Live Concert Review: The Stone Roses, Heaton Park, Manchester, 30.06.2012 (Supports: Beady Eye, Wailers, Professor Green, Hollie Cook). 

In July 2011, I met up with three mates, two of which I had not seen for 11 years. These where mates where one of the commonest things we used to talk about back in the day, was music. At that meeting last year, one of them asked a question along the lines of 'If you could have any band reform to be able to see live, who would it be?'. Without hesitation I said the original line up of The Stone Roses, and I was laughed at. This was obviously not out of any sense of derision, though was due to how unlikely this prospect was seen to be. Needless to say when, when just a matter of months later (October 2011), there reformation, and the live dates at Heaton Park were announced, I felt quite emotional. I took the day of work on the day of tickets being sold, to try to ensure I got my ticket. In case you are reading this and don't know, initially there were two dates (29th & 30th June) and a third (1st July) added quickly due to demand. 220,000 Tickets were sold in little over an hour for the three dates (that's a bit more than 73,000 each day), which I understand to be the fastest selling concert dates ever in the U.K.. One other from the discussion mentioned above, who lives in Middlesbourgh, had managed to get a ticket for the 1st of July.
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I traveled from Edinburgh by train on the morning of the day before the gig I had a ticket for - the middle of three dates being played. On the eve before travel all rail travel between Scotland and England was disrupted due to landslides and floods. I was relieved that the train travel on the way to Manchester was not disrupted and did not care that the train was as overcrowded as I've ever seen, as I was on my way.

It felt to be well organised in terms of shuttle buses from the city centre making getting to and from a stress free experience.

The merchandise also appeared to be reasonable in price.
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The Supports:
Hollie Cook:
Fine to listen to in a filed for a while to pass some time, not great by any means, not offensive, would not by her stuff (she is the daughter of Sex Pistols drummer Paul Cook). Rating 03/10.

Professor Green:
He may have had a difficult childhood, though even taking this into account, he struck me as a petulant and stroppy young man with one almighty chip on his shoulder, who was doing agresive and poorly mixed hippity-hop. The only redeeming part of his set, was when Lilly Allan joined him on stage to provide vocals to a track. Sometimes with this sort of Hippity-Hop I wonder whether I just don't get it, as it appears somehow to be popular - certainly troubles the chart,though the crowd did not appear to be that into it. Rating 02/10.

Wailers:  
Provided the crown with a dance and sing-along. I only like a couple of the songs they played, though cannot deny the stuff is popular and at least appears to be jollier than 'pro green'. Rating: 04/10.

Beady Eye:
Not as good as Oasis; who themselves were not great when I saw them in Edinburgh in 2009. Though it was good to see Liam Gallagher appear humble as he truly appeared to be honored to take part and was very clear in his admiration of the roses. For the crowd it was also good to have them perform 3 or 4 Oasis songs. Rating: 04/10.

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There was intermittent quite heavy showers during the supports, though by the time The Stone Roses came on, the weather was fine. The crowd appeared friendly throughout and did not see any agro. The overall enjoyment of the gig was also certainly helped by the fact that all in the crowd appeared determined to enjoy themselves. Did see one person collapse before The Stone Roses came on stage. During The Stone Roses in the enclosure at the front (which apparently held 15,000), where I was stood there was about six or seven flairs set of, though they appeared to handled fairly carefully, as carefully as you can with flairs).   
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The Stone Roses:
It was truely wonderful, one of the best rock gigs I have ever seen. The whole performance and the crowds reaction to it felt like a mass celebratory euphoric experience - quasi religious; though in a good way.

I had a sore cheeks and difficulty speaking afterwards from grinning at the briliance, and singing along - being Manchester, the whole show was a mass sing along. The bass and guitar were great (The synchronicity between the bass, drums and guitar was remarkable.), though Reni's drumming - which is why i'm such a fan - is quite probably the best I've ever seen in terms of rock drumming - with added jazz flourishes. I had the heirs on my arms standing up and was on the verge of tears. I had thought for a long time that I would never get to see him perform, it felt to be a privilege to witness. Reni still has the ability to make what he does appear effortless, yet it is clear from the sound he creates that it is anything but; a truly remarkable drummer. 

The only footage I've previously seen of the Roses performing from their first time out, is the recording of the concert at Blackpool's Empress Ballroom. The level of playing across the bass, drums and guitar has definitely improved and the overall sound was faultless, and Ian's singing I would happily say to be adequate.  

There was not a single weak song, they began with 'I Wanna Be Adored' and ended with 'I Am The Resurrection'. They played the entire first album throughout the set, as well as other early tracks such as 'Sally Cinnamon' & 'Mersey Paradise', they played a couple from 'The Second Coming' and words would not be able to do justice to their performance of 'Fools Gold'. For me the only notable ommisions were 'One Love' and 'Elephant Stone', though this is quibbling. 

(The Full Set List Was: I Wanna Br Adored/Mersey Paradise/Sugar Spun Sister/Sally Cinnamon/Where Angels Play/Shoot You Down/Bye Bye Badman/Ten Storey Love Song/Standing Here/Fools Gold/Somethings Burning/Waterfall/Don't Stop/Love Spreads/Made Of Stone/This Is The One/She Bangs The Drums/Elizabeth My Dear/I Am The Resurrection.)

The Roses played for approx 1 Hour & 50 Minutes and from start to finish the quality did not dip once. The overall enjoyment of the gig was also certainly helped by the fact that all in the crowd appeared determined to enjoy themselves.  

To top it all of they had a fantastic firework display when they went off stage - which the night before you could hear from the city centre.

As you can tell, I found it to be quite the experience, I doubt I will ever forget how great I found it to be.

Rating: 10/10 (I did consider giving 11/10, though that would just be a daft thing to do with any review).