Toronto's Broken Social Scene opens tour in Manchester, 1 day after concert bombing
The Canadian Press | Posted: May 24, 2017 12:42 PM | Last Updated: May 24, 2017
Ex-Smiths guitarist and Manchester musician Johnny Marr helped open show
Toronto indie rock band Broken Social Scene kicked off its European tour Tuesday night in Manchester, a day after a suicide bombing killed 22 people exiting an Ariana Grande concert.
The band played Albert Hall, which is a little more than two kilometres south of where the terrorist attack took place Monday night at the Manchester Arena.
"Thank you for showing up. Thank you for coming out tonight," frontman Kevin Drew told the crowd.
"What's most important is tonight we're here together, all of us."
Drew then brought out ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, whom he introduced as Manchester's "legend."
Marr, who is from the city, joined the band for a moving rendition of the tune Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl. In 2010, he joined the band onstage at a festival in Leeds.
Before the show began, the venue had posted an update on its website saying it would continue its programming for the week and that management was in regular communication with police to enhance security.
Broken Social Scene shared a message on social media ahead of the show saying: "Tonight, we play for the hearts of Manchester."
Some musicians cancelled concerts in wake of Monday's bombing, including Blondie and Take That, while venues around the world have stepped up their security. Halifax's Mo Kenney also played in Manchester Tuesday evening.