Oasis fans scrambling to get reunion tickets after error messages, long queues
Oasis fans overwhelmed Ticketmaster and Gigs and Tours websites Saturday as they tried to score tickets for the highly anticipated reunion tour.
People trying to get tickets for the Britpop-era behemoth endured hourslong waits only to have "the whole site collapse" when they finally got to the top of the line.
Oasis is scheduled to play 17 gigs — its first shows for 15 years — in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin starting July 4. More than 1 million tickets went on sale Saturday morning, with prices starting at about 74 pounds (just under $100).
Photo of Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis performing live onstage. (Photo by Paul Bergen/Redferns)
Led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, Oasis was one of the dominant British acts of the 1990s, producing hits including "Wonderwall" and "Don’t Look Back in Anger." Its sound was fueled by singalong rock choruses and the combustible chemistry between guitarist-songwriter Noel Gallagher and singer sibling Liam.
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Oasis split in 2009, with Noel Gallagher quitting the band after a backstage dustup with his brother at a festival near Paris. While the Gallagher brothers, now aged 57 and 51, haven’t performed together since, both regularly perform Oasis songs at their solo gigs. They’ve also each fired off criticisms of the other in the press.
Announcing the reunion, the band said fans would experience "the spark and intensity" that occurs only when they appear on stage together.
Some fans hoping to see that "spark and intensity" live were lucky enough to score presale tickets Friday. Within hours of the regular sale Saturday, tickets began to be offered on resale websites for as much as 6,000 pounds ($7,800).
Oasis warned that tickets can only be resold at face value through authorized sites.
"Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters," the band said in a statement.
Ticket prices range from about 74 pounds ($96) to just over 200 pounds ($260), depending on the venue and seat selection. The most expensive option is a 506-pound ($666) package for the London gigs that includes a pre-show party, admission to an Oasis exhibition, souvenirs and a "premium collectible item."
"This is a homecoming gig," Sacha Lord, Manchester’s official nighttime economy adviser, said. said. "When they set foot on that stage for the first time, it’s going to be a really special moment."