Canada to Patagonia at a Worrying Age

…as Rory’s mum put it.

An evening at the Polo Field was promised and delivered in the company of Matt, Richard and Wools/Walls.  And two brothers from Burnage and their mates.

Usual fun getting to the gig.  4 blokes sit in cab and explain their destination.  Cab driver invites us to leave his taxi and wishes us good luck in our endeavours in getting anywhere near the Polo Club.  Next cabbie fine and gets us there no problem. 

Fairly dodgy crush to get in the place, with the organisers funnelling everyone through a tight set of barriers under a railway bridge in a sort of mad effort to prevent a repeat of the Stones’ riot.  Oh well…

Once in usual lack-of-bar scenario was mitigated by the very prompt arrival on stage of ‘Whassis’.  This after three of the four of us had relayed our ‘we met Liam’ stories to the starstruck young girls close by.

Fairly quiet start was livened up with the introduction of, I think, Live Forever and from this point on the band didn’t look back.  A bloke had to calm the crowd after this song as the place was getting dangerously lively, including throwing trainers at the stage.  Noel “There’s some right fookin’ clogs up here.”  Holds up shoe.  “What’s this?  Fookin’ Nike!  You need adidas.”  (Notable that nobody attempted any crowd-pleasing Spanish until a single adios at the end.)

There was one local cultural reference, however, when Liam announced that this next one was for Diego Maradona before launching into a fine rendition of Cigarettes and Alcohol.  Predictable but fun.  Wonderwall was dedicted to ‘The Ladies’.  Screams and swoons all round.  The best live attempt I’ve heard from them.  Another track was dedicated to the people in ‘those flats’ i.e. the very exclusive apartments overlooking the polo pitch.  Liam was further bouyed by the crowd’s homage of ‘Ole. Ole, Ole, Lee-amm, Lee-amm’.

Overall the setting was marvellous with a high and bright waxing moon, brightly lit Metropolis buildings (and suburban trains) in the background and generally good sound, slightly affected by the wind.  Frankly, Liam was at his swaggering rock star best and clearly enjoying the evening.  A regal performance.  Noel was also on form with The Importance of Being Idle and Don’t Look Back in Anger being delivered fantastically.  Sorry this is sounding a bit fan-like, but they were that good.

As is the way these days, they finished with My Generation which was great for the first two and a half minutes but rather self indulgent for the next.  But that is being picky really.  As the concert (and it was a concert) came to an end Liam announced that the crowd had been ‘the bollocks’.  This was true.  He finished by tucking his hands into his jeans and staring at the crowd before taking off his sunglasses.  Twice.  Rare praise indeed.  Fashion watchers note: his jacket was white double-breasted suit with only a chain on beneath it.  I hate it that he can get away with that…

Quick pint afterwards finished with bed at 5am.  Cheers boys (both lots).  Good luck with the rest of your travels.

Song – How Soon is Now – Played in bar during our quiet pint afterwards.