Former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and The Courteeners' Liam Fray will be joining the Manchester community in a virtual sing-a-long, "Together In One Voice, the Manchester International Festival (MIF) announced on their website Tuesday, May 26.
On May 28, Thursday, at exactly 7:30 PM BST, the residents of Greater Manchester are invited to join in "singing along on your doorsteps and balconies." The community-led "Together In One Voice" will also be streamed across YouTube via MIF LIVE, the Manchester International Festival's online program in the middle of the quarantine period.
Aside from Gallagher and Fray, the Manchester Evening News reported that the community sing-a-long will include the rapper Aitch, "M People" DJ Mike Pickering, singer-songwriters Emeli Sandé and Tom Walker, Primal Scream vocalist Denise Johnson, James' Tim Booth, and Take That's Mark Owen.
The 30-minute show will reportedly include seven songs, including Oasis' "Wonderwall," Take That's "Shine," and James' "Sit Down." In the statement posted on their website, the organizers said that the event aims to promote the community spirit and encourage the people "to take care of their mental health during this coronavirus crisis."
Tom Walker said that it is great to be part of the upcoming community event and added that "Manchester has been such a massive inspiration to me over the years."
The statement also clarified that the "Together In One Voice" event will be captured via drones, street cameras, and will include the resident's own videos - all in compliance with existing social distancing guidelines. A final, edited film from the May 26 event is scheduled for a national release on the following Sunday evening, May 31.
Dan McDwyer, vocal coach and choir director, has already released three online rehearsal sessions available from The Choir Project MCR YouTube channel. McDwyer said that it was a huge task to record the large number of choirs and musicians involved in the project, and then having to coordinate with sound engineers and mixing the vocal tracks.
"But what a moment it's going to be when those choirs, all singing in their bedrooms, are amplified by thousands of voices across Greater Manchester," the choir director added.
The Leader of Manchester City Council and Chair of the Greater Manchester Health and Care Partnership, Sir Richard Leese, have shared in the statement by noting how we turn to music during tough times. Leese then added that the whole Greater Manchester will have the chance to join in the massive sing-a-long from the safety of their homes "to harness that magical power of music and to re-connect again with their neighbors and communities."
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said that the night will "give everyone a real lift." He has also extended gratitude to the names who supported the event and called on every to get out on their doorstep.
Liam Gallagher is an English singer-songwriter known as the frontman for the rock band Oasis from 1991 to 2009, before moving to Beady Eye in 2009 to 2014. He later pursued a solo career and released his debut album "As You Were," to critical and commercial success in 2017.
Meanwhile, Liam Fray is the frontman and founder of indie band The Courteeners, famous for the songs "Not Nineteen Forever," "Bide Your Time, "Small Bones," and "The 17th."
