Liam Gallagher was in full voice as he and his brother Noel brought their band Oasis to a long-awaited show at the John Labatt Centre last night. (KEN WIGHTMAN, Sun Media)

LONDON, Ontario - Just in case there were any lingering doubts, Oasis still knows how to make an entrance -- and an exit.

The Gallagher brothers -- singer Liam and chief songwriter and guitarist Noel -- and their Oasis mates had both for 7,200 fans last night at the John Labatt Centre.

"This is definitely the last song -- you've been amazing," shouted Liam Gallagher who had been in full cheerful sneer most of the night. "Have a good Christmas . . . I am the Walrus," he said to complete the introduction to the magnificent finale of an extended encore.

A blazing revisit to the Beatles' classic had the fans ooing and wooing along with the chorus, completing a finale including two singalongs led by Noel (The Fans' Choice) Gallagher and a terrific Champagne Supernova with Liam back at centre stage and his brother soloing with power.

That was the exit.

The entrance by Oasis wasn't half-bad either.

Rock N Roll Star, as in "Tonight, I'm a rock n roll star," was the first song. That followed a crazed voice over the sound system saying "this is not a drill" and a huge blast of lights setting the stage for images of band and visuals on the video screens. Not bad as these things go was black-coat-clad Liam arriving at centre stage in full sneer.

I'm a rock star to I am the Walrus proved to be a journey worth waiting for.

That first insolent stroll -- and the cheers for Noel Gallagher's first solo of the night a few minutes later -- meant the years it took for the 1990s' powerhouse British rockers to play London were over.

The show was originally set for early September. But an on-stage attack on Noel Gallagher at a Toronto concert put the Oasis rocker in hospital with broken ribs and other injuries. The London date was postponed until last night. A Toronto area man was charged after the attack.

In a touching display of brotherly love between the oft-feuding Gallaghers, Liam attempted to come to Noel's aid -- even if Noel later derided his brother's attempt.

The brothers and Gem Archer and Andy Bell, who both joined in 1999, are touring to support the Manchester band's latest album Dig Out Your Soul (Warner). A touring drummer and keyboard player were in last night's lineup.

Dig Out Your Soul provided songs such as Ain't Got Nothin', Waiting for the Rapture and I'm Outta Time -- which had a lovely fadeout -- to the main set. The new album's Falling Down was there for the encore with Noel Gallagher singing.

The biggest hits were the Oasis trademarks including Morning Glory, Wonderwall and Supersonic. It didn't appear that the Manchester mates were doing anything special around the mid-set (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Oasis was playing the 1995 hit when Noel Gallagher was attacked and shoved into on-stage monitors.

The Gallagher brothers do bring something special to the art of talking on stage.

"Thank you very much. Good evening, London. How is everybody," asked Noel Gallagher early, breaking the Oasis code of silence sweetly.

Liam was characteristically unsweet. "How are (we) doing? We're all all right," he answered his brother.

"You're one of the . . . ugly lady birds," he said pointing to somebody in the audience.

Near the end, he sweetened up too. "This one's for you . . . because you're the one that's happy," he said, pointing somewhere else, to introduce Champagne Supernova. Liam even gently lobbed the tambourine he uses as a security blanket to a fan late in the show.

So that was Oasis -- still masters of the sweet and sour stage manner and with a songbook that rocks on and on.

Matt Costa opened. Second on the bill was Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, who used songs from their just-out Cardinology (Universal) in the early going. Last night, the effect of all the excellent noise from the Cardinals -- guitarist Neal Casal, drummer Brad Pemberton, pedal steel player Jon Graboff and bassist Chris Feinstein -- was mesmerizing. Adams is Adams, a Leonard Cohen for our time with a faster, wilder version of Tom Petty's band to keep him on track. Cardinology's Magick was the driving finale to their 50-minute set. But then the entire night was magical.