September 27, 1998
London WC2 Sound Republic
Noel Gallagher and Pete Townshend turn out for sacked Liverpool Dockers...
"Help me if you can I'm feeling down..." Something bizarre and vaguely significant is happening here. Noel Gallagher is plodding through a 'wistful', painfully dull version of 'Help!'. It seems reasonable to assume he's singing it for the laid-off Liverpool dockers, beneficiaries of this celebrity-spangled shindig. Yet perversely, it's more a reflection on Noel and the strange spirit of this event than a plea for compassion; '60s idealism, the spirit of the Fab Four, songs with 'real' tunes, dragged into the glare of the '90s. The songwriter of a wholly apolitical band making a statement out of a song which is nothing more than a self-indulgent pop star's realisation of his own profligacy.
For musicians consciously playing for a cause, it all sounds so lifeless. The Boo Radleys survive on charm alone, with only 'Reaching Out From Here' as evidence of the fervent rush they produce on record. Ocean Colour Scene follow with an efficient run-through of their burlesque pop and Mathew from Dodgy spins records, including The Beatles' 'Baby, You're A Rich Man', ironically echoing the self-regard of the assembled glitterati. It's down to the bands themselves to remind us that there are real people at the centre of this extravaganza.
And there's no denying the message reaches those who hang on Noel Gallagher's every word. When he responds to one canny audience member's request for a new song by playing just the first chord of the next Oasis single, there's enough of a reaction for it to feel like an exclusive. But it's unsurprising to see Noel and Steve Cradock jamming with headliner Pete Townshend like fawning schoolkids with their pin-up hero. Again, the '90s conflate with the '60s, as they meander through a ten-minute version of 'Magic Bus'. Maybe when Pete first played 'The Kids Are Alright' it was riotously epochal, but tonight's bass-heavy rehaul seems wilfully tasteful.
So: no lack of regard for the dockers, no lectures, no browbeating. Oh yeah, and no passion either...
NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.
Comments do not always reflect the views of NME, or IPC Media, for guidelines visit our Ts & Cs page