Noel Gallagher led the crowd in an emotional rendition of ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ at the We Are Manchester benefit concert on Saturday (09.09.17).
The former Oasis frontman headlined the reopening of Manchester Arena – which has been closed since a terrorist attack at an Ariana Grande concert in May – in a fundraising show honouring the victims of the bombing, and used his set to hail his home city as the "greatest in England".
Before performing ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, he said: "So for any of you that doubt it-and some people doubt that Manchester is the greatest city in England…
"I was sat watching Sky News and watching the minute silence. And one girl that was there and sang this song. And I don’t know if you’re here tonight, but I love you."
He described the 1996 track as becoming an "anthem of defiance".
He added: "And every time you sing we win. So sing like you’ve never sung".
The 50-year-old rocker performed a nine-song track, featuring a selection of solo material, including hit singles ‘Everybody’s On the Run’ and ‘Heat of the Moment’, and Oasis classics including ‘Champagne Supernova’, ‘Wonderwall’, and b-side ‘Half the World Away’.
Noel was introduced to the stage by comic Peter Kay – a former steward at the venue who went on to play over 40 gigs there – with a heartfelt speech.
He said: "There’s been a lot of joy in this room over the years, including the night of 22 May, right up until the terrorist attack.
"These last four months have been incredibly painful. Horrendous is putting it mildly. But that’s why you’re here – because we can’t let terrorists win.
"And I know the memories of that night will stay with us for a very long time but we’ve got to remember the good times and let them outweigh the bad.
"The victims will never ever be forgotten, but we’ve got to move forward with love and not hate, and that’s how we win."
The night began with Mayor Andy Burnham taking to the stage to read the names of the 23 victims who lost their lives whilst Poet Tony Walsh read out a poignant tribute.
Reciting ‘This is the Place’, he said: "The world is watching, the world is listening and the world now knows that this is the place. We are beautiful, we are multi-cultural, we are Manchester, we are magnificent and we are back."
Other artists who performed included Blossoms, The Courteeners, Pixie Lott, and Rick Astley, who sang Foo Fighters’ hit ‘Everlong’.
The event – which was attended by 14,000 people – was staged in aid of raising funds for a permanent memorial for those who lost their life in the devastating attack.
Noel Gallagher leads emotional singalong
