Taking place exactly six months after 22 people were killed in a terrorist attack at the venue, Little Mix’s two Manchester Arena performances held great significance for many of the fans in attendance.
The events of 22 May unfolded shortly after an Ariana Grande concert had ended and some of the fans watching the group were returning to the venue for the first time since that night:
Well aware of the importance of the evening, a group of fans used social media to organise a tribute to the 22 victims, circulating posters online and asking ticket holders to “print as many as you can” and bring them along.
The plan worked and on both nights, A4 sheets bearing the message “For our 22 angels, we miss you, we stand together” were seen around the arena.
On Wednesday, the posters were projected onto the screens as the four piece performed:
Anthony Gee, 28, was in the front row and told HuffPost UK that “there were quite a lot” of signs.
“Many brought their own copy as it was available to print out a few weeks before the show,” he explained. “You could see them around the arena and they were held up during ‘Nothing Else Matters’.
“There was a big cheer when the sign came up on the screen.”
And as was the case on the night of Ariana’s concert, the crowd included a number of young fans and their families, undeterred by what took place six months ago.
Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central, and her daughter were among them.
“Little Mix rocked the Manchester Arena last night and it was great to see so many families and children enjoying the concert, particularly given the terrible events six months ago,” she told HuffPost UK. “There was a great atmosphere and also some moving tributes to ‘our 22 angels’.
“I understand there have been record sales and visits to the Arena in the last six months which is a testament to the determination and spirit of our city.”
The touching event serve as a reminder that back in May, Ariana’s fans - many of them teenagers - also used social media to support each other and those directly affected by the attack.
The morning after the bombing, one designed an awareness ribbon with a pair of bunny ears, which are closely associated with Ariana, having featured on the cover of her 2016 album ‘Dangerous Woman’.
The image went viral and was later adapted to form part of the logo for the One Love Manchester concert, when Ariana returned to the city to headline the fundraising event.