Saturday 09/07/05 Oasis @ Milton Keynes Bowl

Swaggering out onto the stage with impossible confidence and greeting the 85,000 strong crowd with a few typical expletives, Liam exudes his usual arrogant mix of apathy and passion. Apathetic most of the time, apart from when he gets a bit excited about the large amount of ginger people in the crowd, but passionate all the time in his striking voice which has remained in remarkable condition over the years - despite what the critics try to tell us.

An uncomplicated, no frills 75 minute set (with the excpeption of some groovy lighting) treated the crowd to a lot of thier old stuff as well as their new. Massive anthems 'Champaign Supernova', 'Don't Look Back In Anger' and '(What's The Story) Morning Glory' are undoubtedly the kind of tunes most of the audience had come for. Although, it seems, that Liam could have been singing the lyrics to 'We Are The Cheeky Girls' and the somewhat mashed audience would have chanted along waving thier hands around, united by the vibe of "Oasis love (man)." Live versions of more current material 'Lyla' and 'Songbird' proves as testiment to the band's enduring talents, with the whole band working to exude perfect musical symmetry. The proffessionalism and apparent sobriety displayed was refreshing - if un-charactersitc - but essentially the boys were back on the same lovable form. The high profile sacking of Babyshambles from the tour was duely noted by the dedication of the debatably fitting 'The Importance Of Being Idle', and was greeted with mass boo's from the crowd as Liam jeered the band.

As darkness fell, 'Live Forever' provided a poigniant tribute to the recent London tragedies, but the mood never fell sombre.  The ever inspirational lyrics Oasis stun us with time and time
again, offering wisdom coupled with reality, played out so beautifully it's hard not to feel a surge of hope. And,
despite the drunken bafoons throwing beer everywhere (the crowd, not the brothers!), the festival-like atmosphere was charged with friendly vibes, culminating in an electrifying
encore including a song representative of the mood the old britpopper's re-evoked all those years ago, none other
than The Who classic 'My Generation'.