'I was at Oasis' first show in Manchester and it was utterly biblical'

Daily Mirror

11-07-2025

Some might say it was the best gig in Manchester's history. Oasis returned to Manchester for the first time in 16 years, and I was there. Nobody ever expected once warring brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher to join forces again – after all, they have consistently and publicly flung insults at one another since Noel dramatically quit the band in 2009.
But walking out at Heaton Park, you could never have imagined that there was once a feud between the two siblings. Putting on a united front, the two legends walked out to their 2000 track, F***in' In The Bushes, to a crowd of 80,000 people, with the atmosphere instantly becoming electric.
With what I hope was beer and cider being flung around – but let's face it, it was probably urine – everybody was there for one reason. Opening their performance with quite rightly, Hello, the euphoric first notes instantly filled me with emotion. I was never fortunate enough to see Oasis live before their split, and I blame my family for that.
After opening with Hello, they went on to perform Acquiesce, which was the B-side to their first official UK Number One, Some Might Say. Liam, known for his cheeky persona, said: "I tell you what, you look ****ng stunning? You should be proud of yourselves, 10/10."
Before bursting into the 1994 anthem, Cigarettes and Alcohol. The younger brother left the stage for a short while, as his older (or as Liam says, little) brother, belted out Half The World Away.
I attended with my best mate, and let's just say – the vibes were everything we could have expected and more. Now, being a journalist, there are perks to my job. And after spending 16 hours in those horrific online queues, tonight has been the best perk in over ten years. A night I never imagined would happen has, finally, happened – and it was clear from the electric crowds I wasn't the only one who felt privileged to be there on this momentous music occasion.
A few simple words on social media on August 27 in 2024 were enough to spark pandemonium among Oasis fans and were the catalyst for the most eagerly awaited UK gigs of all time.
This special unofficial magazine, available to order here, marks the reunion and honours the band both now and down the years with our incredible archive of photos and interviews - and with exclusive reviews and photographs of their first show!
Noel and Liam have only been pictured together four times since they announced their reunion in August last year but thousands of fans poured into their hometown, where temperatures were reaching the early thirties, before heading to Heaton Park for the sold-out show, with many enjoying the warmer climates in the various pubs across the Northern Quarter.
Last year, just hours after Liam's headline slot at Reading Festival, the band announced the Oasis Live '25 tour, with dates across the UK and Ireland, and later dates across the globe.
As the hotly anticipated Oasis reunion tour grows closer, the Mirror has launched its very own Oasis WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest news on the Gallagher brothers and all the information you'll need in the run up to the gigs.
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Reflecting on the tour, Noel said in the official tour programme: "People will never forget the way you made them feel." He went on to reference the hundreds of thousands of people who spent hours in virtual queues on Ticketmaster and See Tickets, with many being young fans who grew up listening to Oasis because of their parents and relatives.
He commented: "A new generation recognises how Oasis wasn't manufactured. It was chaotic, flawed, and not technically brilliant. We were rough and ready guys from a rehearsal room, and people recognised it."
Sites such as viagogo, Stubhub, and Vivid Seats allow fans to buy resale tickets from other fans. However, it is important to note that ticket conditions often prohibit resale after initial purchase. Those tickets may not be valid for admittance to gigs.
Fans intending to buy tickets for live events through resale websites should check the ticket terms and conditions, to confirm whether resale is prohibited, before they buy. Ticket terms and conditions can be checked with the original seller, such as Ticketmaster or Live Nation. If resale is prohibited, tickets bought second-hand could be voided and admission to the event refused.