RETURN TO GREEK WITH NOEL GALLAGHER AND METRIC AS SUPPORT

Friday night saw a stacked lineup reminiscent of the alternative days set in the 90s. Of course I wasn’t around much then to have true perspective on music, but my parents sure did. Thus, I became aware of icons like Garbage and Oasis. Albums like Version 2.0 and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? became engrained in my upbringing, and more so during the peak of music gaming with brands like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. The latter coincidentally featured Garbage’s “I Think I’m Paranoid” and Oasis’ “Live Forever” which my siblings and I argued over for vocal duties. This bill was something special.

Indie legends in their own right Metric kicked off the show, beginning with the sun still out and many fans already in their seats. Those in the first few rows of the stage jumped in unison with singer Emily Haines and co. during “Gold Guns Girls,” and “Gimme Sympathy.” Another band that both my parents adore, Metric was delivering hit after hit, commanding the amphitheater as if they were the headliner. Truth be told, it was a bit off-putting to have them performing in the sun with little lighting and people talking in the midst, but they made those paying attention dance in the aisles up close and to the nosebleeds. Haines spoke of how sentimental it was to be playing the Greek with two heroes of hers, stating how the band got its start playing at the Silverlake Lounge to a small crowd and now being on such a powerhouse of a bill. The appreciation managed to create goosebumps to those who’ve been following the act through their careers, and they ended strong with “Black Sheep” and “Breathing Underwater.”

Once Metric’s nine song set concluded, a Manchester flag was wrapped around amps signaling the next band up was Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. Other than the constant bickering and refusal to reunite the band with his brother, Gallagher is still quite the songwriter and proved so during his performance. He split his set in two, beginning with cuts off his latest record Council Skies. While taking photos, fans crossed my path wearing traditional Oasis tees but also Noel Gallagher shirts which was cool to see. Gallagher would often tease an Oasis song before saying “This next one’s not an Oasis track,” which prompted laugher and sighs from the audience. Finally, he went into “The Masterplan” that caused an uproar of screams. From then on, it was karaoke with fans singing to “Going Nowhere” and an acoustic rendition of “Live Forever.” The set concluded with a cover of Joy Division’s "Love Will Tear Us Apart,” the first song Gallagher learned how to play on guitar. Of course, the finale featured “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” a track sung famously by himself rather than traditional lead vocalist Liam Gallagher. The set was bittersweet with nothing but love from the crowd.

Garbage came on slightly late as tradition of big rock bands, with a red screen alternating colors like it was receiving transmissions from an unknown world. The band arrived on stage as sillouttes, with singer Shirley Manson coming on last. Garbage came out swinging with cut off their debut record “Supervixen” and b-side “#1 Crush.” New tracks were also prominent in the set as well as altered mixes of classics like “Special.” The band started out slow, with Manson singing acapella before drummer Butch Vig and co. were welcomed in. This is what audiences crave when attending a live show. It gets a bit weary for the fans and I’m sure the band as well when you have to play the hits continuously for nights on end so for the fresh renditions to be featured was a lovely touch. Manson would look out into the audience, sharing how great it felt to be back at the Greek after their last performance at the venue in 2015 was “a disaster.” So much was happening in the singer’s life at the time, so this second chance of sorts was adding onto the sentiment previously shared throughout the night. The band delivered a 16 song set with a cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Cities in Dust” under the night sky. The names on the bill were worth the price of admission; the experience: priceless. Check out the set list here!