June 12, 2001

Oasis : Boston Tweeter Center

Last night of the Brotherly Love tour, and Oasis are as tight as they've ever been...

In rock'n'roll, being retro is acceptable, but being nostalgic is horrible. So, for the sea of enthusiastic, but still American, Union Jack wavers waiting for the brothers Gallagher and the remastered Oasis to prove that they are still bigger than The Beatles, there is some nervousness.

Oasis are touring behind a live album, the propped-up 'Standing On The Shoulder of Giants', a b-sides collection (albeit a good one), and the bloated 'Be Here Now'. But before anyone has an opportunity to shout, "What's the story?" or try to pass off an inauthentic "Bollocks!", Noel is kicking up the squelch of 'Go Let It Out', passing off to Gem for the ace one-note guitar solo, and Liam is rallying, hunching over like he's been kicked in the belly, arms behind his back like they're cuffed, and banging his tambourine like it takes talent. It may not be stable, but it is Oasis. And you love it.

Liam dispenses with the simple "cheers" early, turns quickly into the megalomaniacal monobrow you'd expect, sneering the sweetness right out of 'Fade Away', before fucking off for 'Acquiesce', settling in behind a monitor, chin in hand, to watch Noel play front man. Classic. Last night of the 'Brotherly Love' tour indeed.

Questionable brotherly bonds aside though, the band proves tight musically, punctuating Liam's over-pronounced "Morning glor-eee" with Bonzo-esque drumming and scarring up 'Gas Panic''s frantic, psychedelic aneurysm of an ending with surgical sharp guitar. They don't move around much on stage and they cop the '60s and '70s shamelessly. True. Plus, 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' and 'Slide Away' instead of 'Rock & Roll Star' and 'Live Forever' seems like a really bad omen. True. But, when Noel sings, "Please don't put your life in the hands of a rock'n'roll band, who'll throw it all away" and you know you shouldn't, you do.

So maybe tonight, if we promise to not look back in anger, maybe they'll promise to not look back at all.

Ben Wolford