‘I perform as Liam Gallagher six nights a week and I now even have my own groupies’

'I perform as Liam Gallagher six nights a week and I now even have my own groupies'

When Oasis take to the stage at Heaton Park on July 11, there will be another Liam Gallagher some 1,447.4 miles away performing some of the very same songs to another packed-out crowd. For the last couple of years, Dean Ryan, from Chester, has earned himself the reputation of being “the next best to the real Oasis” with his Liam Gallagher Tribute Show in Benidorm. The 58-year-old has been living in the Spanish resort for more than 25 years now and started developing his Liam tribute act shortly before the pandemic. Having led his own rock and roll show for decades, which features his renditions of Shakin鈥 Stevens, Adam and the Ants, and Elvis Presley, Dean wanted to give Liam a go to keep things fresh. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to be left behind – you have to be current,鈥 Dean explains to the Manchester Evening News . 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 be any more current than what I鈥檓 doing right now. That鈥檚 why I didn鈥檛 want to just stick to doing Shakin鈥 Stevens. BE HERE NOW! Win last-minute Oasis tickets to the Heaton Park homecoming gigs by clicking HERE … and join our Oasis WhatsApp group while you’re at it HERE. 鈥淚 was getting a bit complacent, I needed something to give me that little adrenaline rush again. When I first did it, I knew it was going to be something special. I really love it.鈥 But, initially, Dean said that bar owners struggled to get behind his Oasis vision – not understanding if there would be as much of a draw for it as other performers. But, a case of the right place and the right time proved to be a success. He explained: 鈥淥ne night, one of the bars had a performer who was unable to do their usual show and they needed someone quick, and I said I could do the Liam show. The last thing they wanted was my show, they thought it would be a flop but it was a last resort. That鈥檚 it really, it was complete by chance – and it鈥檚 snowballed since then.鈥 Now, only a few years after debuting the act, Dean is known both in Benidorm and over in the UK for his performances. He鈥檚 achieved more than 50 million views across social media and constantly receives rave reviews for his shows – which are held at The Western Saloon and Morgan Tavern bars. 鈥淚鈥檓 two years now in, I’m getting into my stride,鈥 he explains. 鈥淚t takes me a bit to get into character. The trick over here is that I didn鈥檛 put my name on it purposely. All the acts, the locals, didn鈥檛 know it was me for weeks – they thought I was a new kid on the block stealing all their jobs. 鈥淚 can stand outside the venue ten minutes before I come on and people still don鈥檛 realise it鈥檚 me. I鈥檝e had people come up to me and ask what time the show is on and I鈥檓 like 鈥榳hen I鈥檝e finished this pint鈥, and they can鈥檛 believe it. But I like that people don鈥檛 recognise me.鈥 For his Liam show, Dean completes his look with a wig, a tambourine and a trademark parka coat. He鈥檚 also masterfully worked out the exact Liam stance – although he ensures there is a line between imitating and doing something unique. 鈥淭he stance is iconic – I’ve studied the exact degrees of it,鈥 he explains. 鈥淏ut I didn鈥檛 want to make it a caricature, I wanted to put my own stamp on it and I think I鈥檝e done that. I鈥檓 not taking the mick, it鈥檚 accurate but it鈥檚 tongue-in-cheek. It鈥檚 my version of Liam. 鈥淢y trademark is the two-finger salute. The grannies want me to do that and they get upset when I don鈥檛 do it now. I鈥檝e essentially got my own groupies.鈥 Despite the attention and glowing reviews, Dean said he has received some criticism from people online. But being years into the game, he knows better than to take it to heart. Join our Oasis WhatsApp group here 鈥淚鈥檓 not bothered by what anybody says about me,鈥 he explains. 鈥淚鈥檓 getting paid to do something I love and something that other people are enjoying – I feel very lucky. Those who are criticising it have never seen it live.鈥 Dean first moved to Benidorm in 1999 after a stint in Ibiza where he met the mother of his daughter whilst performing his rock and roll show. 鈥淲e got a dog and realised we couldn鈥檛 take it back to England,鈥 he explained. 鈥淚 had a contact in Benidorm that I knew through the entertainment industry, and we just turned up here with no work, nowhere to live and a dog. 鈥淎gain, by complete chance, somebody was ill and I got a last-minute phone call to cover. I did my rock and roll show at Morgan鈥檚 Tavern and it鈥檚 been continuing ever since.鈥 Dean now lives with his girlfriend Gaynor Williams, who is also a singer in Benidorm with her own show. The pair knew each other as teenagers before losing contact until Gaynor visited the resort in early 2020. The pair have also regularly appeared on Channel 5’s Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun. 鈥淪he visited during the pandemic when everything just closed down,鈥 Dean explains. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been together ever since then. She helped me put together the Liam show by doing the posters and the track edits. It鈥檚 a team effort.鈥 And with it being just days now until the band kick off their reunion tour with two shows in Cardiff on July 4 and 5, it seems like Oasismania is now in full swing – with their music just as popular as ever. 鈥淔or me, they are the last British supergroup,鈥 he explains of why the band has stood the test of time. 鈥淥asis have such classic anthems that are timeless. It鈥檚 more than 30 years since their debut and they still sound fresh and current today.鈥 Whilst Dean hasn鈥檛 got tickets to the reunion tour, he says he will be hanging by the phone if any on-stage spats or behind-the-scenes drama does kick off. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be interesting to see how many shows they will complete,鈥 he laughs. 鈥淔or the record, I am on stand-by if they need me. We can鈥檛 let the fans down.鈥 You can follow the Liam Gallagher Tribute Show on Facebook here .

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