Live Review: Liam Gallagher Was In Fine Form Last Night (Until They Cut Him Off)

It’s not often that a support act is given more than a polite if mildly disinterested reception. Not so for Gerry Cinnamon. The smiley Scot instantly whips the crowd into a frenzy, never more so than during a stomping rendition of Belter. He zooms around the stage and his banter would certainly be cheeky, had it been at all decipherable over the crowd and through his thick accent. He exits the stage with a chipper thumbs up, and leaves piles of sweaty bodies in his wake.

Gerry Cinnamon @ Margaret Court Arena. Photo by Jaz Meadows.

The entire UK expat community is out in force, waving flags and consuming beers that haven’t already been thrown in the air with gusto. 

The lights cut as Fuckin’ In The Bushes, a song that instantly raises the hair on the back of one's neck, booms through the PA and Liam Gallagher saunters onto the stage in such a casual way that he could be walking through Tesco. Rock 'N' Roll Star is knocked out of the park with ease, the first of many Oasis songs Gallagher will perform tonight. “Any Oasis fans here tonight? Good, because you’re going to hear a fookin’ lot of it tonight,” he cracks. That being said, the selections from his solo work shimmer brightly as they dot the setlist. Shockwave hits like a football chant, and nestles in nicely next to Wall Of Glass.

Liam Gallagher @ Margaret Court Arena. Photo by Jaz Meadows.

Gallagher is in fine form tonight, cementing his status as both the messiah of one-handed percussion (and at one stage, no-handed recorder) and the undisputed king of stage banter. In good nature he picks a fight with one punter for the crime of once throwing something at him at a festival (“I never forget a pretty face”), and rages over the curfew warning he’s received before the show tonight: “Tight curfew? We didn’t travel all the way around the world for a tight curfew. We either play the fookin’ gig or we don’t.” Unfortunately, we will see later that Margaret Court Arena do not fuck with curfew breakers. 

Much must be said for the sound tonight, it is near perfect. From Jay Mehler’s squealing guitar work, to Drew McConnell’s chugging bass lines, to Dan McDougall’s pounding drums, Gallagher has assembled the cream of the crop to accompany him and, to his credit, he is sounding better than ever.

Liam Gallagher @ Margaret Court Arena. Photo by Jaz Meadows.

Heavy hitter Morning Glory has those seated zoom out of their seats, and Gas Panic! psychedelically wavers in the sunset of the show. As expected, Wonderwall goes off, to say the very least. There are many, many middle-aged men on the wrong side of six pints deeply feeling their feelings.

Tearing through an encore at hyperspeed, the audience is given a choice between Supersonic and Champagne Supernova. Supersonic wins out, and it is 10.59pm when the band begin to play. At the exact stroke of 11.00pm, the sound is cut. Gallagher and band look at each other in surprise, before Gallagher attempts to sing (or speak) into his muted microphone. He leaves the stage with a shrug, and one cannot help but feel that someone backstage is in for a bollocking. 

Liam Gallagher @ Margaret Court Arena. Photo by Jaz Meadows.

It’s a bum way to end what was nothing short of a brilliant night, a perfect combination of cracking open the past and showing that there is still plenty in the tank for the future. While the curfew shutdown is to our loss, it may be to Meredith punters' gain when Gallagher plays this weekend. 

So until next time (or until someone pays Gallagher all of the money to start a web series called “Liam Gallagher talks about his week”), as you were.