Beady Eye's solid album tends to have a looser, more freewheeling spirit than Oasis' did, and netted a gold certification.
Entering to guitarist Gem Archer’s trippy recorded instrumental “Yellow Tail”, Beady Eye came onstage to a huge, glowing backdrop of the band’s name. Liam Gallagher wore a heavy hooded green overcoat and scarf that he didn’t take off for the entire set (which must have been rough) and announced: “This ain’t no folk song.” Liam was at his best, fully in front man mode now that Noel wasn’t on the same stage demanding half of the crowd’s attention.
Beady Eye launched the 70-minute set with a spirited, psychedelic “Four Letter Word.” Guitarist Andy Bell engaged in some tasty wah-wah work while Gallagher ambled to the front of the stage to sign a fan’s vinyl copy of the new album.
The lanky lead singer was his usual gruff self, frequently mumbling in a thick Mancunian accent. He noted it was good to “play in a nice venue instead of a toilet” (lol) and dedicated songs to the Manchester City soccer team (which won 5-1 its match that day) and his hometown posse.
A fan held up a big Manchester City football scarf, which Liam took and thrust into the air proudly, eliciting screams from the handful of Man City fans in the crowd. Often standing at the mic with his hands clasped behind his back, Liam’s voice sounded great. Their sound was consistently full and sharp. The stomping Who homage “Beatles and Stones” came across a real corker as Gallagher snarled lyrics about affirmation: “Gonna stand the test of time.”
Veteran drummer Chris Sharrock (who in the past has anchored the La’s, World Party, Lightning Seeds and Robbie Williams) played with total finesse, even on the mild rockers. His ace work was showcased especially well amid the jaunty stop/start rhythm of “Three Ring Circus”. As well as an idyllic “Kill for a Dream” and solo bit midway through the poignant but meandering epic “Wigwam”, with the latter’s methodical pace and psychedelic touches translating well to the stage.
Surprisingly, some Beady Eye non-album cuts fared best live: the folk-rock of “In the Bubble with a Bullet,” featuring Bell’s great slide work, and the ominous organ-led “Man of Misery” were among them. Keyboardist Matt Jones’ rollicking Little Richard-esque piano work on “Bring the Light” was an additional highlight.
The encore included more unfamiliar, impressive selections. A low-key “World Outside My Room” verged on skiffle territory, while the intriguing, Fender Rhodes-infused “Sons of the Stage” – a cover by short-lived Manchester pop/rock band World of Twist, who had a minor U.K. hit with it in 1991 – was spacey and powerful.
Beady Eye turned in a mostly entertaining set and definitely put on a pretty fun show.
A girl, Danni, said: "The show was entertaining. I thought I was gonnna snooze through The Morning Son however the ending was a lot more electric than on record. Also, I've seen Oasis many times. Liam's voice sounded much better than it used to."
Belgium’s The Black Box Revelation were direct support for the show, and delivered a fantastic set of bluesy, Black Keys-ian rock and reminiscent of the White Stripes. Another duo featuring only a drummer (Dries Van Dijck) and guitarist/vocalist (Jan Paternoster), they brought quite a thunderous sound to the stage.
Playing songs from throughout their 6 year career, including a handful from 2011’s great My Perception, BBR were extremely impressive. It’d be nice to see them get some more exposure in the United States, such as on the Coachella band lineup, as that would really be a great opportunity for them. Paternoster’s a master guitar wizard, and Van Dijck smashed the drums like a man possessed (as the cliché goes). They were excellent, and hopefully 2012 brings them even more success.
