Liam Gallagher is really good at being Liam Gallagher. After Oasis disintegrated, it took a while for this realisation to manifest itself. Gallagher used a new group, Beady Eye, as a flag of convenience to continue in music. He began to position himself as a songwriter. Then it all petered out while the Mancunian rocker threw barbs at brother Noel for embarking on a career as a solo artist. Now, suddenly, Liam Gallagher: The Front Man is standing alone with a renewed sense of purpose. And the crowd are mad for it.
There is nothing quite like a Barrowland crowd in full flow. Heat and electricity in the air, a sense of expectation. Noise, energy, unbridled joy. A pulsating mass of bodies united in one voice.
The antiquated ballroom seemed impossibly full last night. The roar that greeted Liam Gallagher as he arrived on stage was startling. He prowled the stage, assumed the stance that has defined his image for the last two decades and proceeded to pick a fight with the microphone for the next hour and a half.
His voice is instantly recognisable, a snarling, preening rock jugggernaut rolling through songs from his Oasis days and the new solo album to come, As You Were. I gather that Liam Gallagher plans to continue to tour festivals and venues for the foreseeable future. The live arena is where he can make an impact.
He continues to have the charisma and persona to elevate even some of his more pedestrian material. When he pulls out some of the soaring anthems from his 1990s period of musical dominance, it’s a punch-the-air moment that leaves you swept up with nostalgia and adrenaline.
Looking at the audience at the Barrowlands, there was a curious mix of older Mods, who were there for the first time around, and a new breed of teenage fans looking for kicks. Many were not even born when Definitely Maybe introduced the world to the vocals of Liam John Paul Gallagher.
It is a different time, but tunes like Rock ‘n’ Roll Star or Slide Away still have their own dynamic energy.
One of the surprising aspects of the set list was the inclusion of two tracks from the much maligned third Oasis album, Be Here Now. The title track from the album was performed last night with a renewed sense of purpose – former band-mate Paul Bonehead Arthurs joined Liam on stage for this one. An Oasis reunion of sorts.
There’s interesting moments in the new material. Catchy choruses, playful lyrics, familiar markers that point to enduring influences like John Lennon, The Stone Roses, John Lydon or The Rolling Stones. Liam is playing to his strengths. He looks and sounds comfortable.
The night ends with a sing-a-long to an a capella rendition of Live Forever. We can expect to see Liam Gallagher live in Glasgow for many years to come.
Liam Gallagher Set List: Barrowland Ballroom
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
(Oasis song)
Morning Glory
(Oasis song)
Wall of Glass
Greedy Soul
Bold
Paper Crown
D’You Know What I Mean?
(Oasis song)
Slide Away
(Oasis song)
All I Need
I Get By
You Better Run
Universal Gleam
Be Here Now
(Oasis song)
Live Forever
(Oasis song) (a capella)
Pictures by Paul Gallagher for Glasgowist