Review: Liam Gallagher "puts Co-op Live on the map" at biblical Manchester homecoming

With inimitable levels of rock ‘n’ roll swagger, Liam Gallagher announced ahead of his huge homecoming gigs at the new Co-op Live arena this weekend that he was about to “put this venue on the map”. I mean, c’mon, was it ever in any doubt?

Arriving on stage to a hero’s welcome, the chants of “Liam, Liam, Liam” ringing out, pint pots flying, the groan of the guitar to open with Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, it all sends this home crowd into a frenzy.

And the pace never really lets up from thereon in.

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Surveying the adoring arms reaching out to him, Liam booms: “Manchester vibes in the area” acknowledging the rapture.

Signs on the way into this gig said it was being filmed tonight and who can really blame him? He’s never going to nail a more perfect gig, or a more raucous response, than here on home turf in Manchester so it might as well be filmed for posterity.

This tour of Oasis’s seminal debut album Definitely Maybe in its 30th anniversary year is the dream ticket for fans. The audiences here merrily sing every word on the setlist, and whether in the mosh pit or up in the tiers, most are up bouncing along like it’s 1994 again. And I think some kind of world record was claimed for the longest time arms were held aloft at one gig.

The show is a celebration of Definitely Maybe in every possible, literal way. The stage is set with overblown iconography from the album cover famously set in Oasis guitarist Bonehead’s flat in West Didsbury - think giant pink flamingos, a looming globe and Burt Bacharach album cover.

Meanwhile, early songs in the setlist are accompanied by cutesy videos cherry picking notable references in each song - Sifters record shop sign during Shakermaker, lasagne during Digsy’s Diner… you get the picture.

Shakermaker he dedicates to “the main man at Man City Sheikh Mansour shaking it” to what is fair to say is a mixture of cheers and boos.

He dedicates Half the World Away cheekily “to his little brother” to what is whole-hearted cheers from an audience who would love nothing more than the Gallagher siblings to just kiss and make up already. Although his first time singing the vocals on this track on tour more than matches Noel’s it has to be said.

Up In the Sky is announced with Liam saying “the falsetto ain’t happening.” He needn’t have worried given the crowd are singing back every note of every song here tonight.

Early highlights include Columbia - always an epic singalong from the fans - as well as a rather unexpected outing of the "Columbia rap" from the album's demo outtakes.

Restating towards the end of the show his intention to “f***ing put this place on the map” he knows just how to do it.

And that’s with Cigarettes and Alcohol’s anthemic bluster causing a near seismic reaction across Co-op Live’s every nook and cranny.

Telling the audience he approves of this new venue, he also appears to drop a hint that he’s been talking to MTV here - they’re staging their EMAs at Co-op Live in November. They’d be mad not to snap him up for a starring role in it that’s for sure.

Liam was to be not the only Gallagher on stage on Saturday night. Opening honours went to his son Gene with his band Villanelle who proved themselves to be quite the polished ensemble. Liverpool indie legends Cast were next up with a bouncing set of hits like Alright and Sandstorm.

Frontman John Power told us we “were in a for a treat” and he wasn’t wrong there.

As Liam’s set drew to its fizzing conclusion with Slide Away and a triumphant Live Forever, he quips: “This is the last song this ain’t no Foo Fighters gig, or f***ing Taylor Swift gig either” in a nod to the other huge stadium fillers in the north west this weekend.

Although the vocal demands of the crowd mean there’s an inevitable second encore of I Am the Walrus.

Amid ongoing talk of an Oasis reunion, Liam said recently it is now "down to the universe". Does it need to happen? When nostalgia is this good solo who knows, and some might say, who cares?

Setlist

Rock n Roll Star

Columbia

Shakermaker

Up in the Sky

Digsy's Diner

Bring it on Down

Cloudburst

I Will Believe

Half the World Away

D'Yer Wanna Be a Spaceman?

Fade Away

Lock All the Doors

(It's Good) To Be Free

Whatever

Cigarettes & Alcohol

Married With Children

ENCORE

Supersonic

Slide Away

Live Forever

ENCORE 2

I Am the Walrus