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Times
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Times
Anger at ‘miracle' recovery of fans in disabled area at Oasis gig
A disabled Oasis fan has described the 'biblical' moment when seemingly wheelchair-bound concertgoers stood up and danced, amid fears that tickets for the disabled area had been resold to able-bodied concertgoers. Mark Chapman, 32, said that he had seen fans at Heaton Park in Manchester abandon their crutches and wheelchairs on the accessible platform when the Gallagher brothers took to the stage. He believes that fans desperate to secure tickets for the band's reunion tour had purchased tickets meant for those with genuine disabilities from online resellers. In a social media post after the concert, Chapman, who was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was five years old, wrote: 'The behaviour of some attendees was unacceptable as they clearly weren't disabled. 'They were literally just standing for the whole time, they kept leaving the [accessible] platform and joining their friends in front of the platform and leaving their wheelchairs behind and crutches behind, and [again] when they went to the toilet. 'It's really frustrating. I could see people in front of the platform who were clearly struggling who had to stand there without a seat, and there were people on the platform who didn't need to be there.' Accessible area tickets for the show were available on the secondary resale site Viagogo for £634 each and were sold in pairs, according to reports. • Chapman himself struggled to get tickets for the accessible area and ultimately had to buy standard tickets for himself and his carer Sam Priest, who would normally be given a companion ticket free of charge if booked officially. Chapman, a podcaster, said: 'There were loads of people in wheelchairs and with crutches, but when Oasis came on they all jumped out their wheelchairs and dropped their crutches and stood up for the whole gig for two hours. 'Me being quite severely disabled, I know that standing up for two hours is very, very unlikely.' Priest added: 'We were joking Jesus Christ must have been on the platforms, there were so many miracles performed that night.' Chapman, of Wilmslow in Cheshire, was later able to get a refund for Priest's ticket after he contacted organisers to explain the situation and had to join a waiting list to enter the raised accessible area on the day itself.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Stand by me! Moment dozens of 'disabled' Oasis fans get out of wheelchairs and start dancing at comeback gig in 'biblical' scenes
Seeing Oasis play together again was the only miracle that fan Mark Chapman had expected to see this month – then the wheelchair users next to him stood up. The 32–year–old, who has been unable to walk since the age of nine, has described the 'biblical' scenes at Manchester's Heaton Park as other fans in the accessible area abandoned their crutches when the Gallagher brothers took to the stage. He suspects fans desperate to secure briefs for the band's reunion tour are to blame – after snapping them up from resellers who bought tickets meant for those with genuine disabilities and reselling them online. Accessible area tickets for the show were on secondary resale site Viagogo for £634 each, and were sold in pairs, according to the SWNS news agency - despite companion tickets being added free of charge when booked officially. Videos and images Mr Chapman shared online showed crutches and wheelchairs ditched in the raised seating area, which is intended for those unable to stand. Around him, dozens of people were on their feet. The music superfan believes lax checks allowed those who had snapped up the resold ballots to enter while appearing to pretend they had a disability – before seemingly abandoning all pretence to boogie with the brothers. He himself struggled to get tickets for the accessible area and ultimately had to buy standard tickets for himself and carer Sam Priest, who would normally be given a free ticket in order to accompany him. The Oasis fan was later able to get a refund for Sam's ticket after he contacted organisers to explain the situation – and had to join a waiting list to enter the raised accessible area on the day itself. He suspects people snapped up tickets for the accessible area via resale sites. Some were listed on Viagogo for £634 each - despite the fact carers go free with official vendors He said: 'There were loads of people in wheelchairs and with crutches, but when Oasis came on they all jumped out their wheelchairs and dropped their crutches and stood up for the whole gig for two hours. 'Me being quite severely disabled, I know that standing up for two hours is very, very unlikely.' Carer Sam added: 'We were joking Jesus Christ must have been on the platforms, there were so many miracles performed that night.' Mark was diagnosed with life–shortening Duchenne muscular dystrophy when he was five years old. The music podcaster, who went to over 100 gigs last year, has been an Oasis fan for 25 years and has seen Liam Gallagher perform live solo eight times. So, when the band announced they were reuniting Mark, from Wilmslow in Cheshire, was ecstatic. But he has since labelled the behaviour of those who appeared to feign disability 'appalling' and said their behaviour was tantamount to 'abuse'. 