Oasis quenches thirsty Chicago crowd

Oasis has achieved just about everything possible in the realm of success in England. It has played to crowds of more than 125,000 people at a time, and it has maintained a virtual monopoly of the charts and media for the past three years. Not too shabby.

But now Oasis is out of that element. This time, the stage doesn't showcase the huge props that have become characteristic of the shows in England - Alan White's drum kit is not perched on top of a replica Rolls Royce, the red 30-foot telephone box through which the band normally enters through is not present and neither is the giant clock that rotates backwards during the encores.

But that doesn't mean Oasis is skimping on America. In fact, its seems that the band has been doing just the opposite as of late. Noel Gallagher has appeared for several interviews on MTV lately, which also aired a live show at the G-Mex Centre in Manchester earlier this month. This from a band who had previously been rather choosy and uncooperative with the media. Could it be that Oasis is trying a little bit harder than usual to create a presence in America? Afteraaaall, "Be Here Now" has yet to go platinum stateside.

REVIEW
	Oasis Jan. 17, 1998 Rosemont Horizon, Chicago

Speculation and album sales aside, Oasis arrived at Chicago's Rosemont Horizon with the simple determination to bring its music to the people, here - now. And the thousands attending the sold-out show were more than familiar with the subject matter. Thus, when Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town" had finished resonating through the arena, the five members of Oasis walked on stage to a thunderous rage and went to work. Opener "Be Here Now" got the crowd pogo-ing so wildly, it became difficult to distinguish the Rosemont Horizon from Earl's Court in London.

Such impressive enthusiasm was maintained throughout the next hour and a half. An electrified "Stand By Me" gave the crowd its first chance to sing along, which it did in spades while linking arms and swaying as if each member had just been handed a fresh pint from the pub. A series of swift light flashes accompanied the accented drum beats in the chorus, which roars from Liam Gallagher's throat like a DC10.

"Supersonic," "Roll With It" and "Cigarettes and Alcohol" followed through with more intoxicating swagger, as Liam assaulted his tambourine and microphone stand with Ali-esque blows while the crowd applauded his every move. During "Be Here Now," he vaulted the tambourine 70 feet in the air and let it bounce once, directly into his hands, causing a raucous 10 times louder than any form of approval openers Cornershop generated all night.

But what made the most impact was Noel's solo set: just Noel, a tall stool, his acoustic and four songs stripped down to the simplicity with which each was originally written. "Don't Go Away" was bereft of Liam's sneer, but was ushered in with the evening's loudest hysteria. This was the one they had been waiting to hear, the one to which even your mom knew the chorus. The audience sang every word over Noel's subdued and soulful interpretation as he crescendoed in and out of all the right spots. The lighters continued to flicker during the subtle chord changes of the gorgeous b-side "Talk Tonight" and oldie "Slide Away." The evening's lone cover did not come courtesy of The Beatles, as some might expect, but instead from The Jam. "To Be Someone" was delivered with typical Noel-bravado and showcased a timely turn on Paul Weller's lyrics about the stereotypical ills of an aging pop star: "No more swimming in my guitar shaped pool/ No more reporters at my beck and call/ No more cocaine, it's only ground chalk/ but didn't we have a nice time?" Oasis recently recorded this song in the studio for a Jam-tribute compilation album.

The set's second half doubled as an Oasis greatest hits advertisement. Noel belted out a triumphant "Don't Look Back In Anger" before Liam returned for a rousing "Live Forever," while "Wonderwall" was carried away by the crowd, of course.

Following an epic "Champagne Supernova," the boys sauntered off, only to return with "Acquiesce," - pure energy packed into a missile of explosive feedback and shredded guitar tones.

A glorious evening captured the band's instinctive common touch and uplifting viscosity. With talk of some serious time off before the next album surfacing, the band's future is very much up in the sky. But if Oasis can continue to extract this type of exuberance from the United States, than things will only get better and bigger, if that is at all humanly possible.

01-20-98