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Oasis Mania Erupts: Reunion Details, Murrayfield Buzz, and Ticket Wars Ignite!

Published 1 hour ago4 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Oasis Mania Erupts: Reunion Details, Murrayfield Buzz, and Ticket Wars Ignite!

Oasis's long-awaited reunion tour is now officially underway, with bassist Andy Bell confirming his involvement, bringing his extensive history with the band and Liam Gallagher's post-Oasis project, Beady Eye, to the fold. Bell, alongside longtime collaborator and Beady Eye bandmate Gem Archer, guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, and drummer Joey Waronker, are expected to form the live band for the extensive tour. The band has 41 dates booked for 2025, commencing with sold-out stadium shows across the UK and Ireland in July, before spanning multiple continents. Support acts for the tour include Cast, Richard Ashcroft, Cage The Elephant, and Ball Park Music.

Despite the immense excitement surrounding the comeback, Oasis's manager Alec McKinlay has clarified that there are no plans for new material from the band, dampening earlier rumors fanned by Liam Gallagher about a finished new album. McKinlay emphasized that this tour is “very much the last time around,” offering a chance for fans who haven’t seen the band to experience them live, or for others to revisit their legendary performances. The secrecy surrounding the tour's announcement was carefully maintained, with McKinlay noting a “very limited” group of trusted individuals were aware of the plans, leading to a “phenomenal” reaction when the news finally broke.

However, the tour has not been without its controversies, particularly concerning ticket sales. The UK competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has threatened legal action against Ticketmaster for “misleading” sales methods for the Oasis reunion tour. Concerns include the sale of ‘platinum’ tickets, which were priced significantly higher (up to 2.5 times the face value of standard tickets) without offering additional benefits, and the lack of clear disclosure regarding two different price categories for standing tickets, with cheaper ones selling out before more expensive ones were released. Oasis, in response to these complaints, issued a statement blaming their promoters and management, asserting that the band was “not aware” dynamic pricing would be used and that the execution of the ticket sale plan “failed to meet expectations” due to unprecedented demand.

The Scottish leg of the tour saw Oasis play two incredible, sold-out gigs at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, their first Scottish performances in 16 years. Attracting approximately 135,000 fans across Friday and Saturday evenings, the band is set to conclude their three-night run in Scotland on Tuesday, August 12. During these shows, the Gallagher brothers, who reportedly resolved their long-standing rift last year, delivered a captivating set, performing iconic fan favorites such as “Wonderwall,” “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Slide Away,” and “Live Forever.” Each concert concluded with “Champagne Supernova” and a spectacular firework display.

Despite playing 23 hits, several notable songs were absent from the setlist. These included “Stop Crying Your Heart Out” (2002) and their fourth number-one single, “All Around The World” (1998). Noel Gallagher had previously lauded “All Around The World” as one of the best songs he ever wrote, even comparing its structure and ambition to The Beatles’ “Hey Jude.” Other number-one singles like “The Importance of Being Idle,” “Go Let It out,” “The Hindu Times,” and “Lyla,” as well as classic album tracks such as “She’s Electric,” also did not make the cut.

Off-stage, Liam Gallagher garnered attention for his interactions and candid remarks. A Scots dad, Jonathan Dunn, described the rock star as “warm and funny” after a chance encounter at The Gleneagles Hotel, where Liam was resting between gigs. Liam engaged in a friendly chat and posed for photos, even joking with Dunn’s children about the energy of the Murrayfield crowds. However, Liam expressed his “seething” anger towards the Edinburgh city council, openly criticizing them on stage for a report that suggested the band’s fans would be “rowdy” and “intoxicated.” He claimed the band was bringing “£1 billion pounds” to the city over the three days and was still awaiting an apology.

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