Noel Gallagher - Melkweg, 30 November 2011

Amid all the talk of an Oasis reunion, it's worth remembering that Noel Gallagher's solo album was incredibly good, as were the live shows on the tour to promote it. My recording of his Melbourne show is worth a listen if you were there, but if you're after a soundboard recording, this show from the Netherlands should do the trick. It's interesting to hear him say that he sophmore album will be released the following year. Still waiting, but hopefully it'll show up just two years late.

It's Good to Be Free
Mucky Fingers
Everybody's on the Run
Dream On
If I Had a Gun...
The Good Rebel
The Death of You and Me
Freaky Teeth
Wonderwall
Supersonic
(I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine
AHA... What a Life!
Talk Tonight
Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks
AHA... Broken Arrow
Half the World Away
Stranded on the Wrong Beach

Little By Little
The Importance of Being Idle
Don't Look Back in Anger

https://mega.co.nz/#F!4FcGgYaQ!ronl7bQJUtIYG7Jatz9XEA

Best in Show

With no more shows scheduled this month I thought it might be a good time for a mid-year performance review.  How have this years shows been?  What have been the highlights/lowlights?  And so on.

My top show:

1. Noel Gallagher - my expectations for this weren't that high, but having never seen Oasis I thought this would be worthwhile.  It turned out to be great.  Gallagher Sr is a great singer, and his new album is as good as most of Oasis' material.  He also did a good job of mixing old and new, and rarities and big hits.  The recording of this also turned out great.

Honourable mentions:

2. My Morning Jacket
3. Jason Isbell
4. Jason Isbell/Ryan Adams
5. Wavves

Worst show:

Soundgarden - the best of this year probably doesn't match the best of last year, and fortunately the worst of this year also doesn't match the worst of last year (Big Boi).  The problem with this gig was the awful (awful!) sound.  It was muddy and bass heavy.  For some songs it was pretty much impossible to know what was being sung, and things never got any better.  I've heard bad things about Sidney Myer, but its hard to believe that any band (or promoter) would put up with a venue this bad.  Hopefully it will prove to be better when I see the Black Keys there.

Noel Gallagher - 31 January 2012, Palais Theatre

This gig was the start of a busy few days.  It kicked off on a near perfect note with this show.  Heading into this show I was happy to have read that Gallagher knew lots of people would be there only to hear Oasis songs, and that he would make sure to include them.  It was also a smart move if it meant that people got to hear stuff from his extremely good first solo album.

The show kicked off with an immediate dig at his former bandmates, in the form of Oasis b-side (It's Good) To Be Free.  A couple more Oasis songs followed, leading into a series of songs from his solo album, and a couple of unreleased songs.  Obviously the Oasis songs were the best received of the night, but the crowd seemed to enjoy the solo stuff (for those looking for signs for his next album, Freaky Teeth was a stand out).  The middle of the set featured an acoustic break.  This is normally where Wonderwall featured, but Melbourne wasn't to hear it this tour (BDO didn't get it either).

Noel seemed to be in a good mood.  There was lots of semi-good natured banter, taking the piss out of the crowd, or particular people in it (only if they had singled themselves out by yelling at him).  The putdown of the person yelling a request was particularly masterful.

The show concluded with a trio of Oasis songs, ending with a singalong on Don't Look Back in Anger.  This was a great show; I'm hoping he will be one of the acts to make two visits this year (a la Soundgarden if Chris Cornell is to be believed).

Intro
(It's Good) To Be Free
Mucky Fingers
Everybody's on the Run
Dream On
Talking 1
If I Had a Gun...
Talking 2
The Good Rebel
Talking 3
The Death of You and Me
Talking 4
Freaky Teeth
Talking 5
Whatever
Supersonic
(I Want to Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine
Talking 6
AKA... What a Life
Band Intros
Talk Tonight
Solider Boys & Jesus Freaks
AKA... Broken Arrow
Talking 7
Half the World Away
(Stranded on) The Wrong Beach
Encore Break
Little By Little
Talking 8
The Importance of Being Idle
Talking 9
Don't Look Back in Anger

http://www.mediafire.com/?bn70qwpyolztk