Reading and Leeds 2024: Watch Liam Gallagher perform ‘Live Forever’
During his headline performance at Reading Festival on August 25th, former Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher celebrated Definitely Maybe turning 30 in style by playing the seminal album in full, including ‘Live Forever’.
While the world continues to cry out for the Gallagher brothers to patch things up and reunite, Liam valiantly continued his celebration of the band’s legacy at Reading Festival. Although there was immense speculation Oasis would get back together in 2024 for the landmark occasion, Gallagher has taken upon himself to carry the mantle.
Although he’s not released a solo album this year, Gallagher has been extremely busy. In March, he teamed up with The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire for a collaborative album, which topped the charts, and they subsequently headed out on a world tour.
After a brief break from the road, Gallagher was back to performing. With Squire, the duo performed in intimate venues for artists of their stature, but he’s since returned to arenas for a host of Definitely Maybe shows, including four dates at Manchester’s new Co-op Live Arena.
To round off the celebratory summer, which also boasted a headline performance at TRNSMT in Glasgow, Gallagher returned to Reading and Leeds. 2024 marks his third time at the dual festivals since going solo, having first played in 2016 before returning to headline the event in 2021.
Perhaps it’s a sign of the lack of guitar bands to infiltrate the mainstream that tens of thousands who have just celebrated their GCSE results are going wild to a 30-year-old album at Reading Festival, but it’s also a mark of the record’s immense legacy.
In addition to boasting ‘Live Forever, Definitely Maybe also features Oasis classics such as ‘Supersonic’, ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll’ Star’, ‘Shakermaker’, ‘Columbia’, and ‘Slide Away’. With songs of that calibre which perfectly reflect the experience of youth, it’s no surprise that Gallagher continues to be one of the biggest ticket-sellers in British music.
Noel Gallagher said of Definitely Maybe to MOJO in 2023: “It’s being down the park with a ghetto blaster distilled. It’s no coincidence that it’s lasted this long. Maybe there have been technically better or bigger records since, but that album is the real fucking deal.”
He continued: “There’s no bullshit on it. It’s an honest snapshot of working-class lads trying to make it. It’s about shagging birds, taking drugs, drinking and the glory of all of that.”
This year’s line-up at Reading Festival has been a blend of nostalgia and new stars with headliners varying from Blink-182 to Fred Again. Gallagher may now be an elder statesmen of rock compared to other performers, but there’s no reason why he won’t be returning to Reading and Leeds in 2034 to celebrate Definitely Maybe’s 40th birthday judging by his energetic set.
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