The Stone Roses' homecoming gig at Heaton Park in June 2012 marked the band's first major performance on home soil in 16 years. The reunion, which many thought would never happen, was triggered by the funeral of bassist Mani's mother in 2011, which brought the band back together. At the press conference in October 2011, Mani said: "Good things can come from grey clouds."
Three Massive Gigs at Heaton Park
After announcing their reunion in 2011, Ian Brown, John Squire, Gary 'Mani' Mounfield and Alan 'Reni' Wren scheduled three outdoor gigs at Heaton Park for June 2012. A total of 220,000 fans attended the shows, which also featured a VIP area packed with stars including Lily Allen, Holly Willoughby, Nicole Appleton and Elbow.
Fan Photos from the First Night
To celebrate the iconic Manchester band's long-awaited return, photo archives have been searched for images of fans from the first gig on Friday, June 29, 2012. The gallery includes 22 photos showing music fans awaiting the Stone Roses, including one attendee dressed as SpongeBob SquarePants.
