Oasis in Manchester 2025: First Gigs and a Look Ahead!
- Crimson Sunday
- Jul 16
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 23
The air is buzzing, your fans are ecstatic – Oasis are back in Manchester! After the first two electrifying nights at Heaton Park, which have already made history, we're looking back at what happened and forward to the upcoming concerts that will shake the city. Find more information about the Oasis Reunion in the previous articles:
A lot of smart things have already been written about Oasis's reunion tour and the first concerts in Cardiff. But by now, you know what can be read into this comeback after 15 years. We know that the music journalism generation our age (40+) has seen Oasis a few times already, and their return might even trigger uncomfortable thoughts about lost youth, one's own mortality, and the fact that tour shirts bought in 1996 somehow seem to shrink over the years.
We know Oasis is making a lot of money from this brotherly peace, and looking at ticket pre-sales and numerous merch and advertising deals, one could write exciting articles about the music industry. You might also be itching to write an essay about the fact that Oasis has clearly won the Britpop battle – something even Damon Albarn recently admitted. He said: "Oasis won the battle, the war, everything." And Richard Ashcroft even conceded this yesterday evening as Oasis's support act, saying, with self-irony and/or a touch of bitterness: "That’s all I’ll be doing from now on: getting people in the mood for Oasis."
Manchester has once again proven it's the spiritual home of Oasis. Early in the morning, Oasis fans from all over the world flocked to Manchester city center. The cityscape was dominated by the current Oasis-Adidas collection and the best tour shirts from previous years. Pubs played Oasis-heavy Britpop playlists, Liam's gruff greetings adorned huge airport billboards, Manchester's transport authorities put the band's logo on all information signs, and spontaneous Oasis chants broke out everywhere – be it in pubs over a Full English or at Victoria Station, where a fan even borrowed a traffic warden's megaphone (which was handed over with a friendly smile) to hype up the crowd. The exuberant mood extended to the trams, where celebrations were in full swing, very much in true British style.
A special highlight of the first concerts was the presence of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. The Spanish coaching maestro, along with his daughter Maria, joined the approximately 70,000 spectators – not in the VIP area, but right in the heart of the buzzing crowd. A video published on Instagram showed Guardiola, dressed in sunglasses and a Manchester City shirt, visibly enthusiastic, singing along to the Oasis classic "Don’t Look Back in Anger" and filming scenes for his private family album. This down-to-earth gesture from the 53-year-old was incredibly well-received by many fans.
After the concert, there was even a remarkable encounter: the Gallagher brothers' children – Liam's sons Lennon and Gene, and Noel's children Anaïs, Donovan, and Sonny – posed with the Guardiola family for a group photo. Gene Gallagher shared the picture on Instagram with the now-legendary caption: "Pic of the century alright now everyone else f*** off."
On stage, there was also a direct dedication: Liam Gallagher dedicated the song "D’You Know What I Mean?" to Pep Guardiola, calling him "The Boss" and "greatest manager of all time." This comment sparked mixed reactions in the audience, particularly among the numerous Manchester United fans who began booing. Noel Gallagher, a self-proclaimed Manchester City fan, dryly countered the boos with the words: "Who the f*** are you booing?" This brought laughter, and by the first guitar riff of "D’You Know What I Mean?", harmony returned to Heaton Park.
Before that, Noel Gallagher had dedicated the song "Half The World Away" to the late British actress Caroline Aherne and her co-star Craig Cash. Aherne, who passed away from cancer in 2016, had used the song as the theme tune for the BBC sitcom "The Royle Family."
Musically, Oasis didn't have to do much more than play their songs convincingly live. They've never been overly emotional on stage, but band members Gem Archer (guitar), Paul "Bonehead" Arthurs (guitar), Andy Bell (bass), Joey Waronker (drums) were instrumentally loud and on point, while Liam and Noel delivered perfect vocal performances. The setlist largely contributed to making this evening "biblical."
After all these years, and some "messed up" gigs (like Glastonbury 2009!), the old grumblers have suddenly become masterful crowd-pleasers in their well-paid golden age: "Morning Glory," "Some Might Say," "Cigarettes & Alcohol," "Roll With It," "Live Forever," "Rock’n’Roll Star" – all present and accounted for. The encore was also out of this world – purely from the quality of the songwriting: Noel opened with "The Masterplan," followed by the holy Britpop trinity "Don’t Look Back In Anger," "Wonderwall," and finally "Champagne Supernova," which ended with a rather lavish fireworks display.
The concerts were also filled with local patriotism and strong emotions. Liam dedicated "Fade Away" to the residents of Burnage – the part of Manchester where he and his brother grew up, a working-class area where many would have struggled to afford tickets. "Cast No Shadow" was played after a shout-out to Happy Mondays and Richard Ashcroft. Absolute highlights included songs like "Acquiesce," where Liam and Noel shared the lyrics, and the poignant "Stand By Me." Overall, Oasis had a perfect mix of ballads and tracks that saw people pushing, dancing, and throwing beers.
Despite the massive crowds, the evenings proceeded largely without incident, according to official police reports. There were six arrests for various offenses, including public intoxication, drug possession, and fraud. Additionally, five drones were confiscated for violating air traffic regulations.
What's Next: Upcoming Shows at Heaton Park and the World Tour
There are still three more concerts at Heaton Park that you definitely shouldn't miss.
When are the next Oasis concerts in Manchester? The next concerts will take place on July 16, 19, and 20, 2025, at Heaton Park.
The remaining dates are:
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 (tonight!)
Saturday, July 19, 2025
Sunday, July 20, 2025
After the Manchester gigs, the tour will take the band to London (Wembley), Edinburgh (Murrayfield Stadium), and Dublin (Croke Park) in the coming weeks. Subsequently, performances are planned in North America, South America, Australia, South Korea, and Japan – a true world tour that underscores Oasis's global significance.
Nach den Manchester-Gigs führt die Tournee die Band in den kommenden Wochen weiter nach London (Wembley), Edinburgh (Murrayfield Stadium) und Dublin (Croke Park). Anschließend sind Auftritte in Nordamerika, Südamerika, Australien, Südkorea und Japan geplant – eine wahre Welttournee, die die globale Bedeutung von Oasis unterstreicht.
The Final Setlist: A Journey Through the Greatest Hits
For everyone wondering which songs the band performed live, here's the confirmed setlist from the Oasis concerts in Manchester. Get ready for a wave of nostalgia and unforgettable moments!
What was the setlist of the Oasis Reunion Tour? The setlist included hits like "Wonderwall," "Don't Look Back in Anger," "Live Forever," and many more classics.
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory
Some Might Say
Bring It On Down
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean?
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away
Whatever
Live Forever
Rock ’n‘ Roll Star
Encore:
20. The Masterplan
21. Don’t Look Back in Anger
22. Wonderwall
23. Champagne Supernova
Can you still get tickets for Oasis in Manchester? The concerts are officially sold out, but there are limited resale tickets available on platforms like Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, etc.
Even though the concerts are officially sold out, a limited number of additional tickets were released in June. So, it's still worth keeping an eye out and checking reputable resale platforms for those coveted tickets if you're still looking.
The Oasis reunion in Manchester is more than just a series of concerts – it's a cultural event. Be there when history is made!
