'Mad for it!': Fans rejoice as band announces reunion after 15 years apart (2024)

Live Reporting (active)

Summary

Oasis confirm a long-awaited reunion tour in 2025 - they'll play shows in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin
Tickets go on sale on Saturday, with more shows outside Europe later in the year
"The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over," the band says 15 years after their split
Oasis are one of the best-selling bands in British history, with a series of era-defining singles and albums in the 1990s

Live Reporting

Edited by Johanna Chisholm and Jamie Whitehead

The Rock n' Roll Stars are back... See you down the frontpublished at 15:08 British Summer Time 27 August
15:08 BST 27 August
Jamie Whitehead
Live editor
Image source, Getty Images
Well the worst-kept secret in music is now officially out. Oasis - without question one of the biggest bands this country has ever produced - are back for a string of reunion shows next year.
It's been a long-time coming. When Noel and Liam Gallagher walk on stage in Cardiff next July, it'll be the first show the brothers have played together since the V Festival in 2009 - provided they don't crowbar a Glastonbury appearance in the preceding weekend.
We're bringing this page to a close now, but there is still so much more across the BBC to keep the adrenaline pumping until the tickets go on general sale on Saturday.
- Here's all you need to know about the reunion
- Want to look back on the glory days and what came after, BBC 6 Music have made The Rise and Fall of Oasis
- Looking for some new Oasis music? There's none yet, but you can hear some unreleased versions of old classics coming later this week
- Tickets go on sale on Saturday - with prices being announced on Thursday
Today's page was brought to you by Johanna Chisholm, Matt Spivey, Alex Taylor, Noor Nanji, Yasmin Rufo, Thomas Copeland, Jared Evitts and me.
And to paraphrase Liam in a reply to a fan on Twitter: See you down the front.
'Oasis were unapologetically working class and arrogant'published at 15:02 British Summer Time 27 August
15:02 BST 27 August
Howard Irwin from Cardiff has just got in touch to say he's hoping to get tickets to see the reformed Oasis in the Welsh capital in July.
"Oasiswere unapologetically working class, arrogant and displayed everything good andbad about rock 'n' roll," he says.
"Their early music wasanthemic and hopeful, and brutal honesty was probably their greatest charm."
The band's reunion is important for him on a personal level, he admits, but he also thinks it's part of something bigger.
"Oasis is importantculturally in terms of rock and roll as pop dominates at the moment."
The 55-year-old has a friend 20 years his junior who is desperate to see Oasis, and he hopes the pair will get to see them together next year.
Oasis - a band signed by chance, grit and... fate?published at 14:57 British Summer Time 27 August
14:57 BST 27 August
Alex Taylor
Culture reporter
As Oasis prepare to dominate stadiums next year, it's worth remembering the typically helter skelter way in which the band were originally signed.
The events are steeped in rock and roll mythology.
On 1 May 1993, Oasis decide, on a whim, to make the 200-mile (320km) trip across the border to Glasgow, to gatecrash onto the bill of a gig their friends (The Sister Lovers) are playing at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut.
After fighting to get themselves onto the bill, they have to settle for an early slot. But the stars align. In the sparse crowd sits Alan McGee, boss of Creation Records, home to Teenage Fanclub, The Boo Radleys and Primal Scream.
He claims a terrible day had seen him miss his train and pop into the bar for a quick drink.
It proved a life-changing pint.
"There was one kid just sitting at a table, and he looked amazing... handsome... like Paul Weller. I had no idea this was Liam [Gallagher]," McGee said.
"Sure enough this band came on with this kid as the front man. He was so confrontational as a front man, that you just thought 'god, he's really got attitude'," McGee reflected, saying that by the third song "I'd already decided I was going to sign them".
Image source, Getty Images
Speaking on the BBC's Rise and Fall of Oasis podcast, 6 Music DJ Steve Lamacq tempered the story, but added "it all depends on which version you want to believe".
But, he continues, "they've played less than 20 gigs at this stage. How many bands get signed having done less than 20 gigs? There was obviously electricity in the air".
Three decades on, the story continues, ready to delight, divide (and make) millions.
Seatbelts on.
A fight in Paris was a split years in the making - until todaypublished at 14:48 British Summer Time 27 August
14:48 BST 27 August
Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Cast your mind back to 2009, when a backstage brawl at theRock en Seine festival resulted in Noel Gallagher leaving the band.
