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Oasis Reignites Bitter Feuds and Ignites Reunion Tour Controversy

Published 1 day ago4 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Oasis Reignites Bitter Feuds and Ignites Reunion Tour Controversy

The highly anticipated reunion tour of the iconic British band Oasis is set to commence, drawing significant attention not only for the return of brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher but also for a series of associated developments and controversies. Bassist Andy Bell, who previously played with Oasis from 1999 to 2009 and later in Liam Gallagher’s project Beady Eye, has officially confirmed his involvement. In an interview with Austrian newspaper Oe24, Bell expressed his excitement, stating, “I’m in and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll see each other on tour.”

Bell is expected to be joined by fellow Beady Eye bandmate Gem Archer, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs on guitar, and drummer Joey Waronker, forming the live ensemble. The band has an extensive schedule of 41 dates booked for 2025, with the tour kicking off at stadiums across the UK and Ireland in July before extending to multiple continents. Notable support acts for the tour include Cast, Richard Ashcroft, Cage The Elephant, and Ball Park Music.

The demand for tickets has been extraordinary, with 10 million people from over 100 countries attempting to purchase them, leading to record-breaking sell-out times. In Scotland, the band will play three sold-out shows at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on August 8, 9, and 12. Despite earlier social media claims by Liam Gallagher suggesting a new album was “finished” and he was “blown away” by new material from Noel, the band's manager, Alec McKinlay, has firmly ruled out any new music or additional tour dates. McKinlay, also director of Ignition and Big Brother Recordings, stated that this is “very much the last time around,” as Noel Gallagher has made clear, offering a chance for fans who haven’t seen the band before or in a long time to do so. The decision to keep the comeback tour news under wraps was carefully managed by a limited and trusted group, leading to a “phenomenal” reaction upon the official announcement.

However, the tour has not been without its challenges, notably a significant controversy surrounding ticket sales. The UK competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has threatened legal action against Ticketmaster for “misleading” methods used during the initial sale of Oasis reunion tour tickets. The CMA warned in March that Ticketmaster had “breached the law” and “misled fans,” launching an investigation after thousands of fans reportedly paid significantly over the odds. Concerns included the sale of 'platinum' tickets, which were priced up to 2.5 times more than equivalent standard tickets without offering additional benefits and often located in the same stadium areas, misleading customers into believing they were superior.

Furthermore, Ticketmaster allegedly failed to inform consumers about two categories of standing tickets at different prices, releasing cheaper ones first before making more expensive ones available. This led to fans waiting for extended periods without understanding the price differentials. Oasis, in a statement shortly after the sale, distanced themselves from the dynamic pricing fiasco, clarifying that decisions on ticketing and pricing are entirely left to their promoters and management, and they were “not aware” that dynamic pricing would be used. The band stated that while prior meetings aimed for a “fair experience” for fans, the execution “failed to meet expectations” due to “unprecedented demand.”

Adding another layer of legal complexity, the Gallagher brothers have initiated a legal feud with the fashion brand Oasis. Noel and Liam have hired legal specialists Beck Greener to represent them as the online-only fashion retailer opposes the band's application to trademark their logo. The fashion brand, which ceased operating physical stores in 2020, claims the band's proposed logo – featuring “Oasis” in white lettering on a black background for various goods including clothes, toys, cosmetics, and jewellery – is “identical” to theirs. They accuse the band of seeking an “unfair advantage by virtue of free-riding on the reputation of the opponent’s trademark.” The brothers are reportedly not backing down, with their teams confident of success; if mediation fails, the case will proceed to a tribunal. The comeback tour is currently progressing, with upcoming shows in Los Angeles, Mexico City, and final UK gigs at Wembley in late September.

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