Noel Gallagher and His High Flying Birds

Although this should be an articulate post about my experience seeing Noel Gallagher in concert, but I can still hardly form words and put them into sentences, so bare with me.

Where do I even begin.

This year Gallagher was back to promote his newest album Who Built the Moon? This is his first time back in Toronto since his 2015 Chasing Yesterday tour, in which he also played the iconic Sony Centre for Performing Arts.

I thankfully had the opportunity to meet him outside the venue before his show. The man who wrote “Live Forever,” “Champagne Supernova,” and “Supersonic” (!!!). 

Even though there were at least a hundred fans waiting for him, he signed and met with everyone. It was refreshing to see a musician of his level take the time to meet with so many people. He signed my copy of Who Built the Moon? on vinyl and my parents CD of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, which I told him was from the 1990s. That brought a smile to his face (*dies*).

                

Now, onto the show.

As the lights went out the crowd was already on their feet. Looking around the room there were fans around my parents age and fans around my age. In any era, for most present, this man defined their teenage and young adult years. He wrote the words to all their favourite songs growing up, despite being an ocean away.

He defined an entire generation with his lyrics.

Gallagher opened with the first four songs off his newest album, making it known that he has his High Flying Birds now. The crowd was deafening for solo songs “If I Had a Gun,” and “AKA…What A Life!” but, as with his brother Liam, the people want Oasis songs.

Naturally, those were the ones that brought the house down.

“Half the World Away” is one of my all-time favourite songs and to finally hear it along with “Don’t Look Back in Anger” and “Wonderwall” was a moment I could never forget. The realization that you’re screaming along to songs that have transcended time is breathtaking to be apart of.

Noel — using very colourful language — expressed his anger towards a fan that mistakenly got silver marker on his leather jacket and transitioned into “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” The crowd was thunderous during the chorus, and showed their gratitude for the musician with a never-ending round of applause.

To end the show, Gallagher with a little help from the audience, performed a rendition of the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love.” Being the huge Beatles fan that I am, I was in my absolute element.  

Then, walking off with a bow and a salute to the crowd, he was gone just as fast as he came onstage. Gallagher said later on his Instagram (themightyi) that it was one of the loudest shows on his tour thus far.

Speaking as a massive fan of Noel and of Oasis, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience seeing him live for the first time. As a whole, it was easily one of the best days ever and I hope to see him in concert again sometime in the future.