On the fourth night of the annual celebration for Teenage Cancer Trust, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds gave a sold out Royal Albert Hall a career-spanning set.
1 in 2 of us will get cancer in our lifetime. A frightening statistic and one that is not caveated by wealth or race or anything. It can be all the more frightening when a young person who has not yet formed into the is given that diagnosis. Teenage Cancer Trust offers unique care and support for young people. With units in almost every major NHS cancer treatment hospital across England, designed specially for young people who can get the best possible care from specially trained nurses in relaxed environments and be able to meet other people their age to show that they are not alone. The joys, the freedom and the dreams of young people are not afforded to all and Teenage Cancer Trust supports those who are given this weight to bear.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds for Teenage Cancer Trust 2024
The trust’s patron Roger Daltrey has curated shows at the The Royal Albert Hall since 2000 when it hosted its first night in aid of the charity headlined by Daltrey’s band The Who. That night they were joined on stage by Paul Weller, Stereophonics frontman Kelly Jones, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder and Noel Gallagher. Since that night, Noel has graced the stage more than any other artist apart from The Who, with the 2024 edition being the 10th time he’s played on that hallowed stage for TCT. His 2009 performance was recorded for the live album The Dreams We Have As Children – Live at the Royal Albert Hall with proceeds going to the trust.
But it was another band from Greater Manchester that started the music, in the form of Blossoms kicking off with There’s a Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls). The Stockport quintet produced a 30 minute high energy set of hits across all of their previous four albums. Vocalist Tom Ogden introduced fellow Stockport singer Findlay to perform their latest single To Do List (After the Breakup). Singalong anthems Honey Sweet and I Can’t Stand It continued to get the crowd moving. Fan favourites Your Girlfriend and synth pop classic Charlemagne; the lead single from their eponymous 2016 debut album; closed the set on what was a blistering start to the evening.
Blossoms for Teenage Cancer Trust 2024
The audience is presented with a short film about the work that Teenage Cancer Trust and a number of young people that have been supported by the charity are bought on stage to take a selfie with the sold out crowd, a moment those incredibly brave individuals will never forget.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds come on stage at 21:00 and begin their hit-filled set with Pretty Boy, from their latest album Council Skies. In fact the first five songs are from the 2023 LP where the sound is more melodic and luscious and sounds fantastic in this historic venue. The title track from the album follows along with We’re Gunna Get There In The End, originally released as a demo in 2020 and appears as the last track on the record.
There appears to be an extra member of the band tonight. To drummer Chris Sharrock’s right hand side, stands a life-size cardboard cutout of none other than Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola. “My god, you’re a fucking master” Noel says pointing at the City boss, garnering jovial boo-ing from the crowd. In Pep’s line of work, the game of football is often clichéd to be a game of two halves – as was the Setlist at tonight’s sell-out Royal Albert Hall show – with first half of the evening a foray through the High Flying Birds catalogue.
Sharrock begins the drum fill for In The Heat Of The Moment from the Birds’ second album Chasing Yesterday and is excellent throughout the hour and 45 minute set. Accompanied by a 3 piece brass ensemble, you can see that the band are tightly knit and that transmits to the fans as they sing every word with fists in the air. If I had A Gun is sung word for word by the majority, before the biggest noise of the night so far as Mike Rowe on keys plays the two instantly recognisable chords for AKA… What A Life from their 2011 self-titled album.
“We’re gunna go back. Back to the 90’s, where everything was fucking cool, before dickheads ruined the fucking world. You were fucking mad for it” Noel says before winding back the clock. It turns out 30 years later, the 5,000+ in West London were, indeed, still mad for it.
Going Nowhere begins the second half of the show with imagery of 70s American road trips as Noel sings out “I’m gonna get me a motor car, Maybe a Jaguar maybe a plane or a day of fame” followed by one of the most vulnerable songs that Noel has ever penned, Talk Tonight.
Oasis classic Whatever gets the thousands on their feet for which they stay for the remainder of the concert. The standalone single, released in December 1994 to continue the bands momentum following the release of debut LP Definitely Maybe, is a fan favourite and proceeds with their style of working class aspirational anthems. The onlookers only to happy to belt out the “I’m free, to be whatever I …”
It’s incredible to think of songs like The Masterplan and Half The World Away as B sides – who’s only purpose was to promote a stronger single. Yet the collection of those in the 1998 album that shares it’s name with the former shows that they stand up on their own. Over the years they have become beloved by fans and Half The World Away is no exception, going on to be used as the theme tune to the cherished British sitcom The Royale Family. 2002’s Little By Little was next and former Oasis and now High Flying Birds Guitarist Gem Archer showcased his talent, effortlessly solo-ing the outro of the Heathern Chemistry highlight.
“I’m gonna finish off with a song I didn’t write, this one’s for Bob Dylan” Gallagher offers, before going into a cover Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) – perhaps a nod to the former Man City forward Niall Quinn – which has the whole hall singing along to the frame “Come all without, come all within. You’ll not see nothing like the Mighty Quinn” before exiting the stage to a rapturous ovation.
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds for Teenage Cancer Trust 2024
It’s worth noting that all of the the 300 bands, artists and comedians that have graced the Royal Albert Hall in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, do so for free. Which makes this concert and this annual celebration of art for charity all the more special.
The band return to the stage, Noel picks up an acoustic guitar and strums the first chords to Stand By Me. During the second and third choruses he turns away to face his band as the sold out crowd sings the chorus at the top of their lungs. A stripped back Live Forever follows, the only song performed from the Britpop-defining group’s debut album. 30 years on from it’s release, the optimistic ballad still rings true through multiple generations who wish to focus on the positives in this tough world we live in. There was only one song that they could end on; the timeless Don’t Look Back In Anger, which was a true highlight for those in attendance. As ubiquitous as that song has become in British culture, to see it performed live by the man himself is a sight (and sound) to behold, with smiles beaming on every concertgoer as they sing along.
There’s a burden that most artists in the fourth decade of their career cannot escape when their most successful body of work is behind them. Even if they’ve made the effort to forge their own solo path from one of the most successful and most beloved bands in British music history. With each passing year hopes of a reunion of the brothers Gallagher fades, but each seem as content as ever with their respective solo careers and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds sound as cohesive and energised as they ever have.
There have been 22 editions of Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall, which amount to 132 shows and over 600 hours of live music. Over 500,000 tickets have been sold for these performances and have raised an astonishing £32 million for young people with cancer, paying for over a million hours of specialist care. A truly incredible feat and one that Noel Gallagher has championed from the off, returning to the hall time and again for truly special shows in aid of an amazing cause.
Live review of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 21st March 2024 by Chris Lambert. Photography by John Stead.
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