'The behavior of some attendees was unacceptable as they clearly weren't disabled,' he later said in a social media post. He added: 'They were literally just standing for the whole time, they kept leaving the platform and joining their friends in front of the platform and leaving their wheelchairs behind and crutches behind, and when they went to the toilet. 'It's really frustrating. I could see people in front of the platform who were clearly struggling who had to stand there without a seat, and there were people on the platform who didn't need to be there. 'A lot of my friends applied who were also disabled and they didn't get any tickets whatsoever. 'It was frustrating knowing that there's people who needed to be there who couldn't.' Similarly, a man with cerebral palsy who went viral earlier earlier this month after he was held aloft by fans to see the gig on Friday July 11 had been unable to get access to the accessible seating area. Daniel Tester, 37, was held up by fellow Britpop fans to see the show after his sister Jemma was unable to get hold of the tickets meant for those with disabilities. BBC News reports that Jemma had been 'unable to secure access' to the area for her brother, who uses a wheelchair. Both fans say the gig was life–changing all the same – but questions remain over why fans with disabilities struggled to access the area meant for them while those who were seemingly not disabled could carry on with impunity. The Oasis tour is continuing through the end of July and August in the UK and Ireland before heading across to North America. The Gallaghers then return to Wembley for further shows in September. Accessible tickets for September shows at Edinburgh's Murrayfield Stadium are listed on Viagogo for up to £789, MailOnline found today. The tickets are listed as being for the 'West Accessible' zone of the rugby stadium. In the months ahead of the tour, Ticketmaster had vowed to cancel thousands of tickets that it believed had been listed for resale. Briefs were being offered for amounts in excess of £7,000 after seemingly being snapped up by professional touts. Some fans have opted not to even buy tickets for Oasis at all - instead climbing huge metal fences or even disguising themselves as litter pickers in order to see the shows. The Government is currently mulling over how to tackle the problem of professional touting following a consultation earlier this year.
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Fury as tickets for music icon's Scots gigs appear on resale sites for almost £700 minutes after they sell out
VIA NONO Fury as tickets for music icon's Scots gigs appear on resale sites for almost £700 minutes after they sell out Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GREEDY touts started selling tickets to see music legend Bob Dylan's Scottish shows just minutes after the gigs went live. Briefs to see the Blowin in the Wind star were being offered on sites for five times their original value moments after the 10am kick off today. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Bob Dylan will perform at the Armadillo Credit: AFP 4 The icon played Scotland in November Credit: Getty The 84-year-old will appear in Glasgow's SEC Armadillo on November 16 and 17 during his Rough and Rowdy Ways tour. But disappointed fans face being overcharged to see their idol as ruthless touts set inflated prices for his only Scots shows. Website Viagogo had tickets for sale for £685 each within an hour of his Glasgow show being released. The site also had tickets being offered for £667 and £394 a piece. The shows will be phone-free and concert goers will be asked to put their devices into a pouch until the end of the gig. It comes a week after Lewis Capaldi fans raged at greedy touts who were flogging tickets for the star's comeback shows at eyewatering prices. Seats for the OVO Hydro shows in Glasgow are being flogged on Viagogo for as much as £468. And entry to Capaldi's Aberdeen concerts could set desperate punters back as much £407. Dylan performed in Scotland last November where he told the crowd: 'We could play here every night, actually. Can't wait to come back.' The tour dates come amid a fresh surge in interest in the singer's career following the release of his biopic A Complete Unknown last year. Actor Timothee Chalamet starred as Dylan in the film which followed the story of his career beginnings and infamous decision to go electric in the mid-1960s. The Hurricane singer will also play in Leeds, Belfast and Dublin. Dylan is one of the most famous songwriters of all-time, winning 10 Grammys and being nominated on 38 further occasions. He has had six UK top 10 singles and nine UK number one albums. Born Robert Zimmerman, Dylan burst on to the folk scene in the early 1960s before controversially picking up an electric guitar on stage in 1965. He has sold more than 125million records and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 — the first songwriter to receive such a distinction. Dylan owned a huge Highland mansion near Nethy Bridge for over 20 years which he used as a hideout. He sold it in 2023 for more than over £4m. Dylan is among several musicians and comedians to introduce restrictions on mobile phones at their performances in recent years. Sir Andy Murray also imposed a phone ban at his recent shows discussing his career. 4 Dylan in his younger days Credit: Alamy
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Oasis tickets cost dad £700 but email hours before gig left him vomiting
