Liam Gallagher paid shocking amount to perform for 30 minutes at lavish 50th birthday bash for B&M tycoon
LIAM GALLAGHER was paid £500,000 to sing at a lavish 50th birthday bash for B&M retail king Bobby Arora.
The ex-Oasis rocker, turned solo star, earned the payday for just a 30-minute set at historic Paris opera house the Palais Garnier.
The white-tie champagne do, where guests were also entertained with ballet and opera, must have made a change for parka-wearing, lager-loving Liam.
At one point Liam, whose hits with Oasis included 1995 anthem Roll With It, was joined on stage by birthday boy Bobby, co-owner of discount store chain B&M with brothers Simon and Robin.
Guests at the party included Fred Siriex, French maître d’ of Channel 4 show First Dates.
A source said: “It was the party to end all parties.
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“No expense was spared. It was opulent, extravagant and utterly brilliant. You couldn’t wish for a grander location — and then Liam took to the stage.
“No one knew that he was performing. He brought the house down.”
During his set, Liam belted out 1994 Oasis hit Cigarettes & Alcohol — and there was certainly no shortage of booze at the party.
The Arora brothers bought high-street favourite B&M in 2004 when it was just a struggling grocery chain based in Blackpool and on the verge of insolvency.
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It now has 686 variety stores across the UK and is valued at £5.1billion.
So paying Liam was no big deal for mega-rich Bobby.
But he was lucky to land the rocker — who is as busy as ever.
He played to 50,000 fans at Hampden Stadium in Glasgow last week and later tweeted of the gig: “Glasgow you will be the death of me.
“You were biblical — I love and adore you, stay cool until nxt time.”
He played Athens last night as his world tour of 20-plus dates continues, also taking in countries including France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, New Zealand and Australia.
Noel's £200m Oasis deals
FRESH from his Glastonbury triumph, Noel Gallagher has boasted that he’s frequently offered nearly £200million to reform Oasis.
He said: “There’s not six months passes where I don’t get someone from Live Nation going, ‘You know there’s a couple of hundred million dollars in it for you’.
“Sony Music (Oasis’s record label) would love it. If I picked up the phone today and said I need to make a new Oasis record, you could make the most outlandish demands, you would be on the private jet in half an hour going to do the deal.
“Because they’re like, ‘Right, this is a licence to print money’.
“Whereas really they should be looking for the next Oasis and taking the time to make it great.”
Noel admitted on his podcast that he was back on the booze at the festival, after previously quitting in lockdown.
He added: “I was f***ed. I certainly wouldn’t have been able to sing on Sunday night.”
Alison’s uni secret out
EIGHTIES pop icon Alison Moyet has been going Invisible as a mature student, we can reveal.
The singer has been studying at Brighton University under her married name Geneviève Ballard on a printing course for the past few months.
But she’s about to reveal her day job to her classmates by taking them to see her perform as the support act for Tears For Fears on their UK tour this week.
A source said: “Alison wanted to be treated as a regular student. Now all her classmates are going to see what she does on stage.”
The ex-Yazoo frontwoman had to pull out of her support gig at the QEII Arena in Telford on Friday due to Covid.
Rest up, Alison – we hope your uni mates get to see you.
Laura hates about love
SHE caused a stink by saying the Love Island villa reeked of body odour – and now host Laura Whitmore has had another pop at the housemates.
Talking about her frustration over their actions, she revealed: “I care about the couples and that’s why it’s really hard. Especially with Casa Amor – sometimes I want to give them a slap, you know?” Erm, no.
Laura, said on Melvin Odoom’s podcast: “When I come in to surprise them, they’re like ‘Oh Jesus, who are you?’ and I’m like, ‘It’s Love Island, this is not a holiday!’
“I think they forget. They’re like, ‘Why are you here now?’ I’m like, ‘Do you remember? This is a show you’re on? You’re not just here having a lovely time’.
“Or they get angry, say if someone gets dumped from the island and they’re like, ‘This is really unfair!’ And I’m like, ‘This is what the show’s all about, it’s a TV show – you’re on a television show’.”
Look who’s hair, Rihanna
RIHANNA and ASAP ROCKY came close to starting a riot when they popped into a barber shop in South London’s Crystal Palace.
The new parents dropped in on Friday night after the rapper’s headline set at the Wireless Festival, where Rihanna was snapped in the crowd.
And despite being mobbed by hundreds of screaming fans at the barber’s, Rocky settled down for a trim.
Good on them for taking it all in their stride.
Frankie’s open to cures
FRANKIE BRIDGE says she would consider taking ketamine in a bid to cure her depression.
The former Saturdays singer, who has struggled with her mental health for years, admitted she would like to try micro-dosing the party drug.
She said on the Should I Delete That? podcast: “I still take antidepressants.
“My shrink says I’m the one person he can’t fix. I’d love to explore other treatments now. There’s magnetic treatments, and micro-dosing ketamine.
“I don’t think I’m there yet . . . I’ve got two kids and a job to hold down.”
Spices turn a Horner
THE SPICE GIRLS bid to play Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage is a step further forward – thanks to Geri Horner.
The Sun on Sunday revealed that Mel B, Mel C, Emma Bunton and Geri had discussed doing a world tour ending at Glasto – with Victoria Beckham making a guest appearance.
Geri was reluctant – but sources say that’s changed.
One revealed last night: “Geri had the most reservations about touring – her son Monty is still very young. But recently she has seemed a lot more positive about the idea, and it spoke volumes that she and husband Christian came along to Glastonbury last week.”
Our Union Jack dresses are ready when they are.
Kim gear is a mutt-have
KIM KARDASHIAN channels Sixties big-screen icon Barbarella as she models metallic swimwear.
The US reality TV star, who posed in a cutaway gold one-piece and silver bikini, was promoting a new collection for her SKIMS brand (what else?).
For the poolside shoot, she teamed her costumes with blonde bouffant hair in an apparent tribute to sci-fi character Barbarella, played by acting legend Jane Fonda.
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And she showed her cuddly side by posing with a few poodles.
Kim, who is currently dating US comedian Pete Davidson, voiced poodle Dolores in the children’s animated movie Paw Patrol.
So at least she could chat with these ones between takes.