Oasis announce reunion – and reveal details of huge UK tour

Published

3 months ago

August 27, 2024

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Oasis have confirmed it’s happening – Noel and Liam Gallagher are reuniting, with huge shows planned for 2025.

The announcement comes just ahead of the 30th anniversary of Oasis‘s seminal debut album Definitely Maybe, released on 29 August 1994, and 15 years since the last time the brothers performed together before their infamous fall-out.

Both Noel and Liam Gallagher shared the news on their social media sites, saying: “This is it, this is happening.” They will play four Wembley concerts – as well as four Manchester gigs and shows in Scotland, Wales and Ireland in July and August 2025.

Oasis said: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

The brothers have been pictured together for the first time in years to mark the announcement, with the photograph taken in London in July.

Oasis reunion: Follow live updates

‘The time is right’

Revealing details about why the reunion is finally happening now, the band’s statement said there had been “no great revelatory moment”, but rather “the gradual realisation that the time is right”.

However, they said the timing “must be a subconscious influence”, coming so close to the Definitely Maybe anniversary.

The shows announced will be the only gigs in Europe next year, they said, potentially quashing rumours of a headline slot at Glastonbury. Plans are also under way for shows further afield later in 2025.

Details of who else from Oasis’s previous line-ups will rejoin them, or of other musicians in the pipeline, have yet to be confirmed.

Speculation about a reunion had grown in recent weeks, with music insiders leaking details of planned shows.

Liam had also dropped hints beforehand, telling a user on X: “See you down the front.” He also shared a post saying he “never did like that word FORMER”.

Now, the comeback has been confirmed.

It comes after a run of solo shows for Liam marking the Definitely Maybe anniversary, while older brother Noel, 57, was playing shows during the summer with his band, the High Flying Birds.

During one Definitely Maybe gig, Liam, 51, made a point of dedicating Half The World Away to his “little brother”, saying he was “still playing hard to get”.

But at one of Noel’s shows, when apparently asked about Liam by a fan, the Oasis songwriter said his younger brother should be “thankful for my genius” and told the crowd: “Just remember who wrote all the f***ing songs.”

What happened in 2009?

Formed in the early 1990s, Oasis rose to fame with songs such as Supersonic, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Live Forever, before second album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory gave them their first number one single, Some Might Say, the following year.

With other hits including Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger, Stand By Me, Lyla and The Importance Of Being Idle, became one of the biggest bands in British music history.

When and where will the Oasis gigs take place?

4 July 2025 – Principality Stadium, Cardiff

5 July 2025 – Principality Stadium, Cardiff

11 July 2025 – Heaton Park, Manchester

12 July 2025 – Heaton Park, Manchester

19 July 2025 – Heaton Park, Manchester

20 July 2025 – Heaton Park, Manchester

25 July 2025 – Wembley Stadium, London

26 July 2025 – Wembley Stadium, London

2 August 2025 – Wembley Stadium, London

3 August 2025 – Wembley Stadium, London

8 August 2025 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

9 August 2025 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh

16 August 2025 – Croke Park, Dublin

17 August 2025 – Croke Park, Dublin

Their infamous break-up, prompted by a backstage brawl before they had even made it on stage at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris in August 2009, has only added to the band’s legendary status.

It happened when Liam damaged one of his elder brother’s guitars, causing Noel to dramatically quit – ending the partnership that had propelled them to fame and fortune.

“It is with some sadness and great relief… I quit Oasis tonight,” Noel later said in a statement. “People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”

Stop Crying Your Heart Out. Oasis are back

Katie Spencer

Arts and entertainment correspondent

@SkyKatieSpencer

With no less swagger than you’d expect from one of the biggest bands in British rock, “the great wait is over” is how Oasis put news of their reunion.

The prospect of Noel and Liam Gallagher ever performing together again had felt less likely with every passing year but, brotherly spats have now been put on ice.

The rumoured record-breaking 10 nights at Wembley are only four, for now, but how sales go will likely dictate whether or not extra dates can be magically made available. As Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham told Sky News, “two lads from Manchester” are generously going to be “giving London a boost”.

So what are their motivations? While some may cynically interpret the 14 gigs as a cash-grab, the dates in so many different parts of the UK and Ireland certainly feel like a commitment to doing this for the fans.

So pull out your parkas. Stop Crying Your Heart Out. Because Oasis are back. The question of course being, given their history, whether the boys will actually manage to make it through the full run.

The feud continued over the years, with the pair exchanging insults publicly – Liam on social media, Noel more when asked about his brother in interviews – but reportedly never speaking in person.

When his documentary As It Was was released in 2019, Liam told Sky News he had wanted to “break [Noel’s] jaw” after he apparently refused permission for Oasis music to be featured in the film.

But after 15 years, they have now made amends – giving thousands of Oasis fans the chance to see them play live once again.

Previously unheard versions of tracks including Live Forever, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Rock ‘n’ Roll star from the first recording session for Definitely Maybe will also be put out on Friday, marking the anniversary.

In expectation of the official announcement of the reunion tour, Spotify said Oasis streams increased more than 160% globally between Monday and the previous week.

UK

Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Teenage girl killed on M5 in Somerset after getting out of police car named

A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.

Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.

She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.

A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.

Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.

“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.

“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”

The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.

In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.

“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”

Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.

UK

Mohamed al Fayed’s brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Mohamed al Fayed's brother Salah also abused women, say female Harrods employees

A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.

Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.

The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.

One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.

Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.

Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.

The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”

The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.

Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.

The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.

A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.

“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”

The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.

One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.

Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.

UK

Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Published

5 hours ago

November 15, 2024

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Wes Streeting 'crossed the line' by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman

Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.

Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.

MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.

But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.

He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.

Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.

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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.

“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.

“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.

“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”

Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.

She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.

“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.

The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.

Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.

The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.

MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.