Several of my colleagues were working on the story then.They summed up the mood as “weary resignation”.
Liam and Noel had been publicly at each other’s throats foryears. No one was surprised to see the feud come to a head.
Of course, die hard fans would’ve been devastated.
But this wasn’t like Take That or the Spice Girls breakingup. Those events came as much more of a shock.
If anything, it seems some were surprised Oasis were stilltogether.
Manchester 'buzzing' to welcome back Oasispublished at 14:35 British Summer Time 27 August
14:35 BST 27 August
Ewan Gawne
Reporting from Manchester
Oasis fans in Manchester say they are "over the moon" at the return of a band whose "mythical" legacy influenced a generation of "haircuts, swagger, and attitude".
Liam and Noel Gallagher, who grew up in Burnage, are set to perform on four dates at Heaton Park as part of their 2025 reunion tour.
It marks a return to the venue where the brothers last performed together in the city as Oasis in 2009, shortly before they broke up.
"It's a very, very special day to be a Manc", said self-confessed superfan Raz Ashraf.
Read more here.
TikTok shepherds in a new generation of Oasis fanspublished at 14:20 British Summer Time 27 August
14:20 BST 27 August
Jasmine Sandhar
BBC Newsbeat
Image source, Katie Macbeth
If you’ve been at any festivals this summer, you might havecaught a glimpse of people wearing Oasis T-shirts (something our entertainment correspondent, Colin Paterson, has also picked up on).
Music journalist Katie Macbeth feels the band have anenduring appeal, and the gigs next summer will feature a mix of older and younger fans.
"They’re like a generational band that people know," shetells BBC Newsbeat.
"Even if you don’t know anything deeper, everyone knowsWonderwall or Don’t Look Back in Anger."
Katie, 23, recalls growing up and hearing Oasis as a child,but says these days through TikTok and streaming, they’ve managed to "still havethe draw".
"It’s something everybody has delved into," she adds.
Oasis fans flock to record store once graced by Gallagher brotherspublished at 14:09 British Summer Time 27 August
14:09 BST 27 August
Dan Moffat
Reporting from Cardiff
Kellys Records in Cardiff is one of the most popular placesfor music fans in the city.
When we arrived at just after 10:00 it was fairlyquiet, but as the morning went on, people started to gather, and many headedstraight towards the "O" section to look at the selection of Oasisalbums.
Owner Allan Parkins says he can't wait for the Gallagher brothersto return to the Welsh capital next July, and hopes they'll come and visit hisstore again.
He first met Liam and Noel back in 1999, when the pair caught the record store owner off guard with a surprise visit.
“They were good as gold, we had a bit of banter before they left for the gig that night," Parkins told the news outlet InterCardiff, external back in 2015.
A warning ahead of this weekend: Scammers target in-demand eventspublished at 13:50 British Summer Time 27 August
13:50 BST 27 August
Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
If you’re counting downthe minutes till Saturday’s ticket sale (I know I am), a word of warning.
Scammers usually target the most in-demand events.
Lloyds Bank has issued the following tips to stay safe whenbuying tickets:
- Stick to official ticketingplatforms
- Avoid deals whichlook too good to be true
- Steer clear of social media,where fraudsters create fake profiles to sell tickets that don’t exist
As we reported in our previous post, tickets go on sale on Saturday at 09:00 BST for the UK shows, and 08:00 for the Dublin dates.
Everything you need to know about the Oasis reunionpublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 27 August
13:40 BST 27 August
Bonnie McLaren and Annabel Rackham
Culture reporters
Image source, PA Media
After days of speculation, the Gallagher brothers have finally confirmed Oasis will be reuniting.
Noel and Liam will - hopefully - put their differences aside to play a series of dates across the UK and Ireland, in a tour named Oasis Live '25.
Here's everything you need to know:
- Where and when are Oasis playing? They will be playing four dates in both Manchester and London, along with two nights in Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin
- Tickets go on sale Saturday, 31 August 2024. For the UK shows, tickets will go on sale from 09:00 BST. Dublin tickets will be available from 08:00 BST on that same day
- How much? This is the all-important question, but it has not been confirmed how much tickets will cost yet. All ticket prices, including Platinum and VIP, will be announced on Thursday, 29 August
For more on the Oasis reunion including if a Glastonbury appearance is on the cards and who else is in the band, click here.
