3 May.  Oasis, supported by Travis.  Patriot Aircraft Hanger, Nowhere, Virginia. 

There's life in the old dogs.  The omens were poor.  A badly received album Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, two defections from the band in '99, a US tour (the Gallaghers are infamous for trashing Americans) and the cavernous hole of George Mason University's Patriot Center.  Despite all the negative static, the boys done good. Liam sneered and goaded as only he can.  In between he delivered vocals with power and conviction.  The new parts of the whole fill in nicely.  Noel was perfect foil for Liam.  The audience, such that it was, showed enthusiasm.  There was stage diving aplenty to go with the expected Oasis show stopping tunes. 

Glasgow boys Travis kicked off with a fine performance fresh from their spot on Light Night with Conan the Barbarian, I mean, O'Brien.  Travis, if you don't know, are about as big as it gets in the UK.  One suspects that they're at the top of the curve in the usual Brit way of over-hyping then trashing with venom. 

Their 1999 UK smash The Man Who... was criminally held back in the US until earlier this year.  On Wednesday, Fran Healey and the lads were in fine voice bouncing around the stage, though not always choreographed.  The sound is pleasant if somewhat derivative.  Influences are fine.  All artists will pay tribute to their influences, but in Travis' short life there is evidence of outright purloining of others from Radiohead to the Beatles and even Oasis.  Of course, Oasis have made a career of wearing their influences on the sleeves.  Travis need to learn to assimilate, but not parrot. 

Wednesday 45-minute set, saw several highlights from The Man Who... including the bright "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?", Radiohead rip-off "Writing to Reach You" and the pop-fantastic "Driftwood".  Oldies in the crowd were treated to a cover of The Band classic "The Weight".  It was delivered with reverence, but lacked the crisp and rich harmonies of the original.  Travis are to release a single version of "The Weight" prior to recording their next long-player.  All told it was a pleasant and up beat performance. 

The big question was: did Oasis care?  Would they go through the motions?  But, with their career at an important cross-roads, they seemed galvanized into action.  All round, I'd say there was solid commitment from band and record label.  Enthusiasm too in the audience, though the empty seats were a constant reminder that the band hasn't "made it" in the US.  But, they shouldn't play vapid basketball arenas in suburban gun-land.   Get into sweaty clubs downtown.  The George Mason campus is so clean, manicured and antiseptic it's like Disneyland.  Firebomb the place, I say. 

The brothers walked on to the roar of "Fuckin' in the Bushes" the lead off track from Giants against a backdrop of grainy footage of the Manhattan skyline.  The crowd went potty - stage-diving started.  The first group of songs came from Giants.  "Go Let It Out" is by far the best track off the album.  It was a belter and perfect kick-off.  By contrast, "Who Feels Love" comes off as a poor Beatles pastiche complete with Liam's crass "tribute" to John Lennon at the end as he turns and salutes footage of Strawberry Fields in NYC.  Pish. 

The band played little else of  the new platter, though "Where Did It All Go Wrong?" with Noel on vocals was one of the sets standouts.  Apart from that there was a brilliant run through many of the highlights from  the Oasis catalogue.  They are mostly blinders, but it's so evident that Be Here Now is an inferior album.  Most of yer favourites were there: "Don't Look Back in Anger" - has there ever been a more British song? - electrified "Wonderwall", the barnstorming "Roll With It" and the tour de force "Cigarettes and Alcohol".  So ironic given the smoke free, beer free environment of Stalag Patriot. 

In a blink it was all over.  Noel and the band came back for Neil Young's "My, My Hey, Hey" (I think) (it's "Hey, Hey, My, My" actually) and the Beatles (who, they) "Helter Skelter".  Then Liam walks on and announces that this is the last one "You've been brilliant, I've been fucking shite" as they launched into "Rock 'n' Roll". 

The geezer from the Washington Post got it all wrong.  "Wilfully uncharasmatic vocalist" he writes of our Liam.  Adding "he scrupulously avoided any hint of enthusiasm."  Woody Irvin, whoever he is, missed the point.  Liam is a moody git.  His act is to be just that.  He sneers, he jeers, he goes off stage when brother Noel takes over as lead singer.  He taunts the crowd to dive the stage.  He wears a stupid floppy hat to hide his mullet.  In short, he's a rock 'n' roll star.  If he didn't exist, the British tabloids would have to invent him. 

You're a twat Liam, but we love you.

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