Liam Gallagher takes us back in time on his new tour, and it is a Supersonic trip to 1994. The larger-than-life Liam of the 1990s got into plenty of scrapes and was not exactly a people pleaser. Now 51, he does as he promised and revives Oasis songs including B-sides and even a demo many only dreamed they would ever see played live.
Definitely Maybe is a cherished album and without the right staging, or if Liam had skipped too many rehearsals for the pub, it could have felt like a tribute act, or been all about the money. But any such fears disappear within seconds of the show starting. A black-and-white countdown appears on two screens starting at 2024 and rolling back to 1994, the year Definitely Maybe was released.
With the six-piece band already playing the opening chords of Rock 'n' Roll Star, Liam strides on to a stage filled with references to the DM album sleeve, with giant flamingoes, plants, a supersized Burt Bacharach LP, a spinning globe and more. He was 21 when the album came out but Liam still has the swagger, and every song on this setlist is a winner. He belts out six tracks in a row from Definitely Maybe, including a rare outing for Digsy's Dinner, and the crowd lap them all up.
It is then that he delights with B-sides from that era like Cloudburst and (It's Good) to Be Free. Liam is joined by original Oasis guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs and there is a touching moment when Liam urges the crowd to show their love for the man and they chant his nickname. Bo.