Phil Hessey bought tickets for himself, his son Kaiden, 15, and a family friend for the show in Manchester on Saturday - but things didn't go to plan. A dad who was eagerly anticipating taking his son to an Oasis concert at Heaton Park has been left "so overwhelmed" after a last-minute email threw their plans into disarray, despite having shelled out hundreds for tickets. Phil Hessey, 39, from Walton, shared with the Liverpool Echo his disappointment over the unexpected turn of events. He had secured tickets for himself, his 15 year old son Kaiden, and a family friend to attend the Manchester show on Saturday, which followed Oasis' return to Heaton Park on Friday night with Liam and Noel Gallagher. Phil recounted how he snagged one ticket during the initial sale last summer and later purchased two more on the resale market this month. The total cost for attending the gig reportedly exceeded £1,000, reports the Mirror. The first ticket, intended for his son, ended up costing more than anticipated due to dynamic pricing. Phil had hoped to find his own ticket later and eventually acquired additional tickets for himself and the friend via Viagogo. Phil explained: "My lad is a mad Oasis fan, he was brought up watching them on YouTube and all the videos - I was really into them when I was younger. The [initial] ticket advertised was £148, that turned into £394. I was like 'what' but I'd made a promise to my son that I'd get tickets, so I bought that from Ticketmaster. I hadn't bought mine, but I'd made a promise to my son that we would go, I had an idea that I could get mine later." Phil recounted his experience of desperately trying to secure tickets for an upcoming tour, telling the media outlet that he "kept looking" in anticipation of more tickets becoming available closer to the event. He shared: "I bought two tickets from Viagogo on July 1, my friend had expressed interest, so I got one for me and him to go with Kaiden. "They were advertised in pounds sterling and I paid £714, which went out of my bank. They were general admission and I was over the moon - I now had three tickets. I was disgusted with how much they cost but I'd got them." Phil received a reassuring email from Viagogo last Friday stating "the tickets will be with you". The following Saturday morning, he got another email promising delivery by midday. The second Oasis gig at Heaton Park was scheduled for 6pm on Saturday, featuring support act Cast and Richard Ashcroft before Oasis took the stage later that evening. However, Phil's plans were dashed that same morning when he received another email, which the ECHO has seen, informing him that he could no longer attend the concert. Phil described his devastation: "Later on Saturday, at 10.38am, I got an email saying the tickets had been cancelled. The life was sucked out of me. It said the seller was no longer able to fulfil the order. When the ticket got cancelled, I was so overwhelmed. I ran to the bathroom and was sick in the sink." He recounted that he still took his son to Heaton Park, but they encountered issues at the venue. He mentioned that Kaiden's ticket was for general admission with a complimentary upgrade to the front standing area, which he assumed was optional. Phil claimed to have reached out to several acquaintances who were also attending the concert to ensure his son would be under adult supervision. Speaking to the ECHO, Phil described how Kaiden was turned away at certain entry points upon their arrival. He explained: "Under 16s needed an adult to go in with. I drove him, parked a mile away, walked him all the way down. I was still a bag of nerves, I wouldn't be there with him. I spoke to the stewards. I said I wanted to downgrade him, I wanted him to go in with an adult. They said that wouldn't be a problem." Amidst escalating concerns about getting Kaiden into the concert, Phil admitted to being "in a state of panic" until a generous family offered to take care of his son. Phil expressed his gratitude, saying: "A random family, who I owe a massive debt of gratitude to, saw he was on his own, and said 'stay with us and we'll look after him'. He ended up enjoying the gig." Phil, who was left stressed after his ticket was abruptly cancelled, has been refunded but expressed dissatisfaction with the amount returned. He commented: "I raised it with Viagogo and they said they couldn't get more tickets. I had to take a refund. £714.81 went out of my bank in the original transaction but I've got £679.11 back. That's a £35.70 shortfall. They've said that it's due to a conversion fee to Australian Dollars, but the tickets were advertised in pounds sterling." A spokesperson for Viagogo responded to the ECHO, explaining that the price difference was because the ticket was sold in Australian Dollars and suggested that any discrepancy in fees should be discussed with Phil's bank. Viagogo has apologised for the cancellation of his tickets and informed the ECHO that they are seeking to secure Phil tickets for another date. Phil shared his story with the media outlet to warn others about potential issues during the remaining Oasis Live '25 tour dates, which are set to end in Brazil come November. The Viagogo spokesperson said: "On viagogo, fans are protected by our guarantee. We ensure fans receive their tickets in time for the event and in the rare event of an issue, we offer them replacement tickets or their money back. "In this instance, the buyer had purchased the ticket in AUS dollars and therefore, was refunded the same amount in AUS dollars. The discrepancy in fees is with the bank and we advise Phil to raise the matter with his bank. Our number one priority is to get people into live events and we are deeply sorry that on this occasion, Phil was unable to attend the concert."
