Lansdowne Road was the scene for the latest episode in the Oasis soap opera, and although there was the occasional moment of tension and excitement, the plotline was as predictably dull as ever. As the battling brothers Gallagher prepared for their brief onstage reunion following Noel's walk-out two months ago, the broadsheets were bursting with speculation about Oasis's future, and the tabloids were twitching with the news that Patsy Kensit was finally leaving Liam. Oasis were back in the media spotlight for all the non-musical reasons, and the mediocrity of their fourth album, Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, was all but forgotten.
Oxford lads Supergrass opened the show with some spirited guitar rock, exemplified by the hard-nosed Richard III and the whimsical Alright. Clouds hovered overhead, but the rain remained at bay as Oasis strolled onstage to the strains of Fuckin' In The Bushes, the instrumental opener on the new album. Looking animated and alert, Liam was every bit the man in control as he belted out the band's recent singles, Go Let It Out and Who Feels Love. It took the earliest singles, Supersonic and Shakermaker, however, to really kickstart the gig and prompt Liam to announce: `We're not fucking splitting up, baby!" He probably wasn't talking about Patsy.
While Liam seemed right at home on centre stage, Noel looked like he'd rather be at home in the studio writing the next Oasis album. He settled in during Acquiesce, however, singing the chorus and sharing a tentative handshake with Liam at the end of the song. I guess that's rock 'n' roll detente. Gas Panic gave the new guys a chance to stretch their skills, while Roll With It gave the crowd a rare opportunity to rock the stadium. Wonderwall felt somewhat flat, like an abandoned anthem from a long-lost battle, but Don't Look Back In Anger was still potent, prompting the crowd to sing the chorus back to a bemused Noel. Cigarettes & Alcohol was dedicated to Tony Blair's son, Liam declaring "He can come for a pint with me anytime!", while Live Forever was dedicated to the memory of Liam's look alike hero, John Lennon.
The encore began with Neil Young's Hey Hey My My, Noel singing such appropriate lines as "it's better to burn out than to fade away". As Liam finished off with a double whammy of Champagne Supernova and Rock `n' Roll Star, it was clear that Oasis were not burning brightly anymore, but were still able to squeeze out a few sparks.
