50,000 People Unite For Incredibly Moving Tribute To Manchester Attack Victims

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In the wake of the Manchester Arena terror attack, which saw 22 innocent victims lose their lives, thousands of Brits have paid their respects. 

Many poignant and heart-warming displays have been orchestrated since Monday evening, when a lone suicide bomber detonated an explosive device in the foyer of Manchester Arena, after an Ariana Grande concert, as a multitude of fans – many of whom were just teenagers – made their way home.

Amid the vigils and the sea of flowers and balloons adoring Manchester City Centre, musicians have also been rallying round to honour the victims of cowardice and extremism.

The latest band to do so is The Courteeners, who played a huge tribute gig at Manchester’s Old Trafford Cricket ground last night. Joined by other Mancuian musical favourites like Blossoms, The Charlatans and Cabbage, The Courteeners paid tribute to the 22 victims in front of a 50,000-strong crowd.

The Middleton four-piece strummed the chords to Don’t Look Back In Anger, and fans beautifully filled in the blanks, in an emotional display of solidarity.

You can watch the footage, shot by Twitter-user King Kozack, below:

Mancunians even reported hearing the sound of the song across the city, from miles away at the stadium.

The Oasis anthem has been adopted by all those who wish to share a positive message and encourage Manchester to move forward, choosing love rather than hate.

Liam Fray, the band’s frontman read out a touching poem before their set, adding: “If you can think you can beat us, you don’t know who we are.”

If there’s one thing the events of the past few days have taught us, it’s that music is a universal language of togetherness and healing.

We stand together, singing.

Francesca Donovan

A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.