Concert will be a tribute to victims
DEDICATED to the victims of the Manchester Arena bomb, A Concert for Manchester will be held in St Ann’s Church in St Ann’s Square, the focus of the very moving initial floral tribute.
The concert will include reggae artist Marlon, European champions Wardle Academy Brass Band and Rochdale Retirement Choir. Musical duo Brian and Michael will perform the UK number one, Matchstalk Men and Matchstalk Cats and Dogs, and there will also be poetry readings by Charles Foster and Rod Barry.
These performers, drawn from across Greater Manchester, are all giving their time free.
The concert will feature the first public performance of One Love Manchester, music by Graham Marshall and lyrics by Rod Barry, performed by the Rochdale Retirement Choir.
This song will be offered free of charge to the Love Manchester Emergency Fund as a downloadable ongoing fundraiser.
Rod Barry has a special link to the Manchester Arena. He said: “Who knows where fate will place us at any given time. How lucky are we, famous or anonymous, to live out our lives in relative peace.
“Sunday, December 14, 1997, just short of 3pm the phone rang, ‘Rod, it’s Tony Stephens (David Beckham’s then agent), you may be able to help me. David and Victoria want to go to the Elton John concert at the Nynex (Manchester) Arena tonight and they need to be in a private facility for obvious reasons, can you help?’.
“At that time, as now, David and Victoria Beckham were of huge interest to the media.
“I was then promotions manager for Nynex, who were sponsors of the Manchester Arena. I set about making the arrangements, which I successfully achieved, while the couple flew into Manchester Airport.
“Fast forward to that dreadful day, May 22, 2017, when an act of pure malice wiped out the lives of 22 people at the Manchester Arena, injuring and traumatising so many more.
“This evil act was committed in the area where the Beckham’s were greeted, then led to the Nynex hospitality suite to enjoy the Elton John concert. My heart is broken. There but for the grace of God.”
A Concert for Manchester will start at 7.30pm on Thursday, November 9. Tickets cost £5 each, available from the Royal Exchange Theatre box office.
All proceeds will go directly to the Love Manchester Emergency Fund. For further information, contact Rod Barry on 07500452522 or rod.barry@hotmail.co.uk