'A perfect afternoon': Ex-Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher shares stage, a pint with Montreal bar patrons
Singer joined local band at McKibbin's Irish Pub in downtown Montreal for impromptu jam session
"You couldn't have written it. It was like Mary Poppins. He swooped in, he swooped out."
That's how bartender Ben Cardilli described the moment when former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher walked into McKibbin's Irish Pub on Sunday.
"A new customer came up to my bar, and immediately I realized," said Cardilli. "Oh my God, it's Liam Gallagher."
"I poured him hopefully the best Guinness I've ever poured in my life."
Gallagher was in town for a show at Osheaga and popped into the Bishop Street bar early Sunday afternoon for a pint.
"It was kind of a perfect afternoon, and he was looking for a quiet Irish pub," said Cardilli. "He was really down to earth."
A video of Gallagher jamming with two local musicians, Belfast Andi and Bob Cussen, was circulated widely on social media.
Played for a dozen
After the initial shock, bus boy David Dooley, originally from Cork, Ireland, ran out after Gallagher when he stepped out to smoke.
He said the two got talking right away, and he tried to play it cool despite his excitement.
"I was initially shocked," Dooley told CBC's Homerun. "That's something you don't expect."
He said Gallagher stayed to watch the traditional Irish band that was playing and with some gentle coaxing, joined in to perform with them.
"For this superstar to join in with the traditional Irish music, it was really something special, something that I'll never forget," said Dooley. "I'm blessed and happy to see what I've seen."
It was an unusually quiet moment in the bar, with only about a dozen people sharing the space.
"The few clients we had were just dumbfounded," noted Cardilli.
A singer/songwriter himself, Cardilli said he was honoured to be able to play a few songs with the band as well.
"They let me come up and play some songs for Liam Gallagher which is still, I don't even remember what I played, but it was amazing to just have the opportunity."
With files from CBC Homerun