Liam Gallagher & John Squire

Leeds o2 Academy, a venue I'd not been to before. Based in Staffordshire, I usually shoot gigs at local venues, so when told there were limited passes available, I consigned myself to the doldrums of hope. Hope you see is what anyone wanting to review or photograph a live gig relies on unless of cause you work for a big publication. Well here at Lemon to a lime, we're not quite up there with the likes of the NME or Rolling Stone magazine. In fact, I'm not even a writer, I'm a photographer who loves music, a photographer who loves the challenge of capturing the energy on stage. Bands, new bands, old bands, our idles, our heroes, Artists who are starting their journey or those that have already had an impact. We wait with anticipation, from the moment the tour's announced, to when we get our ticket, the journey to the venue, In the queue to get in and finally whilst getting our drinks & watching the support bands. Will it all be worth it?

For me it started when Liam & John announced their collaboration, This was two of the 90s greatest Britpop, Rock (whatever you want to call it) figureheads coming together Decades later. Liam once sang "I'm a Rock 'n' roll star"  & John along with Ian Brown wrote "I wanna be adored", Both were just that at the Hight of their success but now in 2024 was this just going to be a mishmash of both Oasis & Stone Roses sounds coming together or would this be something new?

I'd listened to the Album a couple of times, to be honest I wasn't to sure what to make of it, Oasis it wasn't, Neither is it The Stone Roses but you can't help but hear their sound just because of the immense talent of Squire on guitar. But it certainly wasn't a Roses follow up album that much I knew. I just had to listen to it Live to gain a better perspective to what this was all about.

So i put in my request for a photo pass & I waited, Finally I got a reply. "Sorry Stuart, we have no more passes for Wolverhampton available". I was gutted when I read that line, but the next Line made me think - "but if you can do Leeds or Newcastle". Can I do Leeds or Newcastle, at first I thought No, they're both to far to travel but then I quickly realised I might not get this chance again so could I do Leeds? Hell yes I could do Leeds, it's only 2h15min away and it's a Saturday night, count me in!!

I was fortunate to get a plus one, so the drive there & back was spent discussing music with a friend along with a lot of reminiscing about the 90s. Both of us agreed that Liam was probably the reason why most were attending the gig that night, his Stage presence & swagger is up there with the best frontmen/women to grace any stage anywhere in the world & John is known to be bit of an introvert, not liking the limelight as such, anyone who saw them both on The Johnathon Ross show would know what I'm talking about.

So onto the Gig itself (after all this is a gig review site 😀)

Along with another 11 Photographers, I took my place in the pit as Liam & John made their way on stage, we already knew that we had one song only to shoot. So I had to work quick, can I get photos of everyone? do I concentrate on Liam or could I possibly get them both in one shot?

Well i had almost 6 mins as they Kicked of with 'Just Another rainbow', The first single released from the album. Quickly it became apparent that this wasn't a Liam Gallagher concert. Throughout the opening track, Liam would take a step back into the shadows and allow the rest of the band to take centre stage. John although as I said before isn't known to enjoy the limelight was at ease with the lights on him. Already this old venue was rocking & John was proving yet again what a genius he is with a guitar. Wow what a great opening, better than I was expecting to be honest. I left the pit & made my way to the balcony to meet my friend who was somewhere by the bar. Would the rest of the night be as good?

Mars to Liverpool, One day at a time, I'm a wheel , Love you forever, Make it up, You're not the only one, I'm so bored, Mother nature's song, Raise your hands & Jumpin jack flash would be the rest of the 11 song set that would be played out to an audience of old & young, most of which seemed to know every word to most if not all the songs, now that's a dedicated fanbase for you, the album only being released on the 1st of March.

Liam's voice was made for most of the songs penned by Squire, most notably Mars to Liverpool which raised the roof and was a great follow on song to the opening track. At times you could be mistaken to thinking you'd been transported back to the 70s and you were listening to a new track by Zeppelin or most notably Hendrix as Squire indulged in solos worthy of the greats, don't believe me? listen to Love You Forever, better still watch squire play it Live.

So how could they end the night? with an Oasis track? a Roses track or what about The Beatles? well that was never going to happen, Instead they gave a rock and roll rendition of The Stones Jumpin Jack Flash and what a great way to end the night, this iconic track suited both styles, Liams voice & johns guitar were made for this sound,  it left me wondering - will they do a second album and in what direction will they go.

Thanks for reading -Like i said, I'm not a writer, this will be my first & last Review, however there will be other gigs, there will be other writers so please stay tuned.

Review & Photos - Stuart Walton