The audience at the Echo tonight are definitely up for some Rock and Roll. Which explains why the few who have started too early are throwing up copious amounts of alcohol as they walk through the Albert Dock to the arena. Someone clearly didn’t get the memo that this isn’t an Oasis gig.
Noel strolls onto the stage at 9pm sharp, as expected. There are no hold-ups, no drunken stumbling, even the offensive banter has disappeared – aside for some harmless scouse-bashing. This is a show that has evolved and changed – there’s a live choir for crying out loud – and that is probably why The Flying Birds are more successful than the, ahem, other post-Oasis export.
Accompanied by The Zutons’ bassist the musicianship is tight, Noel’s voice is almost identical to the record and although there is sometimes a slip in the lyrics the audience is chirping along so loud that no-one notices.
The singles from the new album get a warm welcome, especially a rousing rendition of ‘AKA…What A Life!’ and a massive cheer for the moving ‘If I Had A Gun.’ The test of a class act is how varied an age-range is present. There are countless parents with their kids, a barrage of 90’s children, all swaying their arms and pumping their fists.
But, of course, it’s the Oasis tunes that get everyone from the floor to the top corners of the packed out arena on their feet. The acoustic rendition of Supersonic sounds better than expected, and the encore of Whatever, and, of course, Don’t Look Back In Anger is the perfect finale.
AKA, what a show.