Liam Gallagher brings music back to New Zealand with anthemic swagger – صحيفة الصوت

“Are there any Oasis fans in the house?”

Liam Gallagher is centre stage, with his trademark parka and aviator sunglasses. There are more Oasis shirts in the crowd than Liam ones, and he knows it. The answer is a resounding yes.

Live music is making a comeback in New Zealand, and the thousands in attendance at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Thursday night were well-lubricated, old enough to remember the Britpop heyday of the 1990s and were there to sing, sway and drink to the anthems of almost 30 years ago.

It has been less than two weeks since the younger Gallagher brother was forced to cut a set short and cancel another in France, apologising to his fans on Twitter, saying he had laryngitis.

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But if his throat was still suffering, he hid it extremely well.

While support act The Butlers played valiantly to a near-empty arena, it started filling quickly in time for the main act. While cancelled flights due to weather may have stopped fans from Wellington attending, Auckland, it became very clear, was here to party.

The few thousand in attendance warmed up their vocal cords with Stone Roses’ I am the Resurrection blasting through the arena before Gallagher sauntered onto the stage with his 8-piece band, and the mass sing-along got louder and stronger with every Oasis classic.

“What’s New, Zealand,” he yelled into the mic, maracas in hand, before adopting the trademark hands behind back stance and kicking into Oasis classic Hello.

There is something truly magical about seeing thousands of music fans singing frenetically, arms in the air, bodies on shoulders in the crowd. Every crowd shot on the big screens was a reminder of how special being part of a music-loving crowd truly is. Some seemed to be in tears, all were singing. Nobody was having a bad night.

Gallagher released his latest album C’Mon You Know to critical acclaim, and his new songs sound incredible live. His latest single Everything’s Electric had the crowd singing along enthusiastically and Wall of Glass sounded brilliant.

But it was the Oasis songs that had the near-packed Arena floor on their feet, singing to every word.

There were whispers a few years ago that Liam was keen for an Oasis reunion, but if it never happens, the younger Gallagher brother is more than capable of taking the reins.

He is Liam Gallagher, though. So he was more than happy to throw shade at the absent sibling.

“This one’s for Mr know it all,” he told the crowd before kicking into Slide Away.

“I want to dedicate these next two to bonehead,” he later said.

“He can’t be here today … I got his f…..g number. Can’t be arsed with the flight and all that shit.

“Are there any Oasis fans in the ‘ouse?” He asked again in his thick Manchester accent, maracas, tambourine and recorder at the ready.

What’s the story Morning Glory, Cigarettes and Alcohol and Live Forever were met with a truly electric response from the now largely drunk crowd.

But he does have a new album out, he reminded the audience.

“Get it f…..g bought. If you had an album out I’d go and buy yours. Them’s are the f…..g rules.”

But those solo albums are not what brought Auckland out on this Thursday night.

Wonderwall kicked an already enthusiastic crowd into a frenzy, and the mass singalong continued through the encore of Supersonic and Champagne Supernova.

Gallagher was beating his chest. He threw his instruments into the crowd. Live music is back, and we are so much better for it.

There will no doubt be a lot of Kiwis waking up on Friday with raw throats, feeling like they may be coming down with a bout of laryngitis too.

Worth it? Absolutely.

As Liam might say – Biblical, even.