Oasis' first U.S. show without house-hunting lead singer Liam Gallagher

was bad news for the reticent one. According to a source who attended the show

at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago on Tuesday night, "nobody seemed to give a

shit that he wasn't there." Our man on the scene said that, aside from the fact

that the headliners were "blown off the stage" by the full-throttle psychedelic

attack of the Screaming Trees, the show, which was "maybe three-quarters full"

held precious few surprises for Oasis fans who are used to unsurprising shows

from their favorite band. The 15 song, 85 minute set was virtually identical to

the one they played last time around and sure, big brother Noel Gallagher

couldn't hit a few of the high notes, but according to our source, "I don't

know how many people even knew Liam wasn't there." Contrary to what one might

imagine, there appeared to be " more people trying to buy tickets outside the

show than return them." At one point during the performance, before the third

song, "Some Might Say," Noel said, "You've probably heard my brother's not here

this evening," one of the few acknowledgments that anything was other than

business as usual. The band also performed "Cast No Shadow," "Slide Away,"

"Wonderwall," and their anthem, "Live Forever." And there was a new song--which

is expected to appear on the group's third album--titled "My Big Mouth." A

source at Epic Records, the label Oasis record for in the U. S., said that new

sales for tickets outnumbered returns, although they couldn't provide us with

specifics. Liam is scheduled to see a doctor for his laryngitis either today or

tomorrow, and, our record company source added, "I'm sure Liam will re-join the

tour as soon as he is able." The group's manager, Marcus Russell, told the

Chicago Sun-Times yesterday that he'd spoken with Liam, and that the

singer "said that his throat wasn't hurting at all and hoped to be in America

soon. So we're optimistic."