Manchester Arena - ongoing incident 22/5

Speaking of Ms. Dearman, Queen Dearman, Empress Dearman... all applicable:

I had an experience, again the day after the Paris attacks, where I was on the train (got on at Bedford) and so did another man. It was a full train so we were standing in the little corridor bit by the doors, with several others and this man happened to be in the middle. Its goe to Luton Airport Parkway and then went on to St. Pancras with no stops between. Anywho, this man got off at Luton Airport Parkway, and left the bag he brought with him on the train in the centre of the group of us and the train carried on. The strange thing, and the thing that caused a lot of us alarm was he had the bag in his hand until he got to Luton, then he put the bag down and got off. So we all kinda stood there, but no one knew what to say, it was very tense, we were all kind of frozen with fear and there was no where else to move on the train it was that crowded. And then, about ten minutes later, an alarm on the train went off, and kept going off until we got to St. Pancras. But it was just one of those deer caught in headlights moments, none of us knew what to say or do, we were just frozen. We end up getting to St. Pancras, and no joke, as we pull in, there are about 10 police and armed police at the door next to us.

I never found out what was in the bag, but I was glad to get off that damn train!

I know some are probably bored of me being the one to post the Ariana updates, but I am a social media Queen.

She just posted an open-letter on twitter to everyone, and plans to do another concert in Manchester, raising money for the victims and their families.

I love the inherent Britishness of this. "It's obviously a suspicious package but the train's pretty busy and I've got a decent spot...stuff it, I'll just stay here, it's probably fine." ;-)

I think we all have that natural fear of 'making a fuss' in the UK. But the chances of it being nothing to worry about are, thank goodness, pretty high even in these difficult times!

Ariana Grande to be joined by Justin Bieber and Take That for the fundraiser concert.

No I'm not going to make a comment about Gary Barlow. You already know what I'm thinking.

Full info on Ariana's Benefit Concert. Will take place this Sunday at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground. Free tickets being offered to those who were at the Monday night concert.

Line up includes: Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Take That, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Niall Horan and Usher amoung others.

To be broadcast live on BBC TV and BBC Radio.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-40086336

I think it's great she is getting back on the road sooner rather than later. It is better to accept the horror of trauma and live with it than tamp it down and let it fester.

I wonder what security will be like?

Ariana seems to have a family and professional team supporting her; which is a great example of what everyone who suffers and fights through trauma needs.

Although I don't know the ins and outs of the situation of everyone effected, there seems to be a great deal of social support on the ground Manchester from the get go, which is very admirable from an outsider's perspective.

Provided, as emi said, it is on Ariana's schedule and takes into account what she can handle, positive action on her own terms is a way of taking back her own life and making the performance space her own as best as she possibly can. As her fan base is centred on liberated young women who celebrate their love of life by singing and dancing and engaging with each other publically this celebrates them as well.

I'm afraid it makes me more than a little uncomfortable that some of the victims' families aren't on board with the idea of this concert. Surely allowing a little time to pass and giving people space to grieve would have shown more sensitivity? A benefit concert could have been held 6 months to a year down the line, no?