The Bingley Weekender - An Oasis Of Music

Hearing an ex-member of Oasis ask, "How are you, Bingley?" is something you do not hear every day.

Noel Gallagher and his group, High Flying Birds, headlined the Bingley Weekender on Friday night with a set that included tracks from his new album, Council Skies, and naturally, the Oasis songs that have become part of rock and pop culture.

Newer tracks like Open Door, See What You Find, and Council Skies proved that Gallagher can still compose melodic songs that are equally as good as his earlier work.

As the sold-out audience took over the singing on Live Forever and Don’t Look Back In Anger, the power and majesty of popular music were on display for all to see and hear. Elevating, entertaining, and totally absorbing.

As the rain arrived on Saturday, Razorlight had the tough job of entertaining a soaked crowd. Based around songwriter Johnny Borrell, the indie rock outfit was the highlight of the day. As Borrell sang "Who needs the rain?" on Who Needs Love, it felt hard to disagree with him as he and the band made everyone forget the unfavourable weather conditions with a hit-filled repertoire that included Before I Fall To Pieces and America. The only disappointment was that the band were not the headliners; they certainly should have been.

The omens were not looking good for the appearance of the headline act, Ian Brown; the former Stone Roses singer had distressed his fans last year on tour with some below-par shows, singing badly to a backing track.

While Brown still had the swagger and attitude of old, his new songs simply did not match up. At times, it felt as if you were witnessing a karaoke-style show: his backing track kept cutting out, with the fans leaving in droves after waiting too long to hear a Stone Roses song that never came.

Brown needs a band behind him, some decent songs, and a vocal coach; then maybe he will be playing bigger venues rather than to a crowd of disinterested teenagers and disillusioned Stone Roses fans who remember how good he was and can still be.

Sunday brought James Bay to the festival; while many of the acts on the main stage have been performing for many years, Bay brought a youthful exuberance to the proceedings.

Wearing his obligatory hat Bay excelled with the tracks If You Ever Want To Be In Love and Goodbye Never Felt So Bad, the latter being his new single and proving that his songwriting skills have not dried up. Every artist has one trademark song, in Bay’s case, Hold Back The River. The song will still be sung and remembered long after memories of the Bingley Weekender have faded.

Travis came to prominence in the late nineties; fittingly, the band supported Oasis, with Noel Gallagher being a big fan. Both acts share an appreciation for melodic pop songs that you will still hear being played on the radio today.

As the group launched into their opening number, Sing, their long absence from live gigs was over. An acoustic version of Flowers In The Window laid the song bare as the four members of the band stood together around the microphone.

Why Does It Always Rain On Me? closed a flawless set that was purifying in the genuine appreciation and respect that lead singer Fran Healey and the rest of the band portrayed throughout the evening. Hopefully, some new music is on the way from the band.

Despite the rain, the mud, and the unseasonably chilly weather, The Bingley Weekender was a huge success—roll on 2024!