Last Night (February 26th), The Met Lounge, Peterborough was sold out as people of all ages piled in to watch Oaysis and The Total Stone Roses. Not quite the real thing, but people jumped around singing at the top of their lungs as if they were.
As we got to the Met Lounge, waiting for the bouncer to check us in, I wasn’t sure if we had arrived at a fancy dress party or a football match. Stone island badges, bucket hats, Parker’s and bad Liam Gallagher hair cuts galore and I couldn’t help but think, when does it stop being cute to dress up as your idol? Probably at so point before 30, and some of them haircuts should have definitely (maybe) been left in the 90s.
In true fashion the band started late (which actually worked out well because we were also late), and they kicked off with Morning Glory which warmed us up as we heard it from the queue outside. And once we got inside I had to double take as Oaysis’ Liam Gallagher was very convincing. Bucket hat, sunglasses and Parker and a tambourine in hand, he got the crowd going singing all the classics in a Mancunian accent and shaking his tambourine every now and then.
Shes Electric got the crowd riled up, even with the slight lyric mishap they had, they resurrected it well (I will try keep the puns to a minimum). I’ve never seen so many middle aged men jump around the way I did last night and I’m 99% sure if they cut the music the venue would have been filled with clicking joints and grunting noises. They played all the classics and everyone was loving it, beer flying everywhere and people getting on shoulders (if you have ever been to the Met Lounge you’d no this is not a great idea, the ceilings are really low), it was a really great atmosphere.
They ended their set with Rock ‘n’ Roll Star, it was brilliant, ‘Liam Gallagher’ was crouched leaning onto the mic with his hands behind his back. Oaysis also must be the ONLY support act I’ve ever heard get an encore, they really set the vibe ready for The Total Stone Roses.
After a quick costume change and a move around the stage, Liam Gallagher left and Ian Brown, formally known as Noel Gallagher lost his guitar and was at the front holding the mic. Noel… sorry Ian Brown kicked off with I Wanna be Adored, effortlessly getting the crowd going.
Swarms of 40/50 year old men swarmed the dance floor, huddling together reliving their youth, which was great to see, although as a short person I really wish people didn’t put their arms round their mates shoulders as it creates an unsafe environment for someone at elbow height.
The Total Stone Roses also kept everyone going, playing all the classics including Fools Gold, adding their own twist and extending the ending of the song. You would have had to be have had to be made of Stone to not have enjoyed it (I will stop now), they added extra instrumental to the end and it just kept everyone dancing, and he occasionally sang “duh duh duh duh duh duh” into the mic and got us all to repeat it, so it was a great way to keep people interacting.
I’ve followed the tribute act for a while, watching them tour the UK and create huge crowds at gigs, and I have to say, watching them live, the singer is the happiest person I’ve ever seen. He was constantly smiling at the crowd, nodding his head, and joking with his band mates and you could tell that he really enjoyed what he did.
They finished their set with I Am the Resurrection which was the best way to end, everyone got excited and somehow got livelier than they already were; dancing, jumping, singing shouting and of course throwing beer (which I have to admit I’ve never understood). The finished the set thanked everyone and walked off, everyone cheered and a few of the younger people shouted “one more song” but not many other people joined in, it was half past ten so definitely past a few of their bed times I think, so there was no encore, which was surprising!
Oaysis and The Total Stone Roses we’re both amazing, they put on a great performance and kept the crowd going the whole time they were on, I will definitely be keeping an eye out the next time they’re in Peterborough.
Their next gig is Leeds on March 4th, with other dates to follow until July with support from Oaysis and The Smiths Presumably, you can buy tickets from www.wegottickets.com which I would urge you to do if you can.