If you, like this writer, spent much of the summer bemused by the hysteria surrounding Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, you might now be swallowing some of your own judgement following the announcement that Oasis are reuniting for a new tour in 2025.
For lots of men of a certain vintage - particularly those whose formative years took place during the band's 90s heyday - the Oasis reunion is a long-awaited moment to rejoice. They've been gone for more than 15 years and in truth, you could add at least another decade to that since the band were producing their best work.
Yet the extent to which their music has stood the test of time and remained as a huge cultural reference point is incredible, and arguably overshadows the musical footprints left by all of their 90s contemporaries.
The guns have fallen silent.
The stars have aligned.
The great wait is over.
Come see.
It will not be televised. pic.twitter.com/FaELtNlVMh— Oasis (@oasis) August 27, 2024
Ever since 2009, and even despite the animosity between the Gallagher brothers in that time, it mostly seemed to be a question of 'when' and not 'if' they would get back together. But with every passing year, the anticipation intensified while doubts began to creep in. What if it just never happens? What if they don't reconcile before it's too late?
In the meantime, Oasis fans would simply have to make do with Noel and Liam's respective solo careers.
Of the two, Noel has been the one to publicly distance himself the most from returning to Oasis, seemingly intent on continuing with his High Flying Birds, who at live shows would be the largely forgettable 60-minute warm up act up until he'd relent and give the begging crowd an Oasis sing-along for the final stretch. Noel had spent years pouring cold water on the prospect of getting back on stage with Liam, but his stance appeared to have softened in a recent interview with John Robb to mark the 30th anniversary of the release of 'Definitely Maybe'.
The good thing about Oasis is the songs were all inclusive. They weren't elitist in any way...the communal feeling of everybody together and that anthemic thing that I got from (Acid House) that I fucking loved.
It's fucking amazing that you write these songs in your house and 25 years later you're walking out to a sold out 90,000, and they all know the words. Like isn't music just the fucking most incredible thing.
In that interview, Noel perfectly summed up the attitude and menace that Liam's voice brought to the songs he wrote, like "ten shots of tequila on a Friday night" in contrast to his own "half a Guinness on a Tuesday".
This is why the live experience at Liam Gallagher's recent solo tours has been as close to Oasis as it gets. His Dublin shows at the 3Arena in June were a triumph of nostalgia, consisting of a full setlist of early Oasis songs that gave the punters exactly what they wanted and more. Some of those punters are still somewhere floating in orbit since they took off during the intro to 'Cigarettes & Alcohol'.
Observing the crowds that night, it was easy to separate the new younger fans from the old-school Oasis crowd. Still predominantly male, but now that bit older, some balder, probably a bit less lairy than they once were, but still willing to rock with their dad-bods as soon as they hear the lyric 'Sun-sheee-yine'.
It was a time to reflect on the things that made Oasis so great in the first place - like their ability to create an outlet for emotionally repressed men to express joy and passion. Especially the guy who sang an entire acapella rendition of Slide Away outside the Bottle Boy pub on the quays before the gig, despite none of the nearby smokers joining in. As Noel, himself put it:
One of the great things about that (early) period of Oasis was there were these uplifting tunes with almost romantic lyrics, but with a really menacing delivery...I think it was that kind of thing that made it special.
Noel's songs were elevated by the edge that Liam personified. And the energy that Liam's live shows still manage to create, even with one of the brothers missing, is really special. Whether it was releasing tears of joy during 'Live Forever', or suppressing the urge to headbutt the nearest stranger during the intro to 'Columbia', the middle aged blokes in that crowd were glowing like Swifties.
If the response to the news of Oasis' comeback is anything to go by, the energy at the reunion tour in 2025 will be off the charts.
So for now, we count down until the scramble for obscenely expensive tickets. Internet servers will be stretched to the limit. Some will be disappointed and hearts will be broken. The lucky ones who succeed will get swallowed up in a stadium of nostalgic euphoria somewhere next year. They'd just better watch out for that headbutt.
SEE ALSO: Oasis' Croke Park dates appear to confirm 2025 All-Ireland final schedule
