Liam Gallagher made the headlines again this week when he called old foe Robbie Williams a “fat fucking idiot”. Williams’s crime was seemingly having the temerity to play at the Etihad Stadium, home to Liam’s beloved Manchester City, while Beady Eye have to content themselves with playing venues such as last night’s 900-capacity Camden Centre.
If those sound like the remarks of a man keen on revisiting the past, it’s actually Liam who’s shown the biggest appetite for change during the post-Oasis years. His band’s latest album, BE, was produced by experimental maverick Dave Sitek, who helped to steer the music away from the meat-and-potatoes rock of their debut.
Moreover, while Gallagher Jnr’s fans may be small in number, they are loud in voice. The crowd, some of whom looked like they’d fallen into a coma in 1997 only to wake up minutes before the gig, chanted “Liam, Liam” between every song.
Initially there was plenty to get excited about. Set opener Flick of the Finger was powered by a four-piece brass section and Gallagher’s iconic vocals. Unfortunately, the cracks soon began to appear. Soul Love was upended by exasperatingly lazy lyrics (“You’re the apple of my eye; spread your wings and learn to fly”, indeed). At least when Noel writes lazy lyrics, they come with an irresistible melody.
As if to underline the gulf in songwriting talent between his new band and his previous employer, Liam performed a couple of Oasis songs — Rock’n’Roll Star and Morning Glory — both worth the admission price alone. That, in a nutshell, was the problem with last night’s gig: instead of building interest in Beady Eye, it furthered the desire for one final Oasis tour.
