Music
Review
Liam Gallagher at TRNSMT, 12/07/24
On a day just too warm for even the bravest parka wearer, the sunglasses and bucket hat brigade were out in full swing to catch their man
In an act of true britpop fan service, Liam had announced his 30th anniversary tour would be celebrating Definitely Maybe from start to finish with “not a drop” of his celebrated solo material. Following a hypnotic graphic counting down the 30 years since the thunderous arrival of Oasis’s seminal debut album, the big screens of TRNSMT’s main stage finally displayed 1994, the year the record entered the world.
True to the brief, Liam took to the stage to kick off his headline slot with an immense performance of ‘Rock n Roll Star’. From the moment he walked out as the first bars of track one sounded, he radiated an undeniable level of confidence. Matched with a vocal performance arguably unheard since the early days it was clear that the fans were in for a rare experience as close to a reunion as earthly possible. Riding this wave, Liam next launched into a punchy rendition of the Oasis take on the 12 bar blues, ‘Shakermaker’. The crowd 50,000 strong was alive with the spirit of nineties nostalgia, albeit second hand for the new generation of fans.
During performances of Oasis classic rock standards such as ‘Cigarettes and alcohol’, Liam’s band delivered with finesse. With a very tight rhythm section, paired with the shamanic drumbeat and Liam’s snarling vocals, the group created a palpable drama. The truly hypnotic performance had the audience transfixed from the first iconic notes of the T.Rex inspired intro riff.
Ever the dry comedian, Liam addressed the packed crowd just a month after his two night run of sell out shows at the Hydro. “Four times this year. I’ll be sick of the f*cking sight of you soon, won’t I?” This classic Gallagher wit was on full display throughout the set to hoots from fans. Before launching into rarely performed deep cut ‘Digsys Dinner’, Liam poked fun about the songs lyrics, joking “Do we have any Italians in the house”
Met with the celebratory football crowd cries of “LIAM LIAM LIAM”, the singer shouted back “you lot are the b*llocks”. But the headline set wasn’t all hooligan anthems. Proving his enduring versatility as a singer backed by his absentee brother’s catalog of evocative songwriting, Liam’s gentle performance of ‘Half The World Away’ was met with a graceful ballet of swaying arms in the air.
Judging by the multi-generational nature of the sea of Gallagher fans, including some who weren’t born in time to experience the early gigs, the legacy and enduring relevance of Oasis was evident at TRNSMT. And in the very city the group were scouted after a King Tuts gig and promptly signed to Creation Records by Alan McGee, the set had a certain homecoming sentimentality. The headline set had everything you could want from what could have been a disappointing slog down memory lane. Loud guitars and Noel’s rock standards performed with more grit than we’ve seen in years.
With an electric vocal performance and his standard hall of fame level of frontman charisma, Liam Gallagher held nothing back at TRNSMT. While the question of whether the two brothers can put their squabbles aside to give the fans what they so badly want may never be answered, Liam delivered a standout performance of ‘Definitely Maybe’ that is the closest thing we have to Oasis being back together.
