Liam Gallagher Live Down By The River Thames

Virtual reality gigs are a concept that have taken off recently, with the cancellation of thousands upon thousands of live gigs this year. They have become a universal medium for big and small artists alike, and Liam Gallagher is not exempt from this. Performing a (pre-recorded) live set on a boat floating down the Thames, the singer entertained viewers from their homes with his best hits for just over an hour.

Photo courtesy of Outside Organisation

Opening with 'Hello' (undoubtedly the perfect opener, considering its title), Liam appeared on screens in a fashion familiar to all Oasis/Gallagher fans: donning sunglasses (clearly just for fashion, not for practicality), a trapper hat and a khaki parka, with a 'Rock N' Roll' sign behind.

Playing a total of 17 songs, it was what you would expect from a regular gig (minus the bottles of piss being thrown around). Focusing mainly on Why Me? Why Not. (2019), Liam avoided much talk and instead got on with the singing and maraca playing. There were a couple of pleasant surprises, though.

During 'Halo', which came third on the set-list, after Gallagher's biggest hit 'Wall of Glass', he picked up a recorder to show his (unlikely) talents. In true Gallagher fashion, when he was done with this recorder, he simply spat it out onto the ground. Edginess is apparently something possible to achieve on a boat, as well as on a regular stage.

Gallagher's swagger was most clearly demonstrated in 'Greedy Soul' where he looked straight into the camera to sing. This was one of the only personable moments in this gig, which helped the whole live-stream feel more like a regular show. Predictably, Gallagher's attitude extended beyond the songs and into his short comments, most memorably about the London Eye. The singer's hilarious comment that he "couldn't give two fucks about [the London Eye], lit up, round" sent me into hysterics, as it was seemingly random but suited the general flow of the show.

'Morning Glory' was another song that was impossible to ignore. Being an Oasis classic, Gallagher really did the song justice. With the help of 5 other musicians and, 3 backing singers, 'Morning Glory' was as glorious as the song suggests, as the energy radiated from the screen and into viewers' homes.

Gallagher's live-streamed gig stands out from others simply due to the beauty of its surroundings. It is not every day that you see a full, live band playing a concert set as they float down the Thames at sunset when the sky is a multitude of colours. The light-show was simple but effective, flashing onto each band member equally. One of the most memorable moments of the evening was during the performance of 'Once', where the boat passed under a bridge and the camera panned to passersby. For a split second, it felt normal - seeing the people of London enjoying some live music.

Ending slightly abnormally, featuring an encore that appeared after the end credits (luckily I had seen the set-list Gallagher posted earlier in the week, otherwise I would've left!), 'All You're Dreaming Of' (his newest single) concluded the set. Despite it ruining the chronology of the set, as it was clearly performed at the beginning of the evening as the sun had not quite set in the background, this was the perfect ending. It acted like a wind-down for the energetic and loud songs that had hyped the virtual viewers up for just over an hour.