#Justock Part II: Shreddies, Shredded Wheat, or Weetabix
Not since Justin Hawkins flew into the Brighton Centre on a massive pair of tits, has there been a better entrance than Julian's on Saturday night to #Justock Part II.
I'll set the scene... as you know, the whole day has been a surprise and it's been a year in the planning. We've dashed back from tennis (Part I) and are back out the door in just over an hour (late, we're always late) to pick up our friends for "dinner".
As we pull up to Tomas and Jana's house, Julian remarks on how unusual it is to see the gates closed. He gets out the car and Tomas calls from the other side of the gate he'll let us in. I step through the gap, and the gate opens wide to allow Julian to step over the threshold.
There's a split second before our friends and family (those who could get to us, there were notable absences with good reason, but it didn't stop us missing you), led by the Mini-RMs chorus "Surprise!" and the best tribute band in our world let rip with Rock 'N' Roll Star.
Yep, the party's just got started.
I don't think Ju has ever gotten over Oasis splitting up - plum crumble isn't allowed in our house - and we've watched Twitter closely for more hints that there could be a reconciliation between the Gallagher brothers. But clearly, Noel and Liam weren't going to be reforming in time for the party, so I went with Plan B, which should have been Plan A from the start - Oasis Maybe.
Now there are tribute bands, and then there's these guys. The band are excellent musicians and they didn't disappoint the crowd at the smallest gig they've ever played (probably, definitely, maybe).
Formed by five close friends - Aaron, Brian, Damon, Matt and Bren - who are massive Oasis fans (no wonder they got on so well with Ju), they're well on the way to realise their dream of becoming the world's premier Oasis tribute: in fact, we think they're it already.
If you can't get Oasis, you'll want Oasis Maybe. They aren't just a tribute to Oasis, they are Oasis. Mannerisms, music, banter - it was perfect. There were little touches that spoke to the true Oasis fan too: verses swapped, little quotes and of course the music. It might be 2018, but we were back at the gigs of the 90s, when Oasis stormed the world and BritPop dominated the music charts.
The rhythm and bass guitarists and drummer in a band often get unfairly forgotten, particularly when two icons are in the room (or in our case, in the unfinished pool house), but not this time: excellent musicians and really nice guys (and I send my heartfelt apologies to the drummer who I accused of looking like a young, fit Robbie Williams... you're not in the wrong band). Noel was quiet and unassuming, worthy of his reputation as a talented songwriter and singer and we made sure to say thanks to him first - after all, he's the man behind the music of the greatest ever band.
And then there's Liam - swaggering, staring, charismatic Liam. From his growl to his parka, Liam Maybe was spot on. His behaviour on and off stage was Liam to a tee. Julian said it best - no one stands still like Liam Gallagher: but this guy nailed it. His voice was pure Liam too, snarling out songs with his signature Manc twang.
It wasn't just the band that sang either - they had Ju up on stage living his dream of singing with his favourite band in the world, doing a pretty decent job of Don't Look Back in Anger. And for the encore, we had I am the Walrus, which was phenomenal (coo, coo ca-choo) and despite a set that lasted two hours, straight through, it was over too quickly. The boys packed up and headed back, not to Manchester, but to Birmingham, driven by the lovely Scouse lad with the hipster beard who gradually moved from discreet obscurity by the tour (mini) bus onto the dance floor with the rest of us.
We danced, we sang, we partied to the seminal songs of our youth as we paid tribute to the end of Julian's with (almost all) the people we love.
Julian said he had one of the best days of his life, and so this is a thank you to everyone who made that happen.
In a parody of the legend that is Liam, a party without friends is a shit party. We have great friends, we've made new friends, and #Justock will go down in Regan-Mears history as the very best Masterplan.
Big love to you all.
As you were.
I'll set the scene... as you know, the whole day has been a surprise and it's been a year in the planning. We've dashed back from tennis (Part I) and are back out the door in just over an hour (late, we're always late) to pick up our friends for "dinner".
As we pull up to Tomas and Jana's house, Julian remarks on how unusual it is to see the gates closed. He gets out the car and Tomas calls from the other side of the gate he'll let us in. I step through the gap, and the gate opens wide to allow Julian to step over the threshold.
There's a split second before our friends and family (those who could get to us, there were notable absences with good reason, but it didn't stop us missing you), led by the Mini-RMs chorus "Surprise!" and the best tribute band in our world let rip with Rock 'N' Roll Star.
Yep, the party's just got started.
I don't think Ju has ever gotten over Oasis splitting up - plum crumble isn't allowed in our house - and we've watched Twitter closely for more hints that there could be a reconciliation between the Gallagher brothers. But clearly, Noel and Liam weren't going to be reforming in time for the party, so I went with Plan B, which should have been Plan A from the start - Oasis Maybe.
Now there are tribute bands, and then there's these guys. The band are excellent musicians and they didn't disappoint the crowd at the smallest gig they've ever played (probably, definitely, maybe).
Formed by five close friends - Aaron, Brian, Damon, Matt and Bren - who are massive Oasis fans (no wonder they got on so well with Ju), they're well on the way to realise their dream of becoming the world's premier Oasis tribute: in fact, we think they're it already.
If you can't get Oasis, you'll want Oasis Maybe. They aren't just a tribute to Oasis, they are Oasis. Mannerisms, music, banter - it was perfect. There were little touches that spoke to the true Oasis fan too: verses swapped, little quotes and of course the music. It might be 2018, but we were back at the gigs of the 90s, when Oasis stormed the world and BritPop dominated the music charts.
And then there's Liam - swaggering, staring, charismatic Liam. From his growl to his parka, Liam Maybe was spot on. His behaviour on and off stage was Liam to a tee. Julian said it best - no one stands still like Liam Gallagher: but this guy nailed it. His voice was pure Liam too, snarling out songs with his signature Manc twang.
It wasn't just the band that sang either - they had Ju up on stage living his dream of singing with his favourite band in the world, doing a pretty decent job of Don't Look Back in Anger. And for the encore, we had I am the Walrus, which was phenomenal (coo, coo ca-choo) and despite a set that lasted two hours, straight through, it was over too quickly. The boys packed up and headed back, not to Manchester, but to Birmingham, driven by the lovely Scouse lad with the hipster beard who gradually moved from discreet obscurity by the tour (mini) bus onto the dance floor with the rest of us.
We danced, we sang, we partied to the seminal songs of our youth as we paid tribute to the end of Julian's with (almost all) the people we love.
Julian said he had one of the best days of his life, and so this is a thank you to everyone who made that happen.
In a parody of the legend that is Liam, a party without friends is a shit party. We have great friends, we've made new friends, and #Justock will go down in Regan-Mears history as the very best Masterplan.
Big love to you all.
As you were.
Biblical.
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Thanks for ranting!