Supported by Miles Kane
Somerset House Summer Series
12 July 2011
At any oasis or Gallagher gig, taking a look around the crowd is like conducting one’s own ethnographic study of the rise and fall of Britpop fashion style. The sartorial styles and percentage of haircuts from each era can be used as a proxy for the success of each album. By far the majority are Madchester themed, one step away from an adidas jacket, and indeed Morning Glory and Definitely Maybe are by far the default choice for anyone were they to be posed with the conundrum as to which one album they would save from a blazing fire. Around 20% of haircuts are of the Be Here Now era, some shaggy, some smooth, all Liam long. Strangely there is no one around with a Standing On The Shoulder of Giants Style. And what on earth is a Heathen Chemistry haircut?
This is the second time that IAH has seen Miles Kane supporting Beady Eye, at two venues that challenge the orthodox setting for a rock’n’roll gig (the other being the glorious Royal Albert Hall). Oasis crowds are notoriously difficult towards support bands, but Miles Kane never seemed to struggle throughout his engaging set, his presence on stage brimming with confidence and consequence, far more than the slight figure back stage would have you imagine. Curling rock riffs underneath perceptive lyrics, not a surprise when compared to the days of the Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane is a man going somewhere.
It’s almost touching to see under the star speckled sky over Somerset House (or light pollution glowing, depending on how poetic one’s frame of mind is) men hugging, singing along in unison with their mates. This would not happen at any self respecting Shoreditch gig. It’s not about intellect and cool, but life affirming ball grabbing tunes, the kind of music that will, in Liam’s words, ‘stand the test of time, like Beatles and Stones’ (Beatles & Stones). Beady Eye open with Four Letter Word, a massive fuck you to all those who believed that Gallagher Sr got all the talented genes. The Roller continues to be their best tune, undulating through the veins in all it’s rough and rugged glory and was the tune to elicit the biggest roar. An odd use of echo in the final song, ‘Morning Sun’ detracted a little from the actual performance, but the ever appreciative crowd continued to lap it up. All in all, business as usual for Liam & the boys…but with Miles Kane fast on his tail.
