Ariana Grande’s Drummer Details Turmoil Backstage After Manchester Bombing

Ariana Grande’s touring drummer Aaron Spears has outlined the confusion backstage in the immediate aftermath of the Manchester Arena blast.

In an Instagram post, Spears writes the band was heading back to their dressing rooms when the explosion rocked the arena.

“We could hear people panicking…We had no idea what was happening…There was all kinds of speculation as to what was going on,” Spears writes.

“Like 5 minutes after getting to the room, security came in and informed us that we had to evacuate the building immediately…It was then that we realized that this was serious.”

The veteran muso writes that the band didn’t know a bomb went off until after they’d left the arena.

Spears writes that although no members of the band nor of the touring crew were injured in the blast or its aftermath, “this painful memory and the weight associated with the lives lost will live with us all forever.”

?? @mic.moody We finished the show and were walking back to our dressing rooms and BOOM!!!! We could hear people panicking…We had no idea what was happening…There was all kinds of speculation as to what was going on…Like 5 minutes after getting to the room, security came in and informed us that we had to evacuate the building immediately…It was then that we realized that this was serious…Initially we thought that the sound was all kinds of things but it didn’t hit that this was a bomb until we were evacuated and they told us exactly what was going on…It’s so heartbreaking because so many little ones attend our shows…I just keep thinking about them…I’m extremely thankful that no one on the touring crew was physically hurt but this painful memory and the weight associated with the lives lost will live with us all forever…I’m still just in disbelief….It’s so surreal…#prayformanchester #positvevibesonly #wearestrongertogether #thankyouallforthelove

A post shared by Aaron Spears (@aspears) on May 23, 2017 at 10:41am PDT

Earlier, Spears let family, friends, and fans know he was okay via the social media platform.

A post shared by Aaron Spears (@aspears) on May 22, 2017 at 5:45pm PDT

And a few days beforehand, Spears took a picture from behind the kit at Grande’s Amsterdam show.

Thank you again Amsterdam for making our time there incredible!!! I can’t wait until the next time…#iamsterdam #amazing #superthankful #blessed #beyondwhaticanaskorthink

A post shared by Aaron Spears (@aspears) on May 17, 2017 at 6:26am PDT

It’s been reported that Grande’s mother Joan also helped to shelter young fans backstage after the blast.

??? ? @dangerouswomantour

A post shared by Ariana Grande (@arianagrande) on Feb 22, 2017 at 2:25pm PST

Source: Aaron Spears / Instagram.
Photo: @jammcard / Instagram.