There is life after Oasis for Beady Eye

The perfect rock star: Liam Gallagher strikes a typical pose during Beady Eye’s London debut at the Troxy

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By John Aizlewood
10 Mar 2011



Nobody seriously thought that when Noel Gallagher left Oasis in 2009 we had seen the last of him or "our kid" Liam. Few though expected Liam -hardly a songwriting powerhouse, nor seemingly the more together Gallagher - to make the first move.

But Liam's Beady Eye have their debut album - Different Gear, Still Speeding - tucked snugly under their belts and last night they made their London debut before an audience including ex-All Saint Nicole Appleton (Mrs Liam), plus assorted Arctic Monkeys, Kasabians and Kaiser Chiefs.

That there wasn't an Oasis song heard or demanded hardly mattered. After all, Beady Eye songs are sung by Oasis's singer and played by Oasis's band (minus Noel), so there were no prizes for guessing who those songs might resemble.

Although Oasis's later albums will not be remembered fondly, they spent their final summer playing arenas and stadiums to delirious crowds.

It wasn't broke and Liam was never going to attempt to fix it. So the more things change, the more they stay the same. Now 38 and in the most commanding vocal form of his career, Liam still seemingly does nothing on stage yet, courtesy of the charisma that courses through his DNA, he remains one of the great frontmen. As in Oasis, he stood statuesque, his sweat-drenched Parka remaining stubbornly buttoned up. Hands locked behind his back, knees bent and legs bowed Max Wall-style, he somehow remains the perfect rock star.

Yet, there was a subtle difference. Gallagher still swaggered, he's still not one for lengthy discourse and he did spend much of the closing Sons Of The Stage (a cover of long-lost scamps' World Of Twist's finest moment) glowering at the audience like a security guard. But, perhaps a little insecure after leaving the Oasis cocoon, he thanked the audience for coming and applauded them. There was even gentle musical evolution: for all its hideously clichéd title, there was a new-found sweetness to The Beat Goes On. And, more surprising still, sweetness rather becomes Liam Gallagher.

The Morning Son may yet become Beady Eye's Don't Look Back In Anger; Four Letter Word was built around a tsunami of electrifying riffs and Three Ring Circus was a thumping stomper which literally shook the Troxy balcony. Beady Eye may be conservative, but that doesn't mean they don't thrill. For Liam Gallagher, there is life after Oasis. Your move Noel...

Beady Eye's show at the Troxy tonight is sold out.