The spirit of the UK washed over the Sound Academy on Monday night as fans anxiously awaited the appearance of Liam Gallagher and his new band Beady Eye. From the Union Jack flag draped over the balcony to the spirited sing-a-long of the Stone Roses “I Am The Resurrection” during the stage set up, the jovial audience displayed they were excited to see the band’s debut Toronto performance.
The lights dimmed, the crowd erupted and Gallagher, in his cocky splendor, strolled out decked in a Union Jack trench coat fastened tightly around his neck. The band got things rolling in grand fashion with “Four Letter Word” and “Beatles And Stones”. Andy Bell and Gem Archer handled guitar duties, while Jeff Wooten worked the bass. The six-man assembly rounded out by Matt Jones playing keys and Chris Sharrock on drums played like seasoned veterans and erased any doubts that Beady Eye was anything but a proper rock band.
The set lasted just over an hour, and although some songs lacked the luster of others, the highlight songs had more than enough punch to carry the load. Considering Beady Eye has only their debut album Different Gear, Still Speeding to draw from, that’s a pretty impressive feat. Furthermore, Gallagher asserted his dedication to proving Beady Eye was legit by avoiding the rich well of Oasis songs he could have drawn from.
Standout songs of the evening were “The Roller”, “The Beat Goes On” and “Kill For A Dream”, a catchy ballad that could go toe-to-toe with much of brother Noel’s material. Overall, it was a very strong performance that hinted at a potential for greatness, and with the absence of an arch-rival in the band, they may just achieve it.
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