Jez

Perth Concert Review IN stark contrast to the flashy fanfare preceding concerts from single-name superstars Robbie, Kylie and Elton in the past few weeks, Noel Gallagher's solo tour of Australia has been relatively low-key. The tour was announced only weeks before it was due to take place and the tickets sold out within minutes, yet many fans didn't even know Gallagher was coming. For the lucky couple of thousand who scored tickets to this intimate acoustic performance, this was a chance to hear tracks Oasis never play and see Noel Gallagher perform them without being upstaged by the simian-like antics of his younger brother, Liam. During the hour-and-a-bit show last night at the Perth Concert Hall, Gallagher played some of his favourite songs, many of which were album tracks and b-sides, and a few well-loved classics. Joined by Oasis guitarist Gem Archer, who shifted from guitar to a theatrical box organ, and Terry Kirkbride on snare and percussion, Gallagher sauntered on to the stage with his trademark "come on" hand gestures before plonking himself on a stool, plugging in his acoustic and launching into (It's Good) To Be Free. Focusing his attention at his feet, Gallagher was hardly an energetic performer, but what he lacked in showmanship he made up for with sincerity, handling each song like an old friend and delivering it flawlessly. Talk Tonight was a crowd pleaser and got several audience members on their feet. It was followed by the Noel-sung acoustic and much better version of Fade Away. Addressing the lad-heavy crowd, Gallagher asked: "So how are you anyway?" before acknowledging that England's cricket team were not doing too well. The team had arranged to be at the show, but given the misery of their day at the WACA, who could blame most of them for opting for a warm bath and cup of tea instead. Introducing Archer and Kirkbride, Gallagher pointed to himself and said: "And I of course, is Liam's brother." The remark was greeted by cheers as the always straight-faced Gallagher launched into Cast No Shadow. A barrage of quips, requests and banter from the Brit-packed crowd flowed throughout the night, causing Gallagher to remark: "Is there anybody here who is not from England?" During a rare moment when all fell silent in the Concert Hall, Gallagher looked up and said: "This is why Liam doesn't come to things like this. It would do his head in. Just that 45 seconds of silence would do his head in." It was a rare and welcome treat to hear obscure Oasis songs and see the elder Gallagher playing outside of the Oasis stadium rock environment without the necessary posturing and posing of his younger sibling. The song selection reflected the laid-back vibe of the performance, from Gallagher's latest favourite, The Importance of Being Idle, to the excellent Slide Away, crowd pleasers Wonderwall and Don't Look Back in Anger and even a cover of Strawberry Fields Forever. Possibly one of Oasis's greatest b-sides, Listen Up, was greeted by an enormous roar that caused Gallagher to remark: "You all think it is Supersonic and it's not, so you can take that cheer back." "No I'm not doing Rock N Roll Star that would be ridiculous," he remarked to another heckler. "If you keep shouting songs at me I will just shout them back," he said, before reeling off a few ending with Beethoven's 5th. "Fortunately it's not as good as this one," he remarked of the maestro's masterpiece before playing his own gem Half The World Away. A slightly different version of Wonderwall prompted the explanation of: "I wrote it, so I sing it the way I want to." Gallagher’s wit and unchecked ego were both in full flight and it was clear he was lapping up the limelight, in his own way. With the "goodbye I'm going home" strains of Married With Children, Gallagher, who would the very next morning be boarding a plane back to England "to do the Christmas shopping", gave the audience a clap and walked off stage. It was hardly the gig of the year, but it was a rare and warm treat delivered with style by England's premier rock ‘n’ roll songwriter. Gallagher, at least, did England proud. news.com.au 17/12/06

MTV Australia to air Melbourne Concert Hearing an acoustic, solo Noel Gallagher perform his band's magnum opus, Wonderwall, it was hard not to wish he'd sung it in the first place. Of course, it was his brother Liam - the surly one - who belted the Cool Britannia anthem out in his usual unmeasured style on the the 1995 Oasis release (What's The Story) Morning Glory?. (It was great, of course. Liam Gallagher has never been one of England's most technically proficient vocalists, but he is one of the most compelling.) In the hands of its writer Noel - the curmudgeonly one - the song might not have had the energetic angst of the record, but it had light, shade and nuance and it was apparent the song actually meant something to its composer. The feeling was typical of Noel Gallagher's performance during an intimate gig in Melbourne recorded for MTV's Live At The Chapel series on Monday night. The gig was held before Gallagher's sold-out show at Enmore Theatre in Newtown on Wednesday night. Accompanied by Oasis guitarist Gem Archer and percussionist Terry Kirkbridge, Gallagher performed a handful of Oasis hits as well as a whole lot of B sides with which only fans, or those in possession of the recently released Oasis best of, Stop The Clocks, might be familiar. Introducing the Kinks-esque 2005 British hit The Importance Of Being Idle, Gallagher called it the "last great song I wrote" with a wistfulness that provided a deliciously voyeuristic insight into the psyche of the loudmouth as artiste. No such intro for Talk Tonight, the gorgeous B side of the hit Some Might Say. But Gallagher's delicate (yes, delicate) performance of a song containing the lyrics "I wanna talk tonight ... 'bout how you saved my life" left a lingering sense of his vulnerability and not just a whiff of boyish charm. Gallagher hadn't gone completely soft though. A few choice digs at his favourite sources of derision, brother Liam and Robbie Williams, kept his motormouth rep well intact. His taped performance, Noel Gallagher At Vodafone Live At The Chapel, will screen on MTV December 26. source: Sun Herald 14/12/06

:cheer: The Wonderwall Ripp Off Oasis star Noel Gallagher has accused punk trio of "ripping off" his Wonderwall anthem for their hit Boulevard Of Broken Dreams. Gallagher has been a long-time outspoken critic of the American Idiot hitmakers, but admits he was fuming the first time he heard their 2005 hit. Gallagher explains: "If you listen, you'll find it is exactly the same arrangement as Wonderwall. "They should have the decency to wait until I am dead (before releasing this). I, at least, pay the people I steal from that courtesy." And the rocker's rant continues: "They consider themselves to be - and I quote - 'a kick-ass rock 'n' roll band'. They could not be less kick-ass if they tried." source: iol.ie 13/12/06

dont look back in anger

champagne supernova

songbird

go let it out

acquiesce

live forever

220k max

Well it seems like everyone is tucked up in bed :o .

half the world away

:wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: :wub: x110

:wub: :wub: i shall not go in to details ;)

No mistletoe :o Oh well i suppose i will have to thow them away :)

supersonic

live forever

Los Angeles San fernando valley why you going to visit me :cheer:

How do i feel i feel pretty fine. just doing some cleaning around the flat.

the masterplan

hi Sabby, How are you?

Hello :D So i got to the Prof office but he wasn't there :huh: obviously he has better things to do than wait for his students :lol: . So i'm gonna go back in an hour ;)

slide away

wonderwall

some might say