'Like Christmas and birthday rolled into one'published at 13:25 British Summer Time 27 August
13:25 BST 27 August
Barry O'Connor
Reporting from Belfast
In Belfast fans have been reacting to the news of the Oasis reuniontour.
Fans Conal, Deaglan and Ryan are in the 90s mood with theirretro football tops, and are hoping to travel to the gig in Dublin, currentlythe only confirmed location outside the UK.
For Conal, the excitement of the announcement is like “Christmasand his birthday rolled into one.”
“It’s magical,” he adds.
Deaglan says: “I was eight when they broke up.”
He recalls times growing up and his father showing him ticketsfrom Oasis gigs he had gone to. He never thought he would get the chance to go.
Ryan says: “It is great,people who never got to go see them live are finally getting the chance.”
We all know all the words to the all songspublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 27 August
13:14 BST 27 August
Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
Image source, PA Media
Aswe’ve been saying, Oasis are seen as a formative band of nineties Britpop – andmany of us still know all the words to their songs.
I still remember belting out Wonderwall in summer camp.
And that’s a tradition that’s carried through to my 20s and 30s,where strangers at events, pubs and bars will come together and sing along toOasis’s biggest hits.
Definitely Maybe was a seminal album, with hits including Rock ‘n’Roll Star and Live Forever.
And tracks from its follow-up (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? LikeDon't Look Back In Anger and Champagne Supernova remain classicanthems to this day.
I can already picture the giant singalongs next summer…
'Buzzing', says Oasis tribute band singerpublished at 13:06 British Summer Time 27 August
13:06 BST 27 August
An Oasis tribute band says they woke up to a "crazy"amount of requests on Tuesday morning following the announcement the real Oasiswill hit the road again.
Definitely Oasis lead singer Brian McGhee tells the Press Associationthat he’s booked every weekend in June and July for hotels in London on Monday asspeculation mounted that the reunion would happen.
The 42-year-old Scottish musician says: "Buzzing, to behonest, can't wait. It's been a long time coming, just can't wait to go andfinally see them again and like the whole country. It's just that, everything'sgreat again."
When asked about how it has been for his tribute group, he said:"The amount of emails I woke up to this morning's crazy, all thesefestivals, it's just wild.
"So yeah, I'm (going to) have to try and get through themall later on today... It's going to be a busy few days."
Image source, PA Media
Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just 16 - but not before lunchpublished at 12:54 British Summer Time 27 August
12:54 BST 27 August
Jared Evitts
BBC Newsbeat, reporting from Manchester
I'm sitting in a coffee shop opposite a record shop you might recognise from one of Oasis' early songs - Shakermaker.
"Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just 16," the Gallagher brothers sang in the 90s.
Mr Sifter's not sold any records yet today - the shop isn't open until 1pm - but it's been surrounded by reporters all morning.
In the coffee shop I'm in, for much of my time here most punters have come with a microphone and camera.
From your gran to Gen Z, Oasis fans reach across generationspublished at 12:18 British Summer Time 27 August
12:18 BST 27 August
Colin Paterson
Entertainment correspondent, reporting from Manchester
Even when they didn't exist, Oasis were still the biggest band in Britain. Since they split in 2009, at almost any indie gig by a young band there would be fans there wearing Oasis T-shirts.
Their greatest hits compilation Stop The Clocks has been in the top 40 every week for years. Last night, I was at an 80th birthday party - the talk of the event was speculation about Oasis getting back together.
They are a band who truly span generations and, intriguingly, these dates start the week after Glastonbury. Could their comeback be on the biggest stage in British music?
If it's not, they will still be creating their own huge event next summer.
Do band reunions work?published at 12:15 British Summer Time 27 August
12:15 BST 27 August
Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Oasis are definitely not the first to regroup after calling it aday.
Think about the Spice Girls, Guns N' Roses and Girls Aloud, justto name a few.
These reunions can last for just one event, or they can mark thestart of a new chapter for the band in question.
Band reunions can make a lot of money. They’re tapping into theirold fan base and winning some new ones along the way.
But BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq says success can depend onwhether bands have the energy that they used to possess, as well as the songsto carry it off.
“The thing about Oasis is a lot of their songs are a part of thefabric of the musical landscape of Britain,” he tells BBC Radio 5 Live.
