Oasis

One month ago, Oasis kicked off the most anticipated musical reunion of the century with a pair of triumphant gigs inside Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. Any worrisome feelings that an all-too-familiar brotherly blowout was inevitable seemed unfounded as punters raved of a life-affirming rock and roll nirvana, which renders the past sixteen years of inter-family aggression a distant memory. Following a string of swaggering homecoming gigs at Heaton Park, Oasis touched down in Wembley Stadium for a run of five shows, each in front of a jubilant and expectant audience of 80,000+.

Amongst this mass of bucket hat-adorning revellers, which is a spectacle in of itself, is a mix of people for whom Oasis represents a nostalgic trip back to the heyday of Britpop, and younger fans with the unexpected chance to gleefully fulfill a bucket list item. After being a part of this crowd on August 3rd, I cannot imagine either side of this generational split being remotely disappointed. The setlist Oasis have prepared has remained unchanged across the first twelve dates of the ‘Live 25’ tour, a choice which admittedly leaves little room for surprise or improvisation but does allow for a streamlined, assertive set of back-to-front anthems. As soon as Oasis take the stage with the unsubtle yet seemingly tailor-made opener ‘Hello’, the feeling inside Wembley stadium is equal parts ferocious and joyous, as every single person in attendance chants along to every word, threatening to drown out even the band themselves.

‘Acquiesce’ is next, a beloved b-side which serves to highlight the thrill of Liam and Noel once again performing side by side, as well as underscoring the contrast between the two. Liam’s voice, as passionate and combustible as ever, has retained its trademark snarl but is now deployed with a certain level of finesse in an assumed attempt to curtail any fears of his vocal cords buckling as the blockbuster tour continues. It’s Liam’s voice that headlines the opening chunk of the set, which sees Oasis power through a selection of their quicker, rougher songs. ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ is undoubtedly a high point as participating in a stadium-wide Poznan is a unique joy that few other bands could ever hope to replicate. Soon after, Noel takes over for a mini set of acoustic-driven ballads including ‘Talk Tonight’, which, given the context of this reunion, can be framed as a reflective song about reconciliation, and the melancholic ‘Half The World Away’. Noel’s voice is an ideal counterpoint to Liam’s, its delicate and sincere nature marking a shift in the emotional swell of the night, as the engrossed crowd swaps pint throwing and bouncing in favour of lighting a sea of phone torches.

Both voices harmonise to begin the final act of the set, starting with a brief detour into the band's often maligned third album, ‘Be Here Now’. The overblown ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ is perfectly at home in such a vast setting, while hearing Liam and Noel sing together on ‘Stand By Me’ feels like a cathartic moment for everyone involved, especially when it’s paired with the poignant ‘Cast No Shadow.’ ‘Slide Away’ is a personal zenith; this is where Liam’s voice feels the most powerful. while the mid-song solo plus the outro are arguably the peak of the band on a musical level. Notably, there does appear to be a sense of genuine camaraderie between the Gallaghers and the rest of the band, with Liam and Noel joking with each other and taking turns berating the mass of Londoners simply for not being Mancunian.

The momentum continues as an unparalleled parade of hits begins with a celebratory double bill of ‘Live Forever’ and ‘Rock and Roll Star’ which is swiftly complemented by a sing-along encore of the band’s biggest hits: ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, and ‘Champagne Supernova’. These songs are monolithic in reputation yet performed with a cocksure composure that has defined all of Oasis’s most iconic live moments. Noel steps back and allows the audience to sing the chorus of 'DLBIA' while Liam does the same for ‘Wonderwall’ in one final demonstration of the cultural power these songs and this band hold. As the soaring ‘Champagne Supernova’ enters its final throes, fireworks light up the London sky and Liam, in an image that will surely become iconic, balances a tambourine on his head. Miraculously, this image perfectly epitomises Oasis and their legacy: ridiculous yet sublime, and meaning so much yet so little at the same time. Nobody could claim to know how long this reunion will last, but one thing is clear: Oasis are once again the biggest band in the world and, maybe, the best.