The War of the Worlds, Manchester Arena

IF you think Star Wars has had lasting appeal, take a moment to think about The War of the Worlds.

H. G. Wells' science fiction novel about a Martian invasion was first published in 1897 and more than a century on it is still a pop culture phenomenon.

From Orson Welles' radio version which prompted mass panic in 1938 to Steven Spielberg's 2005 big screen Americanised re-imagining, there have been countless adaptations that have spanned the generations.

But no other interpretation of H. G. Wells' opus has been quite as iconic as Jeff Wayne's musical version.

Published in 1978, the prog rock and string orchestra concept album found new life on the stage in 2006.

Eight years later, the show is currently on the road for its last arena tour and, at Manchester Arena, you could tell just how much it meant to people by looking out across the vast crowd of all ages.

To our left were a group of friends in their early 20s. Behind us were some drunken men in their 40s singing back every word (out of tune).

There also appeared to be a lot of couples in their 60s who would have enjoyed the soundtrack when it was originally released.

For 71-year-old composer Jeff Wayne, who has pretty much dedicated his life to this project, the hard work has paid off and his legacy is secured.

Dressed all in black and with boundless energy he looked a fraction of his age as he conducted the soundtrack to Victorian England's ruin.

The show itself was nothing short of a spectacle with Liam Neeson narrating the story, pre-recorded over a monitor.

A massive screen showed vivid images of the alien invasion behind the band and full orchestra.

The show was literally dazzling with lights shone into the crowd at well timed moments and the Martian sound effects were almost hypnotic.

It even looked as if the stage was on fire when a three-legged walker landed just metres from the performers.

The War of the Worlds at Manchester Arena was a powerful reminder of how some concerts can unite people of all ages and backgrounds.

Where else would you find a man in a heavy metal T-shirt singing along Jason Donovan, Brian McFadden and Shayne Ward than at a Jeff Wayne show? A great night – The War of the Worlds was out of this world.

DAVID MORGAN