Oasis gets back to basics in Japan
By SEAN KING
Scene Music Critic
Oasis continued its string of sold out concerts across Japan March 5, delivering a hard-hitting 90-minute set to over 15,000 hollering fans. After an often tumultuous and self-evaluating two years for this band, Japan is the perfect place to get back to just playing blue-collar rock 'n' roll and letting the rest take care of itself.
Nobody outside the United Kingdom has more consistently supported Oasis than the Japanese. After the Gallagher brothers' presence nearly caused riots on the Tokyo subway during their first visit here in 1994, younger sibling Liam felt fit to declare, "…Japan was mega. It was like a *%^ Hard Day's Night!" The quote was of course a direct reference to the 1963 Beatles film, in which Liam's idols are endlessly chased through the streets of London by adoring female fans. Liam's initial Japan euphoria of six years ago may be well behind him now, but the band's latest album, Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, has been nonetheless resting comfortably atop the HMV Tokyo album chart since its release here on Feb. 21. And wherever you go, you cannot avoid hearing the album's first single "Go Let It Out" at least once a day.
Oasis take the stage in near apocalyptic fashion, as the translucent curtain drops and the semi-danceable "****in' In The Bushes" breaks the pre-show jitters at an almost deafening volume. The aforementioned "Go Let It Out" is then followed by the mellow, optimistic "Who Feels Love." Many people count this song among their new album favorites, but this slow a song shouldn't be played this early on. Oasis quickly atone for this minor glitch with a string of heavy-handed hits that includes "Super-sonic," "Shakermaker"and 1995 B-side cult favorite "Acquiesce."
After a bit of a lull with harmless enough new tracks "Sunday Morning Call," "Where Did It All Go Wrong" and "Gas Panic," the evening shifts into sing-along gear for good by way of "Roll With It," "Stand By Me" and "Wonderwall." The easy highlight of the night is everyone thumping up and down in unison to the T. Rex-like "Cigarettes and Alcohol," complete with a pseudo impromptu jam session of "American Woman" tacked on for good measure. As if to allow everyone to regain themselves after that one, elder sibling and songwriter Noel settles into the reflective "Don't Look Back In Anger," only to have fire-starter Liam soon return for a fist-clenching rendition of "Live Forever."
As if to spell out the obvious, Oasis close the night with "Rock 'n' Roll Star," a song written long before they even began to realize their eventual fate of being near-permanent fixtures on the world celebrity circuit and the front pages of Britain's most rancid tabloids.
The show's only notable disappointment is the absence of any of the new in-your-face tracks like "Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is" or "I Can See a Liar." But, there's no reason to be too concerned. Tonight, we're all rock 'n' roll stars; it doesn't get much better than this.
All Scene Stories for Tuesday, March 21, 2000
