After a rocky start Manchester’s newest venue and the UKs new crowning jewel of indoor arenas, the Co-Op Live, risked being labelled a bit of a damp squib. Now with a number of successful shows under its belt, it kicks off it’s biggest and most anticipated residency. Manchester’s favourite prodigal son and most prevalent purveyor of swagger Liam Gallagher is here to celebrate 30 years of Definitely Maybe.
The promise of hearing Oasis’ debut album, one of the fasting selling debut albums of all time, is enough to sell out 4 nights at Europe’s largest indoor venue, as well as another 4 in London which doesn’t trail far behind capacity wide. And why shouldn’t it! 23,500 lucky punters are about to enjoy a Saturday night with one of their favourite ever records in the city it helped to shape. It doesn’t get much better.
The city has transformed in the 30 years since Rock N Roll star first graced the airwaves and so has the audience. A vast number of tonight’s attendees being younger than the tunes they’re about to sing along to word for word. One thing that hasn’t changed is the reception (come worship) that greets the younger Gallagher as his iconic silhouette swaggers onto the stage which is adorned with familiar references from the iconic album cover.
The fact Liam Gallagher appeals to the younger generation just like he did in the mid-90s is a testament to his legacy and that of Oasis. Often nostalgia warps the quality of things we loved in years gone by, but with Oasis they really were that good. The proof is in the masses of bodies around us. There hasn’t been another band like them since they closed the door on their legendary career. So what do you do when a gaping hole is left in the music industry? If you’re humble enough, you give the fans exactly what they’re missing and take them on a nostalgia trip right back to the good times.
Good times is an understatement; there are moments tonight where fans are having the time of their lives. How many times do you hear people say, “Oh, I wish I’d seen them before they finished”? Luckily, this generation of teenagers has Liam Gallagher to hand them a parka and show them what they missed out on. It’s ALMOST as good as back in the day. Why not have a victory lap? It’s well and truly earned.
Opening with Rock ‘n’ Roll Star lays down the gauntlet, just like back in 1994 with Definitely Maybe. Tonight is going to be in honour of that debut album after all, so what better way to kick it all off? It’s rare to see people on their friends’ shoulders just 2-3 minutes into a concert, wasting their pints of lager by throwing them through the air. This is something the Oasis crowd was notorious for and apparently still are. Thankfully, the days of ‘warm’ drinks landing on you seem to be left in the past. Following up with one of Oasis’ most punk rock moments in Columbia, the crowd is absolutely bouncing and echoing every word back at LG.
Personally, it’s heart-warming to see Bonehead as part of Liam’s band (a founding member of Oasis), looking in his element and, like the rest of us, barley believing that this is happening. Liam Gallagher has always had an arrogance about him; it’s why we love him. In some respects, it’s fair to say it’s what defines him as the iconic frontman we know. So it’s no surprise that he doesn’t bat an eyelid when singing songs that his older brother used to take the reigns on and elevating them vocally. Speaking of, Half the World Away is a phone-flash-light moment, the arena lit in unity. It’s quite the emotional assault on the senses and refreshing to hear the song come from Liam rather than Noel. Amongst this are some real deep cuts from that era. B-sides such as (It’s Good) To Be Free, D’yer Wanna Be A Spaceman? and I Will Believe that really hit the right notes with the old school crowd. Being in that minority, it was a personal highlight of the gig to hear these songs live for the first time since their very early days. The pinnacle of this is the unreleased Oasis demo Lock All the Doors, which is played live for the first time on this tour. The Oasis geeks will remember that moment for a long time. Again, having taken on another life in the form of his brother’s solo material, Liam meets fire with fire, so to speak. Still, sibling rivalry aside, it’s great to hear it in its original form.
The evening ramps up to another level (believe it or not) with Cigarettes & Alcohol as Liam tells the crowd that it’s time to put this arena on the map. Yet again, pints go flying, people go flying, and even the odd prohibited cigarette is lit in the crowd. An anthem for the 90s and an anthem for now, these songs are timeless, and they will forever find listeners to resonate with. There really were odd moments tonight where it felt like being at an Oasis concert once again, and this was one of them.
The encore is just pure euphoria. The long drummed intro to Supersonic has the crowd tense with bated breath. That iconic opening riff that once had people falling in love with all things Oasis hasn’t lost its charm. It’s smiles and cheers galore. Ending the first encore with what is often argued as Oasis’ defining song, Live Forever is another lights in the air, people on shoulders, pint-throwing moment to cherish. Ending the set as they started, in traditional fashion with the often-covered I Am the Walrus, is a throwback to the early days of Oasis. These songs, that band, and this frontman mean so much to generations past and present. It doesn’t happen very often, and it was an absolute joy to be a part of.
There is no as you were for the Co-Op Live after tonight. Liam Gallagher has shaken this arena to life, endearing it to the hearts of thousands who’ll remember this night as one of the best ever.
Photo Gallery by Alex Cropper
Go Places Do Things 