Live Review: Noel Gallagher In T.O.

Toronto - There was definitely a feeling of occasion last night at the Danforth Music Hall as Oasis guitarist-songwriter-singer Noel Gallagher played a rare show on his own.

A sign of things to come for the Manchester rock band?

Not bloody likely, if Oasis frontman and Noel’s brother Liam Gallagher has anything to do with it.

The concert, which sold out quickly and saw scalpers getting at least $250 per ticket, was just one of a half-dozen or so shows that Gallagher is performing around the world to promote the upcoming Oasis best-of, Stop The Clocks, in stores Nov. 21.

It had been billed as an unplugged performance, but Gallagher was joined by Oasis rhythm guitarist Gem, who played both lead electric guitar and organ, and drummer-percussionist Terry Kirkbride for his hour-and-ten-minute set.

The material leaned towards b-sides, with a mix of crowd favourites like Talk Tonight, Half The World Away, The Importance Of Being Idle and Slide Away and full-out hits Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back InAnger — all of which are on Clocks.

Gallagher even trotted out the Beatles classic Strawberry Fields Forever for his encore.

Now if only he had been able to shut up the enthusiastic (drunk?) crowd, who were on their feet from the opening song and continually shouted out requests and words of admiration no matter how quiet it got on stage.

“There’s no reason to shout out song titles,” said Gallagher, in exasperation at one point. “I have prepared a set list which I’m not going to deviate from.”

The often hilarious, black-and-white rockumentary, Lord Don’t Slow Me Down, which was filmed during Oasis’ last tour, was also given its Canadian premiere at the Danforth before Gallagher took the stage. (He was in New York screening the film before he got to Toronto.)

“Did you enjoy the film?” he asked. “Is it any good? Do I look good?”

Truthfully, it’s a pretty funny document of Oasis behind-the-scenes, whether it’s a camera spying on Liam’s child-like dancing around a silent, empty room, or Noel spouting his usual bon mots at the expense of his brother.

“Liam is going to go bald,” he is heard saying towards the end of the movie. “When Liam goes bald, that’s when we’ll pack it in.”

Source : www.jam.canoe.ca