See ticket at bottom.
See video clip at bottom
Oasis' first live show in the US since Be Here Now came to be the proof that Oasis is still going strong despite slow record sales in the US. You wouldn't have known the record wasn't doing as well as expected by the way Oasis opened up their set.
As the lights began to dim, the title track began to reverberate around the ballroom just as "Rock n' Roll Star" or "Swamp Song" had in previous years. While Bonehead and Guigsy picked up their instruments, Liam walked about the stage and took in the audience. There were around 3,000 people at Hammerstein, a rather small venue for Oasis. As the band quickly got into "Be Here Now", most noticeable was the quality of Liam's voice. It sounded stronger than past years, although this may have been due to the relatively less strenuous week.
Oasis' best songs are arguably not limited to their A-sides, and you could put up a good argument for that point after hearing "Stay Young". An amazing performance of this song was kept tight by Bonehead and Guigsy (as always), and Noel's backing vocals helped bring out another aspect of the melody. On this song and the previous one, Noel used his classic Riviera, which helped give the song a pre-Morning Glory aura. Later on, he switched to the newer Les Paul.
"Stand By Me" started out as one could expect, but near the bridge, the song was getting seemingly more and more personal. Liam and Noel gave the lyrics an honest, pleading touch, so much so that there must have been 3,000 believers in Oasis by the end of the song.
The need for a classic Oasis song was in the air, and while the energy was there, "Supersonic" came about. Noel changed around some notes of the lead part, though it didn't differ by too much. It was definitely recognizable as one of the songs that helped the band grab hold of their share of the world more than three years ago. The high energy was here and it wasn't going away for quite some time.
"Some Might Say", enhanced by Whitey's drumming, provided the crowd with time to stand back and realize just how good Oasis is. Another single to flaunt and adore.
An interesting point to be made is that Liam angrily floored the mic a grand total of three times during the show. At the end of "Some Might Say" was the first time, and a lone member of the stage crew came out to replace it. As the technician replaced the mic, he looked a small bit mad at Liam for doing it. Liam didn't notice. But he noticed the second time. As the mic was being replaced, Liam sauntered over to Noel's mic and told the guy off. It can't be that
much fun to have 3,000 people laugh at you, let alone a British lad that you don't like saying things you couldn't understand even if you cared to.
"D'you Know What I Mean" was a soulful attempt at coming close to the actual single's sound. The band did a great job, seeing that they didn't use any pre-recorded loops. It wouldn't have been in the style of a band who has one of the strongest live shows around.
Noel's set starts here. "Magic Pie" and "Don't Look Back In Anger" were an anticipated break in the action. One of Oasis' great features is that they can do a song live and make you think that it almost sounded exactly like the one on the album. A notable wording change (Noel is known for them) was the addition of "Still getting high" near the end of "Magic Pie". Now, Noel has two songs to play with the rest of the band backing. There was no acoustic set at this show or at the 8th show. Maybe during the real tour...
"Don't Go Away" sounded like the SNL and Letterman appearances, which is to be wholly expected. Noel seemed to be trying out a few different lead parts to the song that weren't used on either of the TV appearances. The crowd responded with much enthusiasm to this recent radio air play staple.
Noel seemed more at ease than during previous tours. He noticeably extended at least two songs for a mini-jam. Anyone who has seen Oasis in concert previous to Be Here Now can tell you that the songs were not to be meddled with. "The Girl In The Dirty Shirt" and "All Around The World" were among the songs that Noel took the liberty to extend.
"Wonderwall" sounded as good as it always has sounded. On their European tour, Oasis has started to play "Wonderwall" with the whole band involved. Before, the only time it was played was during one of Noel's acoustic sets.
"Live Forever", a perennial favorite of the band, made its way into this show as it has at almost every other Oasis gig. It gave the feeling of a tired and at the same time unstoppable sound of a song that has been perfected hundreds of times over.
A song that the band tried out on their tour last year was next to come. "It's Gettin' Better (Man!!) kept up the energy for a part-time closer, "Champagne Supernova". As always, this song brought out the best in the band, and it gave Noel another chance to slightly change around a song. Near the end, the song gained speed considerably, which is a change that the band hasn't made until recently.
"Fade In-Out" was somewhat hard to listen to. It seemed that it could have been mixed better. Noel even apologized at the end of the song. When "Fade In-Out" was listened to during the broadcast show a day later, it clearly sounded better than it had the previous day.
A long awaited song was "All Around the World". Oasis did a great job converting this song to a live performance. The keyboards in the back gave the song a flowing, refined kind of feel. The song was prolonged for Noel to throw in some improvisational material. The band ended their set here, and then returned for the encore.
"Acquiesce", a song that was usually second in line for a Morning Glory set, was the encore. Still a great song, it was a strong choice for the end of this NY show. The band left with Noel's guitar giving the feedback that would endure until the next Oasis show. Shortly after, Noel, clad in his "Verve" T-shirt, bounded through the VIP section with some of his friends, and then went to have a good night's sleep. Well, almost.
Ian Hughes
(Acquiesc01@aol.com)
Check out a clip of Roll With It from the concert.