MANCHESTER • The Manchester Arena, where a suicide bomber killed 22 people and injured more than 100 following an Ariana Grande concert in May, will officially reopen on Sept 9, with a benefit show headlined by one of the city's premier exports, Noel Gallagher of Oasis.

The We Are Manchester concert, also featuring performances by British acts including The Courteeners, Blossoms and Rick Astley, will raise money for a fund that aims to establish a permanent memorial for victims of the May 22 attack.

Tickets are priced between US$32 (S$44) and US$39.

Mr James Allen, general manager of the arena, said: "May's events will never be forgotten, but they will not stop us from coming together to enjoy music.

"Public safety is always our priority and we are doing all we can to keep people safe at our venue."

Gallagher is, in many ways, a fitting linchpin for the benefit.

Besides his roots in Manchester, his songs with Oasis became a soundtrack for both mourning and hope in the wake of the attack. A local crowd sang Don't Look Back In Anger (Oasis' 1995 hit) after a moment of silence at a memorial, as captured in one moving video clip.

But Gallagher also fielded criticism from his chief rival - his brother Liam - who slighted him for failing to appear at an earlier benefit concert, One Love Manchester, in June.

NYTIMES