Watch Liam Gallagher Perform Oasis’ ‘Live Forever’ at Manchester Benefit
Liam Gallagher honored the victims of the Manchester bombing during a sold-out benefit concert in the city, his hometown, on Tuesday. For the final song, a poignant a cappella version of Oasis‘ “Live Forever,” the crowd shouted the lyrics in unison with the singer, accompanied by only a faint shaker. The audience also paid tribute to the victims during the benefit show by chanting “Stand up for the 22.”
“Manchester, I love you,” Gallagher exclaimed upon leaving the stage. Throughout the show, he performed in front of 22 candles – one for each person killed during the May 22nd suicide bombing, which followed Ariana Grande’s concert at Manchester Arena.
The event, which marked Gallagher’s first solo performance in the U.K., benefited the British Red Cross’ “We Stand Together” fund established to aid families of the victims. The singer debuted seven new songs – including new single “Wall of Glass” – during the show, which featured Oasis guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs in an encore version of main set closer, “Be Here Now,” Diffuser.fm reports.
“I want to try and help pick people up. People like me, doing what we do, it’s our duty to give people a good time,” Gallagher told the Manchester Evening News upon announcing the benefit show. “It’s outrageous. Just so sad. What can you do? It’s just fucking out of order. There are kids and people dying all over the world. And for what?”
Grande recently recruited Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Pharrell, Usher, Miley Cyrus and Niall Horan for an all-star Manchester benefit concert, set for June 4th at Old Trafford stadium.
Gallagher’s Manchester benefit launches a stretch of four U.K. gigs, followed by his North American live solo debut in August at Montreal festival Osheaga.
The Oasis frontman’s previous band, Beady Eye, broke up in 2014. Since then, the singer has worked with producers like Greg Kurstin and Miike Snow’s Andrew Wyatt on his upcoming solo LP, As You Were, due out in October.
Check out fan-shot footage of Gallagher’s show: