Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at Sydney Enmore Theatre – Review

You can take Noel Gallagher out of Oasis but you cannot take Oasis out of Noel Gallagher. Not for the legions of ex-pats that flooded the Enmore Theatre and, more specifically, the bar. His previous incarnation may be gone but dutifully he opened with a cover (or should that be rendition?) of (It’s Good) To Be Free. Whatever has been said of the split thankfully such tongue in cheek irony was not lost, especially when he followed that with a switch to electric for a pulsating run-through of Mucky Fingers.

It was his debut solo album he was here to showcase and the likes of Everybody’s On The Run, Dream On and If I Had A Gun… proved that his flair for melodies, and choruses that demand to be bellowed back, has remained. Free to do his own thing, he has tried to dispel rumours of penning the new James Bond theme song yet with searing, affirming guitar solos and cocksure vocals, Freaky Teeth is that song in all but name.

Though he cuts an awkward frontman figure with an arsenal that contains the acoustic Ryan Adams tinted version of Wonderwall you simply could not hear him over the devotees. Supersonic followed with the crowd providing the sneer to Gallagher’s downplayed, soulful delivery. Not to be outdone, while the classics were stripped down, (I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine and AKA… What A Life sounded almost Technicolor.

Onstage banter was kept curt and he had time to divide the crowd with his fondness for Manchester City and Glasgow Celtic which encouraged a chorus, this time of boos. Even the impressive lead guitarist, Tim Smith, was in for stick for his Yank background. He was never in fear of losing the gig; a heartfelt rendition of Talk Tonight and a poignant Half The World Away brought the masses closer as Gallagher allowed his loyal audience a few lines to themselves. Putting the focus back on his solo output, to close the set came the formidable, reverb drenched (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach.

His encore inevitably consisted of his past glories; an emphatic Little By Little and The Importance of Being Idle delivered with well-judged swagger. As a grand finale, Don’t Look Back In Anger did not disappoint for a crowd only too happy to bask in the glory themselves with arms aloft. Oasis may be no more but tonight it was clear where the talent and brains of the operation lied.

Words and photography by Omar Solimon