Liam Gallagher

Does Liam Need Noel? Not Tonight.

All the chatter about whether Oasis will or won’t reform? I couldn’t care less. I saw them at Wembley in 2000. That’ll do me. Honestly, does Liam even need Noel? Sure, Noel wrote the bulk of the tunes, but Liam delivered them. He breathed life into those lyrics. It’s like a Jimmy McGovern script brought alive by Christopher Eccleston or John Simm. The words matter, but it’s the performance that elevates it. Like Spandau Ballet—yes, Gary Kemp wrote the songs, but the voice? That was Tony Hadley.

A 12-Year Pattern Broken by a Few Weeks

My Liam journey started at Wembley 2000, then it was Beady Eye supporting The Stone Roses at Heaton Park 2012, and then Liam with John Squire earlier this year. All 12 years apart. But this time, just a few weeks later, here we were again, at The O2, brother-in-law Scott in tow.

A first-class train into London. Smooth. A hiccup on the Circle Line brought a dash of #VersoTrainHell, but a black cab to Blackfriars, a few ales, and dinner at The Samuel Pepys Pub overlooking the Thames brought things right back on track. Then it was onto a clipper ride along the river. If you’ve never done that, add it to your list. It’s superb.

The O2 Experience

Now, let’s be honest. The O2 Arena isn’t exactly my dream venue. It’s a corporate circus, lined with overpriced chains peddling pre-gig grub and drinks at scandalous prices. £10 for a pint? Legalised theft. We had one. That was enough.

Our seats were high in the rafters, so it was a workout: a stomp around the arena, up escalators, stairs, and more stairs. Missed Villanelle (Liam’s son’s band), caught all of The View. Knew one song: “Same Jeans.” Scott asked why they seemed angry. I said, “They’re Scottish.” That did the trick.

Shakermaker

Half the World Away

I am the Walrus

The Main Event: Definitely Maybe, Definitely Brilliant

Then came the man himself. Liam Gallagher. Say what you like about him, but he’s up there with the great frontmen: Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry, Ian Brown. The arrogance? It’s part of the package. It’s not just tolerated—it’s expected.

Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Oasis’s “Definitely Maybe”, he delivered from start to finish. Opening with “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star”, he had 20,000 people in the palm of his hand. Nostalgia? Sure. But also electricity, relevance, power. The crowd—many of whom were clearly clinging to their youthful glory days—screamed his name like it was 1994 all over again.

Every track from the album, every b-side, played note-perfect. No gimmicks. No fluff. Just pure rock ‘n’ roll swagger.

In Summary

As the final note rang out and the crowd roared, there was no doubt. Liam Gallagher isn’t just riding on past glories. He is a rock ‘n’ roll star. And he doesn’t need Noel to prove it.

Date: 6 June 2024
Venue: The O2 Arena, London, England
Tour: Definitely Maybe 30th Anniversary Tour
Source: Setlist.fm

Setlist:

(Intro – video montage)

Rock ‘n’ Roll Star (Oasis)
Columbia (Oasis)
Shakermaker (Oasis)
Up in the Sky (Oasis)
Digsy’s Dinner (Oasis)
Bring It on Down (Oasis)
Cloudburst (Oasis)
I Will Believe (Oasis)
Half the World Away (Oasis – dedicated to Burt Bacharach, with strings)
D’Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman? (Oasis)
Fade Away (Oasis)
Lock All the Doors (Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds cover – Oasis demo version)
(It’s Good) To Be Free (Oasis)
Whatever (Oasis, with strings)
Cigarettes & Alcohol (Oasis)
Married With Children (Oasis)