Liam Gallagher's first solo single has been given an exclusive play on BBC Radio 1 this evening.
'Wall of Glass' is the first song by Gallagher outside of his former bands Oasis and Beady Eye, and if you were listening, you know it's big.
Last week he posted a snippet of the track to Facebook and later to Spotify under the name Ha Illegal Gram. He also debuted the song live during his first solo show last night in Manchester.
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Give it a listen and watch the video...
Last night, LG returned to his hometown of Manchester to give people a first glimpse of his solo material.
In the intimate Manchester Ritz, he walked on stage to raucous applause and cheers, before going straight into 'Rock 'n' Roll Star', the first song from his former band Oasis' classic debut album, Definitely Maybe. Thriving on the excitable atmosphere, he followed this up with a mixture of old and new tunes.
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This was more than just a typical hometown gig, however. The singer was returning to the city where his career began, just one week after it had been rocked by a horrific act of terrorism.
Twenty-two candles graced the stage for the entire set, and in between songs the crowd erupted with renditions of 'Don't Look Back in Anger'. The song became Gallagher's old band's second number one single in 1996, and has recently been revived as an anthem for Manchester in the wake of the attack. Chants of 'stand up for the 22' also broke out during the evening.
After bringing out former Oasis guitarist Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs for a rendition of 'Be Here Now' to close the show, Liam returned to perform a heartfelt a capella rendition of 'Live Forever' as an encore.
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It was a truly brilliant evening, where the spirit of Manchester was completely encapsulated.
The night began with 'Fuckin' in the Bushes' blaring through the speakers, before the band launched into the instantly recognisable 'Rock& Roll Star', which was followed by another Oasis powerhouse, 'Morning Glory'.
Gallagher then debuted four new tracks, 'Greedy Soul', 'Wall of Glass', 'Bold' and 'Paper Crown', the stand out being 'Wall of Glass'.
The new songs don't particularly sound like anything he's done before, but do have moments of 'Oasis-ness'. One thing is for sure, though, they all sound mega.
Two more Noel Gallagher written tracks were played next, as 'D'You Know What I Mean' got a rare live outing, and 'Slide Away' was played in all its glory. Both Noel and Liam once said that the original recording of 'Slide Away' was Liam's "best ever singing". While it may be impossible to truly replicate the vocal from 1994, he certainly did it justice on this occasion.
Noel and Liam on 'Slide Away'. Credit: Big Brother Recordings
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The Kid then gave the crowd three more new tunes in 'It Doesn't Have To Be That Way', 'You'd Better Run, You'd Better Hide', and 'Universal Gleam'.
'Be Here Now', an odd choice of song, ended the main set. Speaking to NME, Liam had previously stated that he loved the song for the lyric "kicking up a storm from the day that I born," which is fitting, given that he kicked up a right storm last night.
After what felt like 10 minutes, LG returned to the stage, presumably after a prolonged cig and pint break, tambourine in hand, singing 'Live Forever' with all his mite.
He said: "Manchester, I love you, we love you, look after each other and I'll see you again." All proceeds from the gig are going to families affected by the Manchester attack.
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If you've seen Noel and his High Flying Birds live then you'll know it's great, a spectacle where you can put your arm around your mate, lift your pint in the air and sing your lungs out. However, when it comes to Liam, it's about getting 'mad fer it' - really fucking going for it.
There's something about him.
As you were.
Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros. RecordsTopics: Oasis, Liam Gallagher
