I saw Oasis back in 2000, headlining the Leeds Festival and I though they were good. Not the best band I’ve ever seen but worth seeing.
As the whole world knows the Gallagher boys couldn’t work together so Noel called it a day in 2009. Following that acrimonious split the rest of Oasis re-grouped as Beady Eye, released two so-so albums (Different Gear, Still Speeding in 2011, and BE in 2013) before calling it a day in 2014.
Noel’s solo career has taken a much better turn. Two decent albums (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds in 2011 and Chasing Yesterday in 2015, both topping the charts) and sell out tours. On which topic, the Arena is sold out tonight. The support act is Super Furry Animals but I didn’t rush to see them as I was distinctly unimpressed last time I saw them.
It seems to me that Noel Gallagher is a very shrewd man. He knows that Liam is a Rock singer and that he isn’t, so he doesn’t try. Instead he performs slow and mid tempo songs, including the 10 Oasis songs he performs among the 21 strong set list.
He knows how to write a tune and he has a band that can play them. That makes for an enjoyable show.
What’s not so enjoyable is the behaviour of many of the audience. These beer fuelled Liam look a-likes are embarrassing and a little threatening. It’s as though they’ve read a manual on how to behave at a rock show.
Anyway, let’s try and end on a positive note. Here, for my money, is Noel’s finest post-Oasis song.
Set list: Everybody’s On The Run; Lock All The Doors; In The Heat Of The Moment; Riverman; Fade Away; The Death Of You And Me; You Know We Can’t Go Back; Champagne Supernova; Ballad Of The Mighty I; Talk Tonight; D’Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman?; The Mexican; Half The World Away; Listen Up; If I Had A Gun…; Digsy’s Dinner; The Masterplan.
Encore: Wonderwall; (I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine; AKA… What A Life!; Don’t Look Back In Anger.
Posted by Stephen Towler 