Review: Beady Eye In Belfast

Oasis's 1994 gig at Belfast's Limelight has gone down in rock 'n' roll history.

It was the evening the Mancunian mob learned their debut album had reached number one.

Last night's return to Belfast by front man Liam Gallagher, with his new band Beady Eye, also had an air of occasion.

The Ulster Hall was packed with die-hard fans eager to check out what Liam is up to now (and to sup a few thousand pints in the process).

Beady Eye is essentially Oasis without guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher, or, as some have joked, Oasis without the brains.

Loudmouth Liam is joined by the remaining members of the group's last line-up, guitarist Gem Archer, bassist Andy Bell, now on second guitar, and drummer Chris Sharrock.

They could have pulled a Guns n' Roses and kept the Oasis name, but respect is due for forging a new identity.

Consequently, they don't feel obliged to play any Oasis material, but that didn't seem to matter to last night's sold-out crowd, who greeted the songs from the foursome's Different Gear, Still Speeding CD like they were old favourites.

Unreconstructed efforts such as Four Letter Word, Beatles and Stones, The Roller and Standing on the Edge of the Noise are heads-down, no-nonsense anthems holding two fingers up to an increasingly stale music scene.

True, the new tracks may not be of the standard of the likes of Roll with It or Wonderwall and it has to be said that Noel's presence on stage left is certainly missed.

But as long as Liam still has the swagger and his bandmates continue to knock out the tunes, Beady Eye should be well worth watching.

Source: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk