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Oasis Reunion Tour Confirmed with Andy Bell, But Ticketmaster Faces Legal Threat Over Tickets

Published 1 day ago3 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Oasis Reunion Tour Confirmed with Andy Bell, But Ticketmaster Faces Legal Threat Over Tickets

Andy Bell has officially confirmed his plans to rejoin Oasis for their highly anticipated reunion tour, set to kick off later this summer. Bell, who served as the band's bassist from 1999 to 2009 and later played in Liam Gallagher's post-Oasis project Beady Eye, is well-suited to navigate the dynamics between Liam and Noel Gallagher. In an interview with Austrian newspaper Oe24, Bell stated, “I’m in and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll see each other on tour. Or rather, you’ll see me. I’ll hardly be able to see you in the audience.” His involvement has been widely anticipated.

Bell is expected to be joined by fellow Beady Eye bandmate and longtime collaborator Gem Archer, who also featured on Bell's recent solo album, Pinball Wanderer. Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs is slated for guitar, and Joey Waronker is expected on drums. The tour comprises 41 dates booked for 2025, commencing in July across stadiums in the UK and Ireland before spanning multiple continents. Support acts include Cast, Richard Ashcroft, Cage The Elephant, and Ball Park Music. The band, fronted by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, will play three sold-out shows at the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium on August 8, 9, and 12, following a record-breaking ticket sale where 10 million people from over 100 countries attempted to secure tickets.

Despite the excitement, Oasis's manager Alec McKinlay has clarified that there will be no new material from the band and no further tour dates will be announced. McKinlay, also a director at Ignition and Big Brother Recordings, stated, “This is very much the last time around, as Noel’s made clear in the press. It’s a chance for fans who haven’t seen the band to see them, or at least for some of them to.” He added, “No, there’s no plan for any new music.” This puts to rest earlier social media claims by Liam Gallagher, who had suggested that new material, supposedly written by Noel, was already finished and had “blown him away.” McKinlay also detailed how the comeback tour news was kept secret, attributing its success to a limited group of trusted individuals and expressing astonishment at the phenomenal public reaction.

The reunion tour's ticket sales have not been without controversy, however, as the UK competition watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has threatened Ticketmaster with legal action over its “misleading” selling methods. An investigation was launched after thousands of fans reported paying significantly inflated prices for tickets during the Oasis Live '25 sale last summer. Many were infuriated by the surging costs, with some paying over £350 for tickets initially valued at £150.

The CMA identified two primary concerns regarding potential breaches of consumer protection law. Firstly, Ticketmaster labeled certain seated tickets as ‘platinum,’ selling them for up to 2.5 times the price of equivalent standard tickets. The watchdog argued that Ticketmaster failed to sufficiently explain that these tickets offered no additional benefits and were often located in the same stadium areas, thus misleading customers into believing they were superior.

Secondly, Ticketmaster allegedly broke the law by not informing consumers that there were two categories of standing tickets at different prices. All the cheaper tickets were reportedly sold first, before the more expensive ones were released, leaving customers waiting for extended periods without understanding they would eventually have to pay more for available tickets.

In response to the complaints, Oasis issued a statement clarifying that they were

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