“Tampa…I don’t think I’ve ever been here before…” Noel Gallagher mentioned to the audience on Thursday night, midway through his set. What the British singer-songwriter might have forgotten is that he and his brother’s former band, hugely successfully 1990s Britpop band Oasis, were supposed to play a string of Florida shows in 1996. However, the tour (including a stop at the USF Sun Dome, now known as the Yuengling Center) was cancelled just days before due to a massive blowout he had with his younger brother and band lead singer Liam.
For those who may have been waiting since that time to see the elder Gallagher occupy a local stage, his performance as part of the package tour that found its way to the MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre this week was worth the wait. Delivering a compact 65-minute set along with his new outfit, High Flying Birds, as the middle attraction of the three-band bill, Gallagher’s appearance was a long-awaited treat for many.
Sharing the stage with four female backup singers, two keyboardists, and the standard guitar, bass, drums elements, Gallagher’s stage was adorned with neatly-arranged bouquets of flowers and a large placard boasting the emblem of his hometown, Manchester, England. Dressed smartly and casually in a green, short sleeved, button up shirt, Gallagher wasted no time getting things kicked off.
Opening with a pair of songs from his recently released album Council Skies, his fourth with his High Flying Birds, Gallagher donned an acoustic guitar and gave the crowd a taste of his latest musical offerings in fine style. For the set’s second song, the new album’s title track, the band’s performance was enhanced by stunning animated visual depictions of modern urban landscapes that appeared on the large video screen at the rear of the stage.
Gallagher’s vocals were a bit drowned out for the earlier numbers but that issue was soon rectified and by the time the very Beatlesque pop jangle of “We’re Gonna Get There in the End” was played. Dedicating the first half of his set to his solo material, the quick-witted Gallagher made the small but passionate crowd know that he was starting with “…the songs you don’t know before I play the songs you do know,” referring to his eventual dip into the beloved Oasis catalog.
“Let’s go back to the ‘90s” he announced later, before unleashing several of his former band’s tunes in succession. Standouts like “Masterplan” and “Live Forever,” one of the anthems of the Britpop era which Gallagher mentioned “…might be the best song I ever wrote” before playing it, elated the crowd and elicited loud sing-alongs from the devotees in the audience. Just before ending his set with another essential song from the Oasis canon, “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” Gallagher introduced the number as his last song of the night, which was met with resounding boos from the crowd.
“I don’t make the fucking rules, I just write the songs!” he jokingly added before leading his followers through a triumphant reading of the song from Oasis’ multi-million selling second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? This was, no doubt, the first opportunity many local fans had to witness Noel Gallagher in a live setting and, based on the warm, enthusiastic welcome and applause he received throughout his set, hopefully it won’t be his last visit to Florida.
Closing the steamy yet surprisingly breezy night was Garbage, led by the always elegant, sassy and confident lead singer, Shirley Manson. Donning a long, striped trench coat and tie and with her golden blonde locks pulled back tightly, Manson’s presence was a combination of sexy, androgynous, and mysterious all at once.
Sounding absolutely fantastic, and boasting a mix that was rich in tone and loud yet clear, Garbage opened with a rousing version of “Supervixen” which was met with a wall of cheers and applause from the band’s fiercely loyal followers.
Plowing through its catalog throughout a 75-minute set, Garbage included selections from all phases of its existence with heavy reliance on its stunning 1995 self-titled debut album. Standouts like “#1 Crush” and “Run Baby Run” sounded fresh as ever, thanks to the astounding sounds the band, including drummer and ace record producer Butch Vig, were pounding out. A personal highlight included the band’s electronic-friendly reading of the 1986 Siouxsie and the Banshees classic “Cities in Dust” which was pulled off flawlessly.
Not one to shy away from speaking her mind and a fierce advocate for individuality, Manson made it a point, before launching into a snarling version of “Bleed Like Me,” to remind everyone within earshot to be accepting of the “weirdness” others around them might display and to not be so quick to judge others. The sentiment was no doubt a nod to the divisive times we as a society are living through.
With each number, Manson and crew seemed to gain firepower (and volume!) and by the time their more familiar numbers came up in the set list (“I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Stupid Girl”), the level of energy and intensity the band was pushing out was matched by the enthusiasm the audience was throwing back at the audience.
One audience member in particular caught Manson’s eye; stopping the show to converse with a teenage girl in the front row, Manson mentioned that she was “blown away” by the young fan who sang along and knew every lyric from her seat near the front of the stage. On a similar, but not so flattering note, Manson too pointed out that calling out for the same requested song (“When I Grow Up”) constantly throughout the show “gets on my tits” because “It’s not all about you, it’s about ME!” she joked in lightening up her message.
The night’s highlight was a raucous, ravaging take on “Push It,” a standout from the band’s 1998 sophomore album. Manson stomped around the stage and emoted with every fiber of her being in delivering the song and its message in a style that many lead singers (male or female) often strive to master but don’t often succeed in doing so.
In kind compliance, the band’s encore consisted of the song that had been requested repeatedly. “You know what we’re going to play” Manson playfully said before kicking off a searing version of “When I Grow Up.” The joy the fan who pleaded to hear the song felt was undoubtedly felt by those who danced, sang along, and grooved along to Garbage’s outstanding set to close out this dynamic show.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds setlist
Pretty Boy
Council Skies
We’re Gonna Get There in the End
Open the Door, See What You Find
Easy Now
In the Heat of the Moment
AKA… What a Life!
The Masterplan
Going Nowhere
Little by Little
Half the World Away
Live Forever
Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (Bob Dylan cover)
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Garbage setlist
Supervixen
#1 Crush
The Men Who Rule the World
Run Baby Run
Special
Wolves
Beloved Freak
Bleed Like Me
Cities in Dust (Siouxsie and the Banshees cover)
I Think I’m Paranoid
Stupid Girl
Push It
No Gods No Masters
Only Happy When It Rains
Vow
Encore
When I Grow Up
