Liam Gallagher live at Terminal 5 in NYC (Paul Bachmann / Live4ever)
There is absolutely no doubt where the hottest ticket in London is tonight, June 5th.
The 250-capacity Hackney Round Chapel isn’t renowned for its musical heritage (its most popular income stream being as a wedding venue), but the tiny venue is packed tonight and the great and the good – including Miles Kane, Kyle Falconer, Dynamo and, rather wonderfully, Krishnan Guru-Murthy – are all in attendance to see one man.
In case there was any doubt, the set-up on stage features the simple words ‘Rock ‘N Roll’, Manchester City’s initials and the bass drum an image of Leo Sayer, a nod to the latest grenade thrown in the endless Gallagher War and our host’s succinct opinion on his elder brother’s new musical offering.
It has the atmosphere of a comeback, which to all intents and purposes it is, even though Liam Gallagher’s last gig was less than a year ago. Ostensibly to promote his new single, but actually to launch a new pair of custom Adidias Spezial trainers, the gig was only announced last week and obviously sold out in seconds. The anticipation before he takes to the stage is palpable and, as ever, intro music F***in’ In The Bushes whips the crowd into a frenzy.
Picking up exactly where he left off, the opening one-two of Rock ‘n’ Roll Star and Morning Glory takes the raucous crowd into ecstasy. Hearteningly, it’s a very mixed crowd; the old school fans (those with grey hairs and beer bellies) are to be found from the middle back and seated in the rafters, not that many people are seated at any point. The first few rows however are generally made up of men (it’s always men) that can’t have been born when Definitely Maybe was released. It’s testament to the power of the Gallaghers that they are still able to entice the younger generation.
It’s also an ongoing mystery as to exactly why. Anyone who has ever been to see the man live knows exactly what to expect. Minimal interaction with the crowd, very little body movement aside from a shake of the maracas (at one point shaking them into the mic, Liam accidentally knocks it off its stand and leaves it to be picked by one of the crew – that’s about as impromptu as it gets), but the sheer magnetism and charisma has long filled rooms bigger than this. He’s just got an aura around him. But it all plays second fiddle to The Voice; to paraphrase his brother, when you hear that voice you know you’re at a gig.
Singing as he does, shredding his larynx night after night, it’s a wonder Gallagher has a voice at all. It’s still so powerful, the herbal remedies he is taking to preserve it are working a treat. Tonight he sounds absolutely at the top of his game, not quite as wondrous as it was in the mid-90s but as strong as it’s been since then. He’s found the sweet spot between singing and shouting again and, on this form, no singer in the world comes close.
It helps that it’s probably his strongest solo set to date. The highlights from his first album (Wall Of Glass, Greedy Soul, For What It’s Worth) seem to be standing the test of time, and he even throws in Soul Love from the Beady Eye years. Tellingly, that and new single Shockwave are the only songs that incite trips to the bar, but give the latter a month or so and it will be a set highlight. But, of course, it’s the Oasis songs that make the gig transcendent.
Liam has been giving the people what they want on that front, with many of The Hits present and correct from day one. But he’s also been listening to suggestions (via Twitter) for some of the deeper cuts. While the first half of the gig is very familiar, for the second half he throws out a couple of surprises; Columbia, which has been played live on a handful of occasions in the last two decades, sounds as menacing and brooding as it ever did, while Lyla (a number one single but such is the competition, still something of an outsider) sounds mighty and really works well with his maturing voice.
His band have evolved too; in the early days the musicianship was very straight forward so as to give Liam the full spotlight, but perhaps now they have the confidence to spread their wings; the elaborate outro to Lyla is played in full, and the famous opening to Morning Glory is restored.
But these gigs are largely about the crowd. Every word is sung loud and sung proud, there’s crowd surfing and good old fashioned moshing. The common parlance nowadays is ‘limbs’, and it’s a perfect summation. Nowhere more so than on Cigarettes & Alcohol, its message of hedonism as valid now as it was then, the ultimate anthem to immerse yourself in. Knowing that the crowd can go no further, the closing number is a truncated, keyboard and cello only Champagne Supernova. And then he’s gone.
There wouldn’t have been a stronger set anywhere in the world tonight and, unbelievably, it’s less than an hour in duration. Quality not quantity. Just imagine what damage he’ll do and what joy he’ll bring when the tour starts. Given the electric atmosphere, the adulation from the crowd and strength of the set, tonight would be a career highlight for many.
Business as usual for Liam Gallagher.
