He doesn’t look happy but we love it

Liam Gallagher, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

WITH that anorak, no hint of a smile and that classic hands behind your back stance, there’s no doubting you’re at a Liam Gallagher gig.

He is of course the ultimate frontman and the man himself was on top form.

There’s no small talk or big effort made to get the crowd in good spirits at a Liam Gallagher gig because they already are. Gallagher isn’t one for words apart from when it matters. And who needs it when he’s belting out song after song after song.

And the crowd loved it - old and young. For the singer has earned himself a new following as the crowd was full of teenage fans who were continually chanting his name. And as much as they loved the new stuff, they had the same reaction to the Oasis songs as well.

Liam interspersed the songs from his current album, As You Were, with some Oasis classics.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Star got everyone in the right mood if they weren’t already and Morning Glory was a firm favourite. It was like rolling back the years to when many of the older fans, and I include myself in that, watched Oasis in their element at packed arenas all over the world.

I fondly look back to when I saw the Gallagher brothers in Cardiff in 2009 at what was then the Millennium Stadium. And Wednesday night was like seeing an old friend. It was good to see him back where he belongs.

Supersonic and Some Might Say had great reactions from the crowd as the younger fans, sitting on their mates’ shoulders, sang every word with as much passion as For What It’s Worth, Greedy Soul and Wall Of Glass.

For What It’s Worth has been a big success for Liam. It’s a reminder of Oasis with it’s Don’t Look Back In Anger feel that you can’t help but sing along to.

For the loyal fans, he treated them to tracks like Rockin’ Chair and Slide Away and two encores which included Cigarettes and Alcohol, Live Forever and finally, of course, Wonderwall.

For the latter part of the gig, Gallagher stood proudly with his hood up. His voice never wavered. He sounds as good now as he did back then. And what a year he’s had. As You Were is an album he can be proud of even if he doesn’t look particularly happy on stage. He’s proved that, like Noel, he can do it without his brother by his side and it’s exciting to see what he does next.

Alison Sanders