The Gallagher musical dynasty showed no signs of fading on Monday night, as Gene Gallagher, youngest son of Oasis icon Liam Gallagher, commanded the stage at a packed London venue with his band, Villanelle.
A Family Affair in the Capital
The intimate show at The Lexington on Pentonville Road became a notable family gathering. While his famous father was absent, the 24-year-old frontman received support from his older half-brother, Lennon, and, more notably, his rarely seen cousin Sonny – the 15-year-old son of Noel Gallagher and his ex-wife Sara MacDonald.
Sonny's older sister, Anais – Noel's daughter from his first marriage to Meg Matthews – was also in the enthusiastic crowd. The cousins were seen intently watching the performance from a prime spot near the stage. Anais, 25, shared footage online with the caption: 'This is my cousin and he’s a legend.'
Villanelle Finds Its Sound
Villanelle, a four-piece band featuring Gallagher on vocals and guitar, Ben Taylor on guitar, Jack Schiavo on bass, and Andrew Richmond on drums, released their debut single, 'Hinge', in September. Gallagher described the track as being 'about paranoia derived from sleepless nights', quipping he was 'probably hungover' when he wrote it.
The band's sound is a deliberate fusion of its members' diverse influences. Bassist Jack Schiavo explained to NME that they meet in a mix of grunge, shoegaze, punk, and alternative rock. 'Ben’s influences are more in that English alternative rock space, mine’s more of that ‘60s and ’70s rock space, and then Gene’s are like ‘90s American rock bands,' he said, citing a collective inspiration spanning from Black Sabbath and Nirvana to Arctic Monkeys.
Building a Legacy on the Road
2024 has been a formative year for Villanelle. They gained significant early exposure by supporting Liam Gallagher on his Definitely Maybe 30th-anniversary tour. They also joined the line-up of support acts for the recently reformed Oasis on their global Live '25 reunion tour, sharing stages with acts like Cast and Richard Ashcroft.
Interestingly, The Daily Mail previously reported that Gene and his cousin Anais played a major role in reuniting the feuding Gallagher brothers for the Oasis tour, convincing them that a new generation wanted to see them perform together.
Liam has previously commented on his sons' musical endeavours, noting in 2019 that while Lennon's sound was 'more spaced out, like early Verve', Gene's was 'more like in-your-face, Arctic Monkeys style'. His advice was simple: 'Go for it I say.' Based on the reception at The Lexington, it's advice the newest Gallagher on the block is firmly following.
