Oasis Reunion Looms: Gallagher Brothers Tease Tuesday Announcement
The long-awaited reunion of Britpop icons Oasis could finally be happening, with whispers of a 2025 tour gaining momentum. The biggest hints of a possible comeback have come from the Gallagher brothers themselves: Liam, the former frontman, and Noel, the songwriter and guitarist, have been fuelling speculation on social media.
On Sunday evening, both Gallagher brothers, along with the official Oasis accounts, shared a short clip on Instagram and X. The clip featured the date "27.08.24" in the familiar Oasis logo style, which then flickered to reveal "8am". Liam Gallagher, responding to rumours on X, wrote "I never did like that word FORMER", and shared numerous news articles reporting on the reunion speculation. During his headline set at the Reading Festival, he dedicated the Oasis track "Half The World Away" to his brother, and later their hit "Cigarettes & Alcohol" to those who he claimed hate the band. The same teasing clip was also displayed on the stage's main screens at the end of his performance.
Reports suggest the band is set to perform ten nights at Wembley Stadium and ten at Heaton Park in Manchester. Both venues hosted some of Oasis' final shows on their "Dig Out Your Soul" tour before their split in 2009. If confirmed, the tour would break the record set by Taylor Swift earlier this year when she played eight nights at Wembley.
Liam Gallagher also responded to a fan on X who commented that Heaton Park is a "terrible" venue, with a cheeky "See you down the front you big fanny". There is also speculation that the band may headline next year's Glastonbury Festival, their last headline slot in 2004 being remembered as one of the worst gigs in their career.
Despite spending 15 years apart, Oasis' popularity hasn't waned. A new generation of fans have embraced their music alongside the ageing Britpop kids who first flocked to their gigs. This year, Liam Gallagher performed sold-out solo anniversary tours of the band's debut album "Definitely Maybe", and headlined both the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of their second album, "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?", which propelled them to international stardom.
With Oasis' lineup evolving over the years, fans are speculating about who might be involved in a potential reunion alongside the Gallagher brothers. Many dream of the 1995 lineup, the era of Oasis mania. Original guitarist Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs has been a mainstay in Liam Gallagher's solo outfit, while his successor Gem Archer has served as guitarist in Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds since 2017 alongside Oasis drummer Chris Sharrock. However, original bass player Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan has been absent from the music industry since leaving Oasis in 1999, and his successor Andy Bell now plays with Ride, Oasis' former label mates. His involvement in a reunion seems unlikely.
The Gallagher brothers' relationship has historically been tumultuous, with reports of them not speaking for years following Noel's departure from the band after an argument before a gig at the Rock En Seine festival in 2009. However, whispers suggest that hostilities have softened. As far back as 2017, Liam hinted at a possible reconciliation, tweeting on Christmas Day: "I wanna say Happy Xmas to team NG itâs been a great year thanks for everything looking forward to seeing you tomorrow AS YOU WERE LG x" This sparked rumours of a potential reunion, which have lingered ever since. With speculation running rife about a possible announcement as early as Tuesday, these rumours may finally be put to rest.
