Niall Horan's tribute to Liam Payne at Manchester's Co-op Live saw the arena fall silent as Liam's voice played over the speakers, with Liam's sister Nicola in attendance describing the moment as "beautiful".
Arena falls silent for Liam Payne tribute
During his Dinner Party Live on Tour show, Horan honoured his former One Direction bandmate at the end of his performance of End of an Era. As the live band finished, Liam's voice was heard reflecting on his achievements both as a soloist and with his former bandmates.
The Wolverhampton-born musician was heard saying: "We thought something might happen, but never anything like this. I'm always trying to remind myself of where I come from and where I've managed to get to in my life. It's amazing, really."
Horan has previously disclosed that he had to rewrite the track following Liam's death in October 2024. Liam, aged 31, tragically fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires, just days after seeing Horan perform.
Liam's sister Nicola reacts to tribute
Liam's sister, Nicola, was in attendance at the Manchester show. She said on social media: "Hearing Liam's voice fill an arena again was something I don't think any of us will ever be able to put into words. Knowing that this may be the last time we ever hear his voice played out across an arena made it incredibly difficult, but at the same time, there was something so beautiful and comforting about it."
Despite One Direction disbanding in 2026, Liam and Niall remained extremely close and often supported each other during release periods and on social media.
Horan's live show earns five stars
The review awards the Dinner Party Live on Tour five stars. Horan's latest record, Dinner Party, is inspired by his relationship with girlfriend Amelia Woolley, offering an insight into their private relationship.
Throughout the show, Horan performed a range of tracks, including slowed-down versions of Flicker and Die if I Don't, as well as Black and White. He also brought out Tom Ogden of Blossoms to perform Charlemagne together.
Horan acknowledged the achievement of playing the Co-op Live, one of Europe's biggest music arenas, admitting he had forgotten how big the Manchester venue was. "I gotta thank you for everything, thank you so much for the last 16 years," he said, adding: "It's been absolutely spectacular and I cannot thank you enough for everything."
After nearly two decades in the industry, Horan still gets a buzz from performing, and the reviewer notes that the show proves he has grown into a certified solo artist, with his voice having matured since his 2017 Flicker Sessions tour.
