OASIS @ ODYSSEY ARENA, BELFAST 29/10/08

Like any Oasis gig, Thursday's Odyssey session had a deceptive inclusiveness made ironically palatable by onstage bravado. That's the Oasis trick and, despite a string of beige-rock records, it still packs arenas with lager-dripping embracers.
Pre-recorded prologue, "Fuckin' in the Bushes," portended standoffishness, yet its successor, a sonorous paint-by-numbers "Rock 'n' Roll Star," announced beer-hall-style chant-along intentions. An unabashed platonic man-love extravaganza of Burning-Man proportions ensued.
The set skewed toward the mediocre Dig Out Your Soul which, given the length of beer lines, provided welcome respites. "I'm Outta Time" had cloying shades of "Don't Go Away" and "The Masterplan" and its MOR touchstones and proximity to canon staples dwarfed it. Similarly, "The Shock of the Lightning" had bombastic designs but drowned in muted thumping and a superfluous Beatles reference. Only a handful of late-period selections fared better.

Don't Believe the Truth's "The Importance of Being Idle" and "Lyla" held the intensity established by old stalwarts. While lifeless on disc, the former's militaristic rhythm section bursts and blues-inspired riff gave it playfulness. The latter's repetitiveness worked better in a live context, benefitting hugely from gawkers' choral accompaniment. Regardless, post-Be Here Now -- itself entirely ignored -- tracks were merely placeholders between classics.

Most people don't go to an Oasis show to hear the latest Gem Archer offering. Despite the earnest inclusion of new-ish songs, the band's past triumphs still cull its crowds. Thus, Oasis gigs have a list of prerequisites: a helping of Definitely Maybe cuts ("Cigarettes and Alcohol," "Slide Away"), an aging b-side ("The Masterplan"), a Beatles cover (still "I Am the Walrus" (why?)), and a holy trinity of (What's the Story) Morning Glory? singles.

"Wonderwall" has more mileage than the QE2 and it stayed carefully to its template. Though, when the familiar acoustic rhythm kicked in for the umpteenth time it still stirred. Conversely "Champagne Supernova" quickened its time signature and its epic swell lost some steam in the process. Lit by point-and-shoot LCD screens and abetted by a Chris Carrabba-style sing-along, the best of the three, an acoustic take on "Don't Look Back in Anger," was paradoxically fragile and resounding.

Oasis gigs come with a caveat. Reinvention isn't expected, but man-hugs, machismo, and a parade of torchlight anthems are. By those standards, the Gallaghers et al largely succeeded. Did I mention the man-hugs?

By Scott Tavener
Photos by Lucia Graca

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