15 June 2022 (gig)
18 June 2022
The last time Noel was at Eden was in 2009 with his old band. A month or so, and a handful of gigs later later, Oasis were done. Some of the same crowd from all that time ago are no doubt here again this time, at least the smattering of cagouls and bucket hats in the crowd would suggest so.
Today Noel has some High Fying Birds in tow instead of a certain sibling. No matter, the mood is anticipatory, the beer is flowing, and yes, it's happened, Eden has dropped the drinks tokens system and we can pay using contactless payment! Never fear, if you have a few tokens at the back of the kitchen drawer they'll still take them for rest of the 2022 sessions.
When the band come on stage, as well as Noel, there's a few other familiar faces here, ex Oasis, Chris Sharrock is on Drums and Gem Archer on Guitar. Also, former Zutons bassist Russel Pritchard is a long standing member of the band. So there's a lot of experience on stage here, and they don't disappoint.
They kick off with Fort Knox which gets us warmed up, but it's Holy Mountain that really gets everyone singing along. The band are extremely tight and polished and remind the audience how many quality tunes Noel has written over the last decade. Noel is full of the usual quick wit and wry smiles as he throws dry comments out to the crowd.
These songs are great, and there's plenty of people singing along, but it's clear that most of us are wondering, hoping, will he play some Oasis?
Noel at one point says "If you're wondering why you spent so much on a ticket for tonight, you're about to find out." They kick into Little By Little, all of a sudden the whole place lifts up, the volume of the crowd is turned up to eleven and everyone here finds their voices.
Noel and the band then treat us to another 5 Oasis songs in a row, we all sing along every word to The Importance of Being Idle, Whatever, Wonderwall, half the World Away and Stop Crying Your Heart Out. OK, songs like Wonderwall don't quite sound the same without Liam's physical and vocal swagger, but this is the guy who penned all of these classics stood right in front of us, and we love it.
Just as we're all getting our vocal chords well and truely warmed up, they leave the stage. A fair few people start wandering up the meandering hill to the exit, do they really not expect an encore?
They come back on, of course and give us probably the High Flying Bird's two best songs, If I Had a Gun and the fantastic AKA ...What A Life. They have to finish with an Oasis number though, right? There's an almost endless list that Noel could choose from but Don't Look Back In Anger it is. It makes sense for him to finish with one that he actually took the lead vocal on in the first place, and it's a great closer for the night.
It's impossible not to lament the absence of Liam, we all missed his sneer, his unmistakable delivery and his oversized jacket tonight, but Noel reminded us all of the supreme song writing talent that he was, and still is.
Setlist;
Fort Knox
Holy Mountain
Keep On Reaching
It's a Beautiful World
She Taught Me How to Fly
Wandering Star
Rattling Rose
We're on Our Way Now
Black Star Dancing
Dead in the Water
Little by Little
The Importance of Being Idle
Whatever
Wonderwall
Half the World Away
Stop Crying Your Heart Out
If I Had a Gun...
AKA... What a Life!
Don't Look Back in Anger
