Liam Gallagher And John Squire, London: Live Review

8/10

by Richard Bowes

Liam Gallagher and John Squire live in Manchester

After the mega-shows, it’s refreshing to see Liam Gallagher take things down to basics.

Those who criticise the Liam Gallagher And John Squire project don’t appear to have been paying attention.

Some questionable lyrics aside, the album is a solid blues/rock/pop effort with some outstanding musicianship, much like every other John Squire effort since The Stone Roses.

As for this tour, the most common criticism is that the runtime of the set is too short given the high ticket prices (upwards of £65).

Liam Gallagher has publicly stated that he can only operate at his maximum – given the punishment his larynx undertakes – for an hour or so which, conveniently, is just shy of the length of the album. Throw in their now infamous cover of Jumpin’ Jack Flash and, boom.

There’s also the small matter of Jake Bugg as the support act who, once upon a time, was a Glastonbury Other Stage headliner.

His star may have waned, but his ability has not: he’s still a dexterous and skilled guitarist, rattling through a hefty sack of anthems unaccompanied apart from his acoustic.

A man out of time (and terrifyingly only 30), his voice carries weary regret on the likes of Me And You and Strange Creatures, while Two Fingers and the ragged skiffle of Slumville Sunrise are well-received (namely sung loud and proud by a compliant crowd).

After the mega-shows of the last campaign, it’s refreshing to see Liam Gallagher take things down to basics, even if that does include one of the greatest guitarists of all time.

The band is made up of stalwart Christian Madden on keys, Barrie Cadogan on bass (with an impressively oversized amp) and Joey Waronker on drums.

All are excellent foundations for John Squire to do his thing, which he accommodates with aplomb as the psychedelic sonic clatter of Just Another Rainbow opens the set, Gallagher’s voice perfectly suited to the sometimes nonsensical lyrics (if there is a more thrilling sight than Liam intoning, ‘I walk the earth’ against huge guitars then it’s yet to be discovered).

Liam Gallagher is in sky-scraping form throughout, albeit his voice (after what has been an intense run of shows) does show signs of tiredness, slightly missing a couple of higher notes on Love You Forever, but otherwise he seems to be enjoying himself.

Freed of the responsibility of carrying the whole show himself – and in a hark back to his Oasis days – he walks offstage to leave Squire to do his freewheeling wig outs on the scratchy I’m A Wheel and Love You Forever as the guitarist wrenches every second from the track with lilting licks. Otherwise, Liam Gallagher prowls panther like around the stage, puffing on his vocal straw, daring the audience to criticise.

They don’t dare but – perhaps because it’s a Monday night, perhaps because it’s London – the audience is subdued, the occasional shout of ‘Liam’ aside.

The anthemic Raise Your Hands is begging for literal crowd participation but only 30% accommodate, while there’s few singalongs. That said, any audience would struggle to be heard over either voice or guitar.

And, what a guitar. Opportunities to see John Squire live have been infrequent for nearly two decades, and it’s a pleasure to be in the company of a master of his craft.

Whether he’s gleefully skirting up and down the fretboard on Mother Nature’s Song, powering through I’m So Bored (Paperback Writer’s malevolent brother) or swaggering on the honky-tonk You’re Not The Only One, Squire seems revitalized to be working with Gallagher.

Both are in fine fettle on a faithful interpretation of Jumping Jack Flash (Waronker does a great Charlie Watts), the snotty lyrics of the sort the younger Gallagher enjoys getting his voice around, and then they’re gone.

The O’Jays’ Give The People What They Want soundtracks the crowd as they head for the exit: mission surely accomplished.