Music, News, Review

Ne-Yo @ AO Arena gallery – 2000s R&B evening with Ne-Yo and Mario

2 383

Featured image and gallery: Gracie Hall


Photographer Gracie Hall captures Grammy-nominated artist Mario as he takes to the AO Arena’s stage to open for R&B legend Ne-Yo on his ‘Champagne and Roses’ Tour. 

R&B singer Mario opens up the evening, dripping in diamond-studded chains and an Alexander McQueen bomber.

He treated the crowd to hit singles ‘Let Me Love You’ and ‘How Do I Breathe’, as well as his latest single ‘Main One’, featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga.

Mario is set to release his sixth studio album, accompanied by a headline tour, this year.

Ne-Yo opens in a red suit and matching hat, accompanied by a full band and contingent of backing dancers. He smoothly serenades with slick choreography and velvety vocals.

His latest Champagne & Roses tour celebrates his veteran status as an R&B superstar, spanning over two decades. Back in November, Ne-Yo added extra shows to his tour owing to the unprecedented demand seeing the original dates sell out. 

The “new classics” portion of his set includes chart-toppers ‘Sexy Love’, ‘Closer’, and ‘So Sick’. The show also included hits off his most recent record, 2022’s Self Explanatory, including ‘You Got the Body’, ‘U 2 Luv’ and ‘Don’t Love Me’. 

Ne-Yo has been keeping busy – this latest tour comes off the back of him competing on the US Masked Singer, winning as season as ‘Cow’. He also released an EP in December, a festive album titled Another Kind of Christmas Reimagined. 

No Ne-Yo show is complete without collaborative mega-hits with Calvin Harris (‘Let’s Go) and David Guetta (‘Time of our Lives’). The show closes with global smash ‘Give me Everything’.

About the author / 

Gracie Hall

2 Comments

  1. Fin 25th March 2024 at 10:07 pm -  Reply

    Sooo good!!

  2. Fin 25th March 2024 at 10:07 pm -  Reply

    Sooo good!!

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More News Stories:

  • Opinion: “We need to leave colourless living in 2025”

    Every December, celebrities flood social media with snapshots of their Christmas celebrations – and their decorations. This year, stars including Victoria Beckham shared images of pared-back, aesthetic trees and minimal décor. While undeniably elegant, these displays hardly embody the spirit of Christmas – appearing stripped of colour, character and warmth. The festive season no longer…

  • Louder Than Words Festival 2025: “Music and literature go hand-in-hand”

    Featured image: Anna Torrance Blending music and literature in a whirlwind of a weekend of talks, performances and discussion, Louder Than Words Festival returns to Manchester for 2025, bringing together musicians, writers and photographers from around the UK. Set within the intimate chambers of the INNSiDE Hotel, the festival offers a packed programme of acoustic…

  • The REAL Issue: Print call for submissions – Get involved with your student magazine

    aAh! Magazine invites all Manchester Met students with a passion for journalism, writing, design, illustration, and photography to pitch ideas for our upcoming print issue: The REAL Issue. This issue will explore what realness means today, especially for young people and students navigating a world dominated by digital life, social media and AI. What does authenticity…