The homecoming of Oasis in their long-awaited Manchester gig turned into a family affair with the children of Noel and Liam Gallagher pictured together backstage for a concert many in the city thought would never happen.
More than 70,000 people descended on Heaton Park to witness the first of five hometown shows, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola among the crowds for what marked the band’s first Manchester performance in 16 years.
Guardiola had the song “D’You Know What I Mean?” dedicated to him by Liam, who referred to the Spaniard as “the boss”, calling him the “greatest manager of all time” – a comment which provided the only divisive moment for the adoring crowd, with many from the red half of the city responding with boos.
Family Reunion Backstage
Guardiola was pictured with Liam’s two sons Lennon, 25, and Gene, 24, and Noel’s three children Anaïs, 25, Donovan, 17, and Sonny, 14. Gene, whose mother is Liam’s ex-wife Nicole Appleton, shared the image to Instagram with the caption: “Pic of the century alright now everyone els fuck off.”
The Manchester City manager’s presence at the gig underscored the band’s deep connection to their hometown. Guardiola, who has guided City to six Premier League titles since arriving in 2016, later posted videos of himself passionately singing along to the band’s hits.
Support act Richard Ashcroft also shared a photograph with Guardiola backstage, captioning it simply: “Music is power.”
Emotional Tributes
Noel dedicated the song “Half The World Away” to Royle Family actor Craig Cash and his late co-star Caroline Aherne, who died of cancer in July 2016 at the age of 52. The song had served as the theme tune for the beloved BBC comedy.
“This one’s for Caroline and Craig,” Noel said before performing the acoustic track, drawing huge cheers from the Manchester crowd who remembered Aherne as one of the city’s comedy treasures.
At approximately 8:20pm, the brothers walked onto the stage together to deafening cheers from the crowd. Liam, wearing a zipped-up parka despite 30C weather, held his older brother’s hand and raised it in a gesture of unity that sent the audience into raptures.
Setlist of Hits
The duo opened with their song “Hello”, followed by “Acquiesce” in a set packed with the band’s greatest hits. Morning Glory” came next, with fans having to wait until the encore to hear “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and “Wonderwall.
“This one’s for all the people from Burnage,” Liam said ahead of “Fade Away”, shouting out the district where he and Noel grew up. The reference to their working-class roots drew massive cheers from the hometown crowd.
Despite hopes from some fans for surprises, the band stuck to the same setlist they had performed at their reunion shows in Cardiff the previous week. The consistency didn’t dampen spirits, with the historic concert peppered with various nods to Manchester throughout.
Mixed Reception for Guardiola
When Liam dedicated “D’You Know What I Mean?” to Guardiola, the response was mixed. Whilst many City fans cheered, a significant portion of the crowd – likely Manchester United supporters – responded with boos.
Noel quickly responded to the jeers with characteristic wit, asking: “Who you fucking booing?” The moment of football rivalry provided one of the few divisive moments in an otherwise unified celebration.
Guardiola’s daughter Maria later posted videos on social media showing her father enthusiastically singing along to the band’s 1996 hit, demonstrating he took the mixed reception in good spirits.
Smooth Operation
Greater Manchester Police said the event passed “without incident”, although six men were arrested and taken into custody for various reasons including being drunk and disorderly and on suspicion of drug and fraud offences. Five drones were also seized after breaches of airspace restrictions.
The massive event required significant coordination, with Transport for Greater Manchester implementing special measures including extended tram services and shuttle buses from the city centre. Gates had opened at 3pm, with many fans arriving early to soak up the atmosphere.
City-Wide Celebration
Oasis fever had gripped Manchester throughout the week before the gig. Huge pictures of the brothers were splashed on the side of the city’s yellow buses, whilst Liam Gallagher’s voice was heard on the Metrolink tram network, telling fans: “The next stop is… Heaton Parrrk,” before adding: “Off you go.”
Local businesses joined the celebration, with an Aldi supermarket in Prestwich changing its sign to “Aldeh” in a nod to the band’s Mancunian pronunciation.
The Guardian spoke to fans queueing for the gig, including some who had travelled from as far as the US and Mexico. Many wore bucket hats despite the scorching heat, heeding the band’s social media advice to “wear a (bucket) hat”, use sun screen, stay hydrated and look after one another.
International Dedication
Carley Williams, 27, from Boston in the US, spent more than $15,000 (£11,000) to visit Manchester for two weeks and see all five hometown gigs.
“I’ve just never been more excited in my life,” she said. This is like what I’ve lived my life to do, so I just have never experienced this level of anticipation in my life, and I’m just loving every minute of it.
The five sold-out Manchester shows follow the band’s first comeback gigs in Cardiff last week, which received five-star reviews. After Manchester, Oasis will visit London’s Wembley Stadium, Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park throughout July, August and September.
The reunion tour, announced in August 2024, marks the end of a 15-year hiatus following the brothers‘ acrimonious split in 2009. With more dates planned across multiple continents, the Manchester homecoming represents just the beginning of what promises to be one of the most significant musical reunions in recent history.
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