Ariana Grande, Bieber, other leads ‘night of love’ at benefit concert

Ariana Grande has said she was inspired to change her set list for the One Love Manchester benefit concert after the mother of one of the teenage victims said her daughter would have wanted to hear the hits, Press Association reports.

Grande appeared on stage at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground in an an oversized white One Love Manchester sweatshirt and seemed overcome by emotion at points as she was joined by a string of musical stars.

Before launching into her hit Side To Side, Grande told the crowd: “I want to thank you so much for coming tonight and being so happy and strong and unified. I love you guys so much. This night is the kind of thing the world really needs right now.”

Grande said she had not planned to play so many of her big hits but changed her mind after meeting the mother of Olivia Campbell-Hardy, 15, who was among the victims of the blast that killed 22 people at at her concert last week.

She said: “I had the pleasure of meeting Olivia’s mummy a few days ago and I started to cry and gave her a big hug and she said ‘stop crying, because Olivia wouldn’t have wanted you to cry’.

“And then she told me Olivia would have wanted to hear the hits. We had a different show planned and we had a rehearsal yesterday and we changed everything.”

During the show she duetted with Miley Cyrus on Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over, during which they twirled each other around and embraced.

She was also joined on stage by her boyfriend Mac Miller as she said: “Tonight is all about love, am I right?”

Mumford and Sons frontman Marcus Mumford opened the show as he sang “you are not alone in this” as he performed an acoustic version of the band’s hit Timshel.

The singer took to the stage after a one-minute silence for those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena suicide attack.

Concertgoers began queueing outside Lancashire Cricket Club’s Old Trafford ground from 8.30am ahead of the One Love Manchester gig, which marked Grande’s first performance since bomber Salman Abedi detonated a device, killing her fans and parents as they left her show.

All Grande fans who attended the gig on May 22 were offered free passes to the benefit concert.

During the benefit Grande performed her hits Be Alright and Break Free, shouting: “Manchester make some noise!” before pink streamers rained down on the crowd.

She also appeared with Victoria Monet to sing their duet Better Days and then joined Black Eyed Peas to perform their hit Where Is The Love?

Grande shouted “Manchester we love you” before Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am said: “Manchester, London, we are here together and we are one.”

She also joined a choir from Parrs Wood High School on stage to sing their version of her song, My Everything.

The show also saw performances from Take That, who opened their set with their crowd-pleasing song Let It Shine before renditions of Giants and Rule The World.

Gary Barlow told the crowd: “We want to stand strong, look at the sky and sing loud and proud.”

Barlow welcomed former Take That bandmate Robbie Williams to the stage as “our friend, our brother,” before the foursome took a bow together and Williams led the crowd in a singalong to his hit Strong, with the lyrics changed to ‘Manchester, we’re strong, we’re strong, we’re strong, we’re still singing our songs.”

Williams, who appeared to be wearing a sweatshirt from Justin Bieber’s Purpose world tour, then treated the audience to his anthem Angels.
Proceeds from the concert will go towards the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, set up by Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross, to support grieving families and victims of the bombing.

U2 frontman Bono sent a video message to the concert, telling the crowds: “All our hearts are with you, all our hearts are with Manchester and with the UK.
David Beckham also send a message saying: “As a father what happened made me truly sad and it’s a day we’ll never forget. I’m proud of everyone there today, everyone in the crowd and all the artists.”

Other stars who took to the stage included Pharrell Williams, who was joined by Cyrus for his track Happy.

He said: “You know why I’m bowing, I’m bowing because despite all the things that have been going on in this place, I don’t feel or hear or see any fear in this building.

“All we feel here tonight is love, resilience and positivity and you know what, I hate to be corny, but it makes me … ”One Direction star Niall Horan performed his hit Slow Hands before dedicating song This Town to Manchester, saying: “I just want to say I’ve been lucky enough to travel all over the world and every time I come back to Manchester I’m addicted to this place.”

Little Mix and Imogen Heap also performed hits at the show.

Katy Perry appeared on stage in a white mini dress with a long white feathered coat over the top to perform Part Of Me and Roar, saying: “We will not be silenced, Manchester” before Justin Bieber appeared to perform Love Yourself and Cold Water.

Coldplay joined Grande on stage to sing Oasis’s hit Don’t Look Back In Anger, which has been an anthem for Manchester since the tragedy.

Lead singer Chris Martin then sang a version of James’ Sit Down before moving on to Coldplay hit Fix You as the sun set over the cricket ground.

 

– Tight security and tears as Manchester benefit concert kicks off –

(Reuters) – A star-studded benefit concert for victims of the Manchester bombing kicked off to tearful fans, heavy police guard and clattering helicopters on Sunday, just a day after another militant attack in London.

Crowds arrive to attend the One Love Manchester benefit concert Sunday June 4, 2017, for the victims of last month’s Manchester Arena terror attack at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England. The attack at Ariana Grande’s concert last week killed over 20 people and injured dozens of others, many of them teenagers. The singer returned to Britain on Friday ahead of the concert to benefit victims and their families. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
A armed police presence as crowds arrive to attend the One Love Manchester benefit concert Sunday June 4, 2017, for the victims of last month’s Manchester Arena terror attack at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, England. The attack at Ariana Grande’s concert last week killed over 20 people and injured dozens of others, many of them teenagers. The singer returned to Britain on Friday ahead of the concert to benefit victims and their families. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)

Emotions ran high as fans – many with colourful face make-up, costume bunny ears and the popular Manchester Bee t-shirts – poured into the city’s Old Trafford cricket ground for the show headlined by pop star Ariana Grande, whose May 22 concert ended with 22 dead and over 100 wounded when a bomber struck.

Some broke down in tears, while others clapped, danced and joked with police officers on horseback patrolling the crowds. The event began with a moment of silence for the victims of the bombing less than two weeks ago.

“I don´t want to feel or hear or see any fear in this building,” U.S. singer Pharrell Williams told the crowd as he led them in a rendition of his hit single “Happy”. “The only thing we´ll feel here tonight is love, and positivity.”

Fellow singer Miley Cyrus joined the rendition and said: “I´d like to wrap my arms around each and every one of you and thank you … The most important responsibility we have in this time is to take care of one another.”

Those who attended Grande’s May 22 concert were given free tickets to attend Sunday’s concert, with some persuaded to attend by their affection for the pop star.

“I´m real excited, but real scared,” Shannon Beetham, 14, who was injured in last month’s bombing, told Reuters. “We were there in Manchester (arena) as well, I was hit.”

Scores of police backed up by armed officers watched over the crowd. Helicopters circled overhead and officers on horseback made their way through the crowds. Attendees were patted down and sniffer dogs patrolled the grounds.

Police had warned concert-goers of additional checks after Saturday’s attacks in London that left seven dead when a van ploughed into pedestrians and three attackers stabbed people.

Laura Simpson and her daughter Milly, 10, told Reuters they also had doubts about attending the concert, after Milly narrowly avoided being involved the attack last month.

“She left 5 minutes early because she was tired,” Laura said of her daughter, who was dressed in an Ariana Grande t-shirt. “We weren’t sure about coming today, were we? Everyone’s just a little bit on edge.”

The event opened with a moment of silence for the victims of the bombing, followed by poet Tony Walsh reading his poem “This is the Place” – which drew wide attention in the days after the attack.

In addition to Grande, Sunday’s concert was due to feature performances from acts including Coldplay, the Black Eyed Peas, Justin Bieber, Take That, Katy Perry and Usher.

The concert was being broadcast in Britain by the BBC, which said networks in 38 other countries would also broadcast the show.

 

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