Oasis have played nearly every type of venue in the Philadelphia area. And I have seen them at every one.
I was way back in the nosebleed seats at the First Union Center, now the Wachovia Center, back in 1996 and right up front at Festival Pier at Penns Landing just a few months ago.

I have found Oasis to adapt to any type of venue they play, whether it be an outdoor stadium or a hard rock club like the House of Blues tries to be at Showboat in Atlantic City, where they played to a crowd that should be been bigger, on Monday night.

Maybe it was the $78 general admission ticket that scared away diehard Oasis fans or maybe it was the blues-insprired venue with New Orleans-like artwork on the walls that just didn't seem to complement Oasis' crass, rock star attitude. Whatever the case, the fans there dismissed the cheesey decor and $80 Oasis track jackets and saw Oasis for what they are: a seasoned rock and roll band.

British act Kasabian opened the set for Oasis and definitely turned the crowd on with their sound - noise-inspired, loud, dancy songs, reminiscent of Oasis' "F***in' in the Bushes," the song that Oasis take the stage to, much to the delight of everyone,
Oasis opened their set with "Turn Up the Sun," the opening track off of their latest album, Don't Believe the Truth.

The thrill that an Oasis fan feels was definitely throughout the crowd during that first song, where everyone had their hands in the air singing along, "Come on/Turn up the sun/Turn it up for everyone/Love one another." After a couple of more tracks off the newest album, Oasis gets into the good stuff.

Fan favorite "Acquiesce" got the crowd going with lead singer Liam Gallagher's obscene hand gestures and Noel's solid backup vocals. Oasis fans wouldn't have it any other way.
With six albums under their belt, including a live release and a record of B-sides, Oasis fans still appreciate, and sometimes prefer, the songs that made them big.
I don't think I have ever been to an Oasis concert where "Live Forever," "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger" have not been played and thoroughly enjoyed by all. Those three songs were hits nearly ten years ago and have proved to stand the test of time.
Liam's voice quavered in all the right places during "Wonderwall" and "Live Forever," the latter of which has been a sort of anthem to Oasis fans everywhere.

Liam took a break while brother, lead guitarist and backbone of the group, Noel, played a couple of songs.
"Mucky Fingers" sounded the best with its heavy drum beats and Velvet Underground-like sound, and "The Importance of Being Idle" showed Noel's vocal range.
But, the best song of his set, and of the whole night, was definitely "Don't Look Back in Anger."
The song gives chills down everyone's spine when it starts, with the "Imagine"-inspired piano chords.
In all my years of seeing Oasis, I've never seen and heard so many fans singing along. Noel never sounded better either.

Oasis played mostly new songs for the night and ended with a cover of The Who's "My Generation," a song they usually close their show with. I would have preferred The Beatles' "I am the Walrus" but I'll watch Liam's take on Roger Daltry's famous vocalization any day.
Oasis are rock stars, plain and simple. They don't write the best songs and they aren't as dynamic onstage as they once were, but their fans love them. They love Liam's pose and uninterrupted stares into the audience during the outro to "Champagne Supernova" and his lack of use of a tambourine that he lovingly holds throughout the set. Whatever attitude the House of Blues took away from Oasis, I hope they won back at the casino.


Williamstown Plain Dealer