“There are some people that have come across them since they'vesplit that haven’t had a chance to see them," Lamacq says, noting thatthey'll be motivated "partly because of excitement and partly out ofcuriosity".
How much could the Oasis tour boost the UK economy?published at 12:03 British Summer Time 27 August
12:03 BST 27 August
Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
Image source, Getty Images
In short - a lot.
It’s not just tickets. Fans will be splashing out on travel,accommodation, outfits, and food and drinks.
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl told the PA news agencythat the gigs in cities including Manchester, London and Edinburgh will have"a lot of impact on local economies".
He adds: "Having a bigmusic event in your community has a knock on and spill over impact on the widereconomy too, so great news for the UK."
A recent comparable is theTaylor Swift Eras tour. The US pop sensation has just finished playing 17 UKdates, including a record-breaking eight nights at London’s Wembley stadium.
Estimates of how much the Eras Tour would boost UK spendinghave differed, but are generally in the hundreds of millions of pounds.
Let’s see if Oasis can top that.
Little by little the reality is sinking in - D'you know what I mean?published at 11:57 British Summer Time 27 August
11:57 BST 27 August
Matt Spivey
Live reporter
I never thought I'd get my chance to see them, but the realitythat what seemed impossible "is happening" is slowly sinking in.
Oasis has always been a staple of my Mancunian household andwould often dominate car journeys or Sunday mornings in the kitchen.
Growing up in the late 1990s and early 2000s, tracks such asLittle by Little and The Importance of Being Idle were the soundtrack to mychildhood, but only available on the radio or my iPod, not in “real life”.
I've seen each of the brothers perform live - individually, ofcourse - and would wait with baited breath as they announced a special guest -in the hopes it would be the other Gallagher joining them on stage.
Desperate to see Oasis live, but fearing I'd never get mychance, I would attend fellow Mancunian band The Courteeners' concerts sportingmy best Oasis T-shirts and hoping they'd sing a cover of Don't Look Back inAnger.
For a whole generation of Mancunians whose love of Oasis hasessentially been passed down through our genes, the announcement of a Live Tourin 2025 feels to be Half The World Away, but I'm going to Roll With It - givenI never thought this day would come.
'I got my Oasis tattoo a fortnight ago - I knew they'd reunite'published at 11:47 British Summer Time 27 August
11:47 BST 27 August
Nabiha Ahmed
An Oasis fan from Bristol was so convinced the band would get back together, he recently inked his convictions on his sleeve.
Chris, who moved to Malaysia, tells the BBC how he got a tattoo of the English band two weeks ago. He told the tattooist at the time: “Oasis are getting back together."
Upon hearing the news today, he says he "never thought" it would happen so quickly.
But he's since texted his tattooist, telling them "you're some kind of magician".
Having been at Oasis' last gig 15 years ago with his sister and late mother, Chris already has a plan in place for securing tickets for the newly announced world tour.
"My sister will try for Cardiff tickets, her husband will try for Wembley and I’ll try for Manchester,” he says.
“I’ve always wanted an Oasis tattoo. And I’ve always felt in myheart they’d reunite.”
Image source, Instagram
A reunion manifested by Liam?published at 11:36 British Summer Time 27 August
11:36 BST 27 August
Alex Taylor
Culture reporter
This morning's reunion announcement follows Liam Gallagher's solo tour in support of Oasis' debut album Definitely Maybe, which turns 30 this week.
But it seems a reconciliation with elder brother Noel has never been too far from the singer's mind.
In June, an eagle-eyed fan at one of the tour dates spotted a seat reserved for Noel in hospitality, external and posted it on X, formerly Twitter.
When questioned about it in a separate post on the social media platform, Liam confirmed a seat has been kept aside at every show.
"Yes, you never know," he wrote, external.
We do now.
Starmer on 'looking back in anger' during speechpublished at 11:25 British Summer Time 27 August
11:25 BST 27 August
Oasis got a shout out in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's speech, which ended a little while ago.
After the PM's address - which you can read more about here - Starmer was asked by The Sun's Jack Elsom:"You've spent a lot of time today looking back in anger, but are you happythat Oasis have decided to reform on your watch?"
Starmer quipped back: "What can I say in relation to that? It’svery, very good. It's a great song but I'm not sure I'm best placed to answerit after the last 20-30 minutes, but let's see what happens with Oasis."