Photograph by Tim Mosenfelder for RollingStone.com
Manchester, England’s Oasis and New York’s Ryan Adams & the Cardinals both focused on workmanlike songcraft as they opened the United States stretch of their joint world tour last night in Oakland, California. Although both bands are known for the verbal swagger of their respective leaders, Oasis and the Cardinals both kept the emphasis firmly on their music: Adams barely spoke a word, while guitarist Noel Gallagher’s most pointed comment came when a nearby fan passed out during through a grinding “Slide Away.” “Did somebody get overwhelmed?” he quipped. “I’m sorry about that. Buy a T-shirt on the way out, please.”
• Photo Gallery: Oasis and Ryan Adams Kick Off Their Tour in Oakland
The Britpop icons remained typically immobile bellow four massive video panels that mixed live projections with canned Pop Art imagery. Liam Gallagher clenched a tambourine in his teeth as the band opened with “Rock N Roll Star,” then held it behind his back in a defiant stance maintained throughout the night. Although his contemplative “I’m Outta Time” proved Oasis hasn’t run out of ways to effectively raid the Beatles’ songbook, it was mid-90s hits like “Wonderwall” that generated the most sing-along enthusiasm from an otherwise strangely sedate audience. Perhaps a newly mellow Adams had chilled the crowd: The former bad boy proved himself ready to inherit Tom Petty’s mantle with a set of countrified mid-tempo rock. While bassist Chris Feinstein roamed center stage, Adams humbly stood off to the side and plied ballad after ballad until his Cardinals finally let loose an anxious and succinct “Magick.” And then they flew away.
Set List: Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
“Cobwebs”
“Crossed Out Name”
“Everybody Knows”
“Fix It”
“When the Stars Go Blue”
“Let It Ride”
“Go Easy”
“Come Pick Me Up”
“Two”
“Sink Ships”
“I Taught Myself How to Grow Old”
“Magick”
Set List: Oasis
“Rock N Roll Star”
“Lyla”
“The Shock Of The Lightning”
“Cigarettes And Alcohol”
“The Meaning Of Soul”
“To Be Where There’s Life”
“Waiting For The Rapture”
“The Masterplan”
“Songbird”
“Slide Away”
“Morning Glory”
“Ain’t Got Nothing”
“The Importance Of Being Idle”
“I’m Outta Time”
“Wonderwall”
“Supersonic”
Encore:
“Don’t Look Back In Anger”
“Falling Down”
“Champagne Supernova”
“I Am The Walrus”
Related Stories:
• Noel Gallagher Previews Oasis Tour, Talks Drugs, Ryan Adams and His Own Brilliance
• Liam Gallagher on the Beatles and the Death of the Rock Star
• Ryan Adams Explains His Influences
Photo: Hogan/Getty
Oasis will be spending the holidays on the road with Ryan Adams, promoting their best album in a decade Dig Out Your Soul. The tour kicks off on December 3rd in Oakland, California, and Rock Daily caught up with Noel Gallagher to talk about the upcoming trek. “Oasis is a band that you either get it or you don’t,” explains the guitarist and songwriter. “Everybody knows who we are. You have to see us in league with the Rolling Stones now. Everybody’s heard of the Stones, everybody knows what they sound like, everybody knows what they do.” His goals for this tour are modest: when asked what he wants to achieve, he merely said, “Five million dollars.” Click below for more with Noel Gallagher, including his thoughts on his on-stage attack in Toronto and how he handles drugs.
• Noel Gallagher: “You Have To See Us in a League With the Rolling Stones”
Related Stories:
• Liam Gallagher on the Beatles and the Death of the Rock Star
• Noel Gallagher Suffers Fractured Rib, Ligament Damage Following On Stage Attack
• Album Review: Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul
