Oasis / Travis

From from Scene Music News,
April 27, 2000

With a tapestry of Radiohead-inspired sounds and heavenly falsettos, Travis, England's biggest export, opened the night with a potent set of earnest tunes. Yeah, its style has an antecedent in Jeff Buckley and Thomas Yorke, but the individuality and talent came through loud and clear. A chance to see Travis at the intimate Grog Shop next month may be too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Sibling rivalry was in full effect at Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall. Oddly, Liam was nowhere to be found on stage when Noel had the spotlight, but brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher and their band Oasis still managed to provide the enthused crowd with enough slicing guitar riffs and congenial melodies to make for a good show. While there wasn't overt tension onstage, Liam's disappearance seemed telling concerning their relationship. However, unlike in the past, no punches were thrown, and the show went on without disruption. Sure, there was plenty of English attitude and bad boy posturing, mostly compliments of singer Liam Gallagher, but singer-guitarist Noel showed he's no slouch as he took over vocal duties on close to half a dozen tracks.

While Liam's contemptible temperament warranted a smack in the head, the barrage of guitars proved momentous. A brief but potent jam of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" showed this English band has plenty of jam rock capability. A predictable and non-eventful Beatles cover in the encore was preceded by a more memorable take of Neil Young's "My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)." With Noel singing his heart out, the lyrics "There's more to the picture than meets the eye" were poignant, especially since Liam was nowhere to be found.

Highlights from the night include the abrasive "Shakermaker," the mid-tempo bluesy "Stand by Me," and the urgent "Gas Panic," with its fuzzed-out guitars and surreal effects. Again, the songs that stood out were led by Noel, including "Where Did It All Go Wrong," which may have been the pinnacle of the evening. This powerful track featured a sizzling guitar sound and a complementary grinding organ that powered Noel's smooth, succinct vocal delivery. Because it was so raunchy, "Cigarettes and Alcohol" was another highlight.