Well, it looks like hell has officially frozen over and pigs are now flying, because Oasis have re-united after a well-publicized, tumultuous 15-year separation. To be completely honest with you, I’m absolutely shocked this is happening. I honestly thought that *IF* Oasis would ever re-unite, I’d be in my 50’s and Liam and Noel would be in their 60s/70s, respectively. To be facing the reality of actually attending an Oasis show within the next year or so is truly a dream come true. In terms of “dream concerts” or “bucket list shows”, this was by far #1 for both, and if I never see another concert again after Oasis (but who am I kidding right? lol) I would be ok with Oasis being the last show I ever see, and that’s no hyperbole.
So you’re probably thinking why is Oasis so important to me? First, Oasis aren’t just important to me, they’re one of the most important bands in modern music history. I mean, how many bands could disappear for 15 years and then completely take over the internet/world at just the hint of reuniting. I won’t bore you with the argument of why Oasis is the most important band of the 90s and one of the greatest bands of all-time, I would just highly suggest that if you’re not familiar with the band’s full story (or only know a few of their songs) to hop on HBO Max & watch the documentary Oasis: Supersonic to get a little more backstory on the the Gallagher brothers/the band itself.
But back to me; Oasis was the first band that really felt like they were mine (& no one else’s) and they’ve been with me every day since the Summer of 1996…..
One of my older brother’s was sick a lot as a child and required seeing specialists in the New England region. These trips were obviously not too exciting, but my parents tried their best to make them as fun as possible. I can still remember my parents giving me a few bucks to buy a CD at a local music store up in Providence, Rhode Island in 1996 and walking out of that store with Oasis’s second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. I knew absolutely nothing about the band and I hadn’t yet heard any of the songs. I also didn’t know at that time that they had already released one of the best debut albums of all-time (Definitely Maybe) two years prior. All I knew was that the CD was in the staff picks section and the cover caught my eye, so I bought in on a whim and it changed my life.
Up until this point, most of the music I listened to didn’t feel like mine, but Morning Glory changed that. My parents both had incredibly diverse taste in music, so I heard a lot of great music from both of them. Also, both of my older brothers introduced me to some really amazing music too (even if I was too young for some of it, like when Teddy Ruxpin started to rap explicit NWA lyrics at me. Thanks, Morgan!). I can also remember as a 9 year-old discussing with friends in elementary school the artwork of Green Day’s Dookie like it was some classical painting hanging in the Louvre. However, I didn’t know anyone who was openly listening to/a fan of Oasis at the time I bought Morning Glory, so they were my first true music discovery and I feel in love with the album and the band. But like any obsessive music fan, I also now needed more!
So, a few weeks after purchasing Morning Glory (my favorite song from the album has always been Champagne Supernova, by the way), which I would eventually play so much on my Walkman that I had to replace the CD twice (thank you to The Wall’s lifetime guarantee program), I decided that I was going to walk 2 miles, the furthest I had ever walked at that time, to Toones (a legendary Allentown CD store) to see if they had anymore of this Oasis. I walked into the store with my little Velcro wallet filled with leftover birthday and Christmas money, and asked if they had ever heard of this band Oasis and if they had any more of their music. Of course they had , and that’s when I discovered their debut album Definitely Maybe. And yes Definitely Maybe is one of the greatest albums of all-time (debut or otherwise), but to me, it will never be as important as Morning Glory.
So ever since 1996, I’ve been hooked on any and everything Oasis and they’re second only to Prince on my personal music Mount Rushmore. Like Prince, Oasis has been the other constant through all the good, the bad, and the ugly. I have every CD that they’ve ever put out (this includes Beady Eye, and Liam & Noel’s solo projects). However, unlike Prince, I was never able to experience the Gallagher brothers live on stage together. I’ve been able to see Noel and Liam separately, but not together. One way, or another, that will change in 2025. I know that there are also some people that are upset that it doesn’t look like it’s a “full original band” reunion, but rather just Liam and Noel. And while I respect their opinion, this is still an incredible day. (Also, I’ve seen Bonehead perform with Liam, and Guigsy and Tony McCarroll haven’t play music live for many years – so I’m good with it being the brothers)
Quite honestly, this is my Super Bowl of music, and if previous concerts are any indication (I’ll post the full Knebworth 96 concert below for reference), it’s going to be one of the most memorable events of my life. It’s also an incredible story of two brothers, who have put each other through hell physically and emotionally, that have come together again to share their magic with the world. If you have an opportunity to see them, do it, you won’t regret it!
