What a way to end the year, Liam Fucking Gallagher at the legendary Alexandra Palace in London. I’ve seen Oasis twice, Noel’s High Flying Birds, and even Beady Eye, but holy hell has Liam found his post-Oasis sweet spot.
Touring in support of his brilliant new record, the critically acclaimed As You Were, Liam came out of the gates swinging with two Oasis classics in a row. I don’t think anyone saw it coming, but “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” and “Morning Glory” were delivered via a wall of sound that would have even Phil Spector contemplating retirement. It was loud, it was brash, it was bloody brilliant—and set the stage for the absolute best show I’ve seen in 2017.
If you’re like me, the first time you heard Oasis you got a chill down your spine. It was a sign of something special. The second Liam started singing the verse of the third song in the set “Greedy Soul,” that long-lost feeling had returned in full force. The big question is why the hell did it take so long for a Liam solo record? We all knew he had it in him, but we also know he’s a “band” guy. Whatever the hell you want to call it now, he’s certainly firing on all cylinders and has a record to back up his ego and the tagline for the release “As Good As He Said it Would Be” which has been plastered across train and tube stations in the UK.
After the massive opening numbers, Gallagher delivered five songs in a row from As You Were, bleeding perfectly into more Oasis classics; “Slide Away,” “Some Might Say,” and “Rocking Chair.” Clearly, nothing was off the table for this show. The encore of “Cigarettes and Alchohol,” “Live Forever,” and a finale of “Wonderwall” left the capacity crowd in complete awe.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show where the audience was completely immersed in the moment. Gallagher had the ten thousand plus in attendance eating out of the palm of his tambourine wielding hand, and the fans were going mental. Group chanting, beers flying, everyone singing at the top of their lungs with every note, it was truly a spectacle and something you would only see at an Oasis show, now all present for the enigmatic frontman’s solo career.
Hats off to Liam and his band for easily the best show out of 100 bands I’ve seen in 2017. Celebrate this man, celebrate this record, and let’s hope he’s going to be on tour for a very long time because you have to see this one—and I have to see this show again in 2018.
