was much too scared to come back, she’s traumatised,’ Elicia said. ‘But I’m not afraid, this must be the safest place to be but it’s strange seeing armed police everywhere.’
Victim of the Manchester concert blast Lily Harrison hugs singer Ariana Grande during her visit to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. Picture: Manchester Evening News via AP
The armed officers were out in force ahead of the concert, but maintained a discreet position outside the stadium as the 50,000 fans arrived throughout the afternoon, and 800 security staff were on duty at the event.
However, police stressed that security hadn’t been further ramped up after the London outrage the night before.
Families of victims of the bombing were given a round of applause by queuing fans as they arrived at the stadium, where an area called the ‘golden circle’ was cordoned off for them near the stage.
Before Take That kicked off the show, a minute’s silence was observed and Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, told the crowd: ‘On days like today it’s hard to find words to express how we are feeling. The simple fact is that your presence tonight says more than words ever could.’
Robbie Williams changed the words of his hit Strong, to Manchester We’re Strong. Williams, who took a bow with his former Take That bandmates, also cried as he sang his most famous song Angels.
This Robbie Williams "Manchester, We're Strong" moment is emotional #OneLoveManchester pic.twitter.com/A4z8TmY3Jo
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) June 4, 2017
This #OneLoveManchester concert is incredible. Robbie Williams kicking it off with Angels. pic.twitter.com/0Ydmg240y1
— Adam Parkhomenko (@AdamParkhomenko) June 4, 2017
US singer and rapper Pharrell Williams told the crowd: ‘Despite all the things that have been going on in this place, I don’t see or hear or feel any fear in this building. All I feel is love, resilience, positivity.’
And Miley Cyrus said: ‘I’d like to wrap my arms around each and every one of you. The most important responsibility we have on this planet is to take care of one another.’
Also there were Jade Carty, 17, with her parents Karen, 51, and Stephen, 65, all of whom were at the May 22 gig. ‘I didn’t want to come today but I had to for my daughter,’ said Mrs Carty, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
‘I had tickets to Take That on Tuesday but didn’t go. I didn’t feel ready and I was thinking I’m not going to go to this either, especially after I heard about London.
‘But I’m not going to let them beat me. And if I hadn’t come with them, I would only have sat at home worrying.’
Mr Carty, a car parts manager, told how he as he was leaving the Arena concert he saw a man with a hole in his head. ‘It’s important that we came here,’ he said. ‘These things are always going to happen, you’ll never stop them.’
He added that he and his family were the lucky ones, but he felt for the victims.
Speaking ahead of the show, Ariana’s manager Scooter Braun said the One Love concert had a ‘greater purpose’ following the terror attack in London. ‘We feel a sense of responsibility to honour those lost, injured and affected. We plan to honour them with courage, bravery and defiance in the face of fear,’ he said.
‘Today we stand together.’
Eleanor Lunn, left, and Abbey Hawkes, queue up to attend the attend the One Love Manchester benefit concert for the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA via AP
Audience members Victoria Muir, 21, and her friend Lauren Christie, 22, were in the toilets at Manchester Arena when they heard the blast, came back out and witnessed the ‘stampede’ to get out.
‘We saw people crying, and when we saw men were crying we knew something had happened,’ said Victoria, a doctor’s receptionist, from Newcastle.
Lauren, a factory worker, added: ‘We hope coming tonight will help us get over the anxiety and stress. We’ve had problems sleeping and I’ve had some flashbacks.’
Also in the crowd was Adele Waters, 39, a nurse who has tended to child victims of the Arena blast at Oldham General Hospital, with her three children, including Felicity, eight, the same age as the youngest child killed.
Like many of the other young concert goers on Sunday, Felicity was wearing a pair of Ariana Grande-style rabbit ears.
Her mother said: ‘It was humbling looking after the children in hospital. That’s the beauty of looking after children — they always seem to bounce back.’
Melissa Bell, 13, suffered sleepless nights and bouts of tearfulness in the immediate aftermath of the bombing, with one episode sparked when she handed her mother Alexandra the white jeans she had worn on the night of the Arena concert to be washed and saw blood spots which had splashed on them on as they fled. Tickets to that concert had been Christmas present for Melissa.
‘I didn’t want to go tonight, to start with,’ said Mrs Bell, 39, from Liverpool. ‘When Melissa heard about this concert and first mentioned it to me I was thinking, No, no, no — we can’t go we’ve just been traumatised.
‘I was scared but I’ve thought very carefully about it. If my 13-year-old daughter has the strength to come here, then so should I. It could be the best counselling, it could eliminate the horrible memories from last time and replace the blood-stained pictures we have in our head with some good and happy ones.’
Mrs Bell, who runs a hair and beauty salon, added: ‘We are trying to fix what was broken, to put the horror story to bed. But I know it’s going to take time.’