Noel took his turn on lead vocals for several songs, including the touching Half the World Away, and the show ended with encores featuring some of Oasis’ most enduring tracks: Don’t Look Back in Anger, Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova. The brothers shared a half-hug as they ended the final song.
Multicoloured, sometimes faintly psychedelic projections formed the main technological accoutrement to a show where the focus was squarely on the songs. There was little banter, though Liam paused between songs to check the audience was having a good time.
“Was it worth the 40,000 pounds you paid for the ticket?” he quipped at one point, referring to the scramble for seats that saw some fans pay hundreds to see a show.
From the roar of response, it was.
‘VERY, VERY SPECIAL’
The show in Cardiff kicked off a 19-date Live ’25 tour in the UK and Ireland. Then come stops in North America, South America, Asia and Australia, ending in Sao Paulo on Nov 23.
Before the show, the streets around the stadium filled with fans who gathered in groups to sing along to the band’s hits and snapped up Oasis-branded bucket hats at 35 pounds (S$61) each.
“It’s very, very special – emotional,” said 44-year old Rob Maule from Edinburgh, Scotland. “I’m here with three of my friends, childhood friends, and we used to see Oasis across the country.
“For us, it’s a generational thing. It’s a chapter of our lives,” he said. “And then the second generation, as people are taking their kids. It’s really special.”
Vicki Moynehan came from Dorchester, in southwest England. She said her life has changed since she bought her ticket almost a year ago.
“Seven months pregnant – ain’t gonna stop me,” she said.
SING-ALONG ROCK CHORUSES
Founded in the working-class streets of Manchester, England, in 1991, Oasis was one of the dominant British acts of the 1990s, releasing eight UK No 1 albums.
The band’s sound was fueled by sing-along rock choruses and the combustible chemistry between guitarist-songwriter Noel Gallagher – a Beatles and glam rock-loving musician with a knack for memorable tunes – and younger brother Liam.
Then and since, the brothers have often traded barbs – onstage, in the studio and in interviews. Liam once called Noel “tofu boy,” while Noel branded his brother “the angriest man you’ll ever meet. He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup.”
After a backstage bustup at a concert in France in 2009, they long resisted pressure to reunite, even with the promise of a multimillion-dollar payday.
