Liam Gallagher’s performance at the 3Arena in Dublin receives a commendable score of four out of five stars. Oasis’ album ‘Definitely Maybe’, a rebellious response to the grunge gloom of Nirvana, restored the audacious spirit to rock music back in 1994. Drawing from a multitude of influences from the realms of The Sex Pistols to The New Seekers, these songs, despite their borrowed elements – a fact Noel Gallagher has willingly accepted – had a unique magnificence, especially when belted out full throttle in the middle of the night, arm in arm with your closest friend. However, it was Liam Gallagher’s iconic vocal prowess that truly personified Oasis, making him capable of successfully executing a 30th anniversary tour for Definitely Maybe, something the lyrically gifted Noel could not pull off due to the absence of Liam’s uniquely resonant voice, a blend of Lennon and Lydon.
While declarations of an Oasis reunion remain speculative despite recent tabloid whispers – quickly stifled by Liam’s dismissive tweet – this concert can certainly satisfy Oasis aficionados in the interim.
The intense anticipation sweeping through the 3Arena sends waves of excitement crashing around the venue. The excitement intensifies exponentially as Liam graces the stage, and the crowd goes wild. The band dives headfirst into ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Star,’ bringing memories of the free-spirited 90s back to life.
The magic of Liam’s voice, emitted nonchalantly with his hands rested behind his back, continues to captivate, perhaps one of the most recognisable in rock music over the last three decades. Songs like ‘Columbia’, ‘Shakermaker’, ‘Up In the Sky’, and the raw punk energy of ‘Bring It On Down’ hit the audience with the intensity of a bombardment, their lack of subtlety only amplifying their allure. Amidst this relentless musical offensive, Liam’s signature humour shines through as he proposes to serve ‘Digsy’s Dinner’ to any Irish-Italians present, much to the crowd’s amusement.
The vibe plunges a bit during the B-sides segment, as the main guy unearths demos and snippets from the era. Half the World Away is received as if it’s a beloved offspring. If any other solo records could compare to the robust and dynamic Fade Away, I must have missed it. Liam uniquely dedicates Lock All the Doors, a track his brother began in the 90s and added to the unapologetically named High Flying Birds album, Chasing Yesterday, to all Noels present in the crowd, the rascal.
Anthem could very well be a synonym for Cigarettes & Alcohol if you refer to the dictionary. Liam is completely uninhibited, and his disdainful roar, never encountering a vowel it couldn’t stretch out, thrusts this cracker directly into your ears. The apex would have been this, were it not for the impeccable encore line-up of Supersonic, Slide Away, and the elder Gallagher’s masterpiece, Live Forever. The audience had what felt like a spiritual awakening, uttering incoherent speech in between singing every lyric. Borrowing a popular Gallagher phrase, it was indeed a scriptural night on the town. A reunion? Not necessary.