Review: Liam Gallagher at the Co-Op Live ‘a monumental night that will live long in the memory’

Last night, Liam Gallagher returned home to Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena for the 30th year anniversary of Definitely Maybe.

Absolutely packed to the rafters full of bucket hats, Stone Island jackets and Adidas trainers, you knew what was coming, and you were going to love it anyway.

Even before Liam Gallagher took the stage, the atmosphere was electric. An excellent performance from CAST set the tone, and the energy levels in the audience soared as the pre-gig-disco tunes played.mo

I Am The Resurrection by The Stone Roses and Town Called Malice by The Jam had the crowd buzzing, perfectly gearing them up for a high-energy evening in the city. Some bands don’t get a sing-along like these tunes did.

Liam Gallagher Definitely Maybe 30th Anniversary tour

Marking the 30th anniversary of Oasis’ debut album, Definitely Maybe, the show opened with a countdown clock ticking back from 2024 to 1994, perfectly setting the stage for a night steeped in nostalgia.

Set design

The set design was a tribute to the Definitely Maybe album cover, designed by Brian Cannon and shot by Michael Spencer Jones,  featuring iconic elements like a retro television playing Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on loop and other retro clips from that time period.

Burt Bacharach’s face adorned the organ, like on the album cover, placed at Noel’s request as he’s a big fan. There was also a huge globe spinning above the stage.

There were also two giant flamingos. Not sure why, but they were pretty cool.

The performance

Opening with Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, Liam Gallagher proved that the song still has the power to blow the roof off, even 30 years on.

Gallagher, looking energised and fully engaged, was a commanding presence on stage.

You could tell he was up for it straight away.

The setlist included Columbia, with Bonehead joining on guitar, and even included Liam’s rap from the Sawmill version (released last week for the 30th-anniversary boxset) and Digsy’s Dinner, which was accompanied by a surreal 30ft lasagne projection on the twin screens.

Bring It On Down had the crowd bouncing, its heavy chorus amplified by impressive special effects on the big screen. Shout out to the SFX team, it really added to the intensity of the song.

A special mention goes to the backing singers and string section, whose harmonies beautifully complemented Gallagher’s signature snarl, adding depth and richness to the performance.

Their contribution was particularly notable on tracks like Whatever and Half the World Away, transforming these classics into epic singalongs with the crowd’s phone lights creating waves of illumination across the arena.

Definitely Maybe B Sides

There were plenty of surprises throughout the night. Shakermaker, dedicated to Sheikh Mansour from Manchester City, received almost unanimous boos, to which Liam responded with his trademark defiance, flipping the finger to the crowd. Didn’t expect that – maybe all Oasis fans are United fans (?!?!)

This was followed by a rare performance of Cloudburst, dedicated to a friend named Stefano, which had the crowd rocking in a funky Stone Roses style. It could have been right out of the Brown/Squire songbook.

Another unexpected gem was I Will Believe, a B-side featuring Noel’s signature guitar licks and a Slade-style chorus, highlighting the optimistic spirit of early Oasis.

Dedications to Noel

The audience was treated to a heartfelt dedication to Noel with Half the World Away, featuring a melodic string accompaniment that turned into a massive singalong.

Liam’s version sounded pretty good but perhaps lacked a bit of the pathos of his younger brother. But since when has that not been the case?

Fade Away was dedicated to the ‘Burnage Massive’ where the Gallaghers grew up, and ‘D’yer wanna be a Spaceman to all the gluesniffers’.

“Now this is a nice building innit”, Liam commented on the packed-out Co-Op Live. 

A nice surprise of the set was a version of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Lock All the Doors. It took on an added layer of emotional resonance given their current acrimony – although he did describe it as a C side before the band began. Make of that what you will. 

It sounded good with Liam’s stripped-back vocals, a slower rockier drive. Not bad at all. 

Before the penultimate song of the set, Liam said: “Let’s put this arena on the map. I heard a guy called James had a big night here last night on the box, or so he says let’s see about that then.

“I don’t know about that.”

Then rocked into Cigarettes and Alcohol. This prompted an almost immediate jettison of everyone’s pints as though it had started raining indoors.

“The co-op has arrived, I reckon that was much better than James,” Liam added.

He closed the main set with Married with Children, before the incredible encore jam-packed with epoch-defining tunes.

The encore

The encore featured Supersonic, with its driving riff retaining all its original power, and Slide Away, which turned into a powerful singalong.

The emotional high point was Live Forever, accompanied by images of music legends who had passed away, including Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, and John Lennon, which provoked a massive cheer.

Liam cheekily remarked, “None of this Foo Fighters nonsense, none of this Taylor Swift madness – we’ve got a home to get to,” teasing that the show was done, but you always suspected he had a little surprise up his sleeve (of his Spezial SPZL Todmorden Smock, of course).

Amidst serious decibels from the crowd, Gallagher triumphantly returned to perform The Beatles’ “I Am the Walrus,” a fitting end to a night that celebrated both Oasis’ legacy and Gallagher’s enduring appeal.

Celebrating 30 years since the release of Oasis’ debut record, Definitely Maybe, last night’s performance proved the album’s enduring brilliance. Its anthems continue to resonate with fans, as evidenced by the passionate and energetic crowd.

On a wholesome note, I was sat next to a father and son – the father who’d clearly lived and breathed Oasis in their time – and his young son, who knew every single word. The album still resonating with young people today for it’s optimism and feel good factor.

The songs, as fresh and powerful as ever, sparked the same excitement and love from the audience as they did three decades ago, highlighting the timeless appeal of one of rock’s most iconic albums.

A monumental night that will long live in the memory.

You can find out more of what’s going on at Co-Op Live by clicking here