Rock's bad boys play it safe

Last year the media couldn't get enough of Oasis; every move they made was watched carefully by the world's press, and every throwaway remark was highlighted in large headlines. The fans also couldn't get enough of Oasis, and they crammed into Knebworth by the quarter million, putting the band's record sales into the record books and even putting tribute band No Way Sis into the charts.

However, 1997 is the year of Oasis fatigue, and not even the gargantuan, heavy-riffing third album, Be Here Now, can relieve it.

The band itself seems to have tired of its rebellious image, and last night's concert at Dublin's Point Theatre was a study in good rock 'n' roll behaviour. It was also a bit dull and unengaging.

Oasis took the stage to the jaunty melody of Be Here Now, the title track to their current, under-achieving album. Behind the band stood a clock, a telephone box and part of a Rolls Royce, and before them stood 8,000 fans who didn't care a whit if their Oasis was going through a critical and commercial dry patch.

Stand By Me rallied the faithful, while Some Might Say and Roll With It kept them on track. D'You Know What I Mean, however, was just a little too complacent, taking the crowd's loyalty for granted, and not doing enough to earn it.

After the song's feedback outro faded away Liam Gallagher left the stage, and elder brother Noel took over vocal duties for the half-baked Magic Pie. Luckily, the magic was still there for Don't Look Back In Anger, but when Liam returned for Wonderwall, it felt like we'd already been there, seen that, and held the lighters aloft till our arms ached.

Live Forever was moribund, and It's Getting Better Man! wasn't really much better; only All Around The World and the encore of Champagne Supernova managed to rise above the workaday atmosphere and reach the heights of rock'n'roll heaven.

Oasis have shed their sense of danger and imminent collapse to become a solid, reliable, rock 'n' roll band. Hohum.