aaamusic | On 21, Mar 2011

[cincopa AUBAxi6nhVa3]
Milan, March 16th

Italy was waiting for this day since the 30th of august 2009, when Oasis cancelled their Milan show on the light of the split occurred two days before in Paris, leaving worldwide fans speechless and sad. Noel vanished into thin air and Liam took time for his clothing label, Pretty Green. This event marks the end of an epoch, but also a beginning of a new one.

In two years Liam, with former Oasis Andy Bell, Gem Arche and Chris Sharrock gave life to a new band: Beady Eye. Joined by bassist Jeff Wootton (who recently worked with Gorillaz) and Matt Jones from Ultrasound, the band has been working hard with the purpose of getting back stronger than ever. Their debut album “Different Gear Still Speeding”, in pure Beatles-style, came out on the 28th of February hitting charts and obtaining positive feedbacks. Tonight they’re here in Milan to present it.

Despite the heavy rain, people started queuing up very soon in the morning, ready and willing to see their idols right in front of them. The venue opened ad 7pm, fans started running as fast as they could to reach the first row. The crowd is full of “Liam Gallagher-wannabes” and Oasis nostalgic, who immediately began making a mess and drinking beer. The Hacienda, a five piece indie-rock band from Florence, is the opening act for this amazing night. With a 30 minutes set, they warm up the audience, which gets more and more excited for what is yet to come.

Some minutes after 9pm, once again the lights are turned off and a musical intro finally brought the band on stage. Liam, with an Italian flag on his shoulder, as usual incited his fans with his typical gesture that we all know. Other members stylishly went in their position greeting and smiling. The opening track is “Four Letter Word”, a very energetic song that instantly get people mosh and throw water and beer everywhere. The group was in fine form and Liam’s voice seems a lot better than last tour. The delirium carries on with “Beatles and Stones”, another powerful song that took us back into 1965, when The Who sang “My Generation”. It’s now the turn of “Millionaire”, dedicated to a friend of mine who is pregnant but jumps and screams at the back of the venue.

After this mighty beginning, people quiets down a little bit to enjoy “For Anyone” and the last single from the album: “The Roller”, the most famous hit that every single person sang along. In that moment I realized how perfect and overwhelming the union between the acoustic guitar and the keyboard was.

Just a little break and it’s time to jump and go crazy again when the initial riff of “Wind Up Dream” pitches into us. In spite of the heat everyone is dancing on “Bring the light” and on “Standing on the edge of the noise”, the best moment of the whole concert, I thought the building was about to collapse on our heads! Liam is very excited; you can perfectly notice that he is enjoying the show and that he is totally amazed. The others are a little bit more peaceable but very proud and aware that they’re going well on stage!

Liam leaves everyone amused when he dedicates “Kill for a dream”, a wonderful ballad, to the people in Japan. Then with “Three Ring Circus”, Beady Eye give us the chance to run wild once again and right after they get us emotional with “The beat goes on”. We feel the gig was about to end when the band thrills us with “Man of misery”, a stunning b-side and plays “The Morning son” before leaving the stage.

The lights are trembling, fans are screaming “Liam, Liam…” they want them back to finish the concert in an unforgettable way. Indeed after a minute or even less they make their glorious entrance for the second time. The frontman thanks his fans for coming and making this night phenomenal just two seconds before “Sons of the stage” starts.

The show has now ended…I’ve never seen Liam and the band so delighted and exalted. But I must admit that when I realized Noel won’t be on stage with them again a thin tear streamed down my face, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

Author: Giulia Balzarini
Photos: Alessia Caffo