MANCHESTER, AS Morrissey once said, has so much to answer for, not least because it spawned two music-obsessed brothers who dreamed of being in a band. When the Gallaghers rambled on stage at Slane after energetic supports from The Prodigy and Kasabian, it might have occurred to them that playing to 80,000 people is a long way from hassling Johnny Marr to listen to your demo.

As they launched into RockRoll Star, the crowd pogoed in unison, shouting back the lyrics. Liam asked if they "liked a bit of liquid and smoke?" before a characteristic dig at anti-smokers and a raucous rendition of Cigarettes and Alcohol.

Those who think Oasis's best work is long behind them might argue that if this was 1994, it would be the gig of the year.

The band never bettered their first two albums and during newer material, there was - for this reviewer - the odd lull. Not so the fans, who were as devoted as they come. A girl standing nearby who had Noel Gallagher's signature tattooed on her back, urged the crowd to sing along to Morning Glory, pointing to the lyrics on her arm.

Liam might be the uber frontman, but this is very much Noel's band and when it was his turn to sing, Liam exited the stage. The sun glinted on the river as the older Gallagher belted out a heartfelt Masterplanto a sea of hands in the air. Liam dedicated Songbird "to my missus, who's probably in the bar" and when a solo Noel "double-dared" the crowd "not to sing along" on Half A World Away, the entire hill blatantly ignored the challenge. The biggest cheers of the night were, unsurprisingly, for back-to-back versions of Wonderwall, Supersonicand Live Forever. Even though there's something very unrock'n'roll about Slane and its sleepy, rustic setting, it's hard not to be won over by such a unique venue.

Tricky logistics aside, most people trudged home happily with Champagne Supernovaand the end-of-gig fireworks ringing in their ears.

Originally published by SINEAD GLEESON.

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