Daily Mirror
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
'Oasis tickets cost £700 for me and my son but email hours before gig had me vomiting'
Oasis fan Phil Hessey planned to take his teenage son Kaiden to see Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher at Heaton Park in Manchester last week but things didn't go the plan for them A parent who planned to take his son to see Oasis at Heaton Park has said that he was "so overwhelmed" after receiving an email hours before the gig. He said things didn't go to plan after spending hundreds of pounds on tickets. Phil Hessey, 39, from Walton, told the Liverpool Echo that he had bought tickets for himself, his son Kaiden, 15, and a family friend for the show in Manchester on Saturday. It was Oasis' second gig at the venue, after Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher returned to Heaton Park on Friday night. He said that he managed to get one ticket for the tour last summer, when they first went on sale, and then bought two resale tickets earlier this month. The three tickets for the gig are said to have cost more than £1,000 altogether. The first ticket, given to his son, is said to have been more expensive than expected due to dynamic pricing. After hoping to get one for himself at a later date, Phil managed to get tickets for himself and the friend through Viagogo. Phil said: "My lad is a mad Oasis fan, he was brought up watching them on YouTube and all the videos - I was really into them when I was younger. The [initial] ticket advertised was £148, that turned into £394. I was like 'what' but I'd made a promise to my son that I'd get tickets, so I bought that from Ticketmaster. I hadn't bought mine, but I'd made a promise to my son that we would go, I had an idea that I could get mine later." Phil said he "kept looking" as he expected some tickets to be sold closer to the time of the tour. He told the outlet: "I bought two tickets from Viagogo on July 1, my friend had expressed interest, so I got one for me and him to go with Kaiden. "They were advertised in pounds sterling and I paid £714, which went out of my bank. They were general admission and I was over the moon - I now had three tickets. I was disgusted with how much they cost but I'd got them." Phil said that he received an email from Viagogo on Friday last week saying "the tickets will be with you". He added that he received another on Saturday morning promising that the tickets would be with him for midday. Oasis' second gig at Heaton Park was due to begin at 6pm on Saturday with support act Cast, followed by Richard Ashcroft. Oasis would then come on stage later in the evening. That morning though, Phil received another email, seen by the ECHO, that left him unable to attend the gig. Get Oasis updates straight to your WhatsApp! 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. We'll send you the latest breaking updates and exclusives all directly to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Phil said: "Later on Saturday, at 10.38am, I got an email saying the tickets had been cancelled. The life was sucked out of me. It said the seller was no longer able to fulfil the order. When the ticket got cancelled, I was so overwhelmed. I ran to the bathroom and was sick in the sink." He said that he still took his son to Heaton Park but that difficulties arose at the venue. He said that Kaiden's ticket was marked general admission but had a free upgrade to the front standing area, which he believed to be optional, too. Phil's said to have contacted a number of people that he knew who would be at the gig to ensure that his son would be accompanied by an adult. Phil told the ECHO that Kaiden was turned away from some gates once they had arrived. He said: "Under 16s needed an adult to go in with. I drove him, parked a mile away, walked him all the way down. I was still a bag of nerves, I wouldn't be there with him. I spoke to the stewards. I said I wanted to downgrade him, I wanted him to go in with an adult. They said that wouldn't be a problem." Phil's said to have been "in a state of panic" amid more difficulties getting Kaiden into the gig before another kind family said they would look after him. Phil said: "A random family, who I owe a massive debt of gratitude to, saw he was on his own, and said 'stay with us and we'll look after him'. He ended up enjoying the gig." Phil, who spoke about the stress caused by his ticket being cancelled at short notice, has since been issued with a refund, though was unhappy with the amount. He said: "I raised it with Viagogo and they said they couldn't get more tickets. I had to take a refund. £714.81 went out of my bank in the original transaction but I've got £679.11 back. That's a £35.70 shortfall. They've said that it's due to a conversion fee to Australian Dollars, but the tickets were advertised in pounds sterling." A Viagogo spokesperson told the ECHO that this difference in price was due to the ticket being sold in Australian Dollars. They said a discrepancy in fees was an issue to be raised with Phil's bank. Viagogo has apologised for his tickets being cancelled and told the ECHO that it is trying to find Phil tickets for a future date. Phil told the outlet that he wanted to raise awareness of his experience so that other people don't go through the same stress on the remainder of the Oasis Live '25 tour. The tour is scheduled to conclude in Brazil in November. A Viagogo spokesperson told the ECHO: "On viagogo, fans are protected by our guarantee. We ensure fans receive their tickets in time for the event and in the rare event of an issue, we offer them replacement tickets or their money back. "In this instance, the buyer had purchased the ticket in AUS dollars and therefore, was refunded the same amount in AUS dollars. The discrepancy in fees is with the bank and we advise Phil to raise the matter with his bank. Our number one priority is to get people into live events and we are deeply sorry that on this occasion, Phil was unable to attend the concert."
