I was too young to see Oasis the first time around but after Croke Park gig I could have died happily

When Oasis announced their long-awaited reunion tour, there wasn’t a price or ticket queue that would stop me from being in attendance

I never thought that I would be able to write these words, but last night, I saw Oasis live in concert.

I was too young to see the Manchester band before their infamous split 16 years ago in Paris. The closest thing I had come to seeing the real deal was in 2017, witnessing Liam Gallagher play at the SSE Arena. I was a gangly 15-year-old then, and the security guards looked at me and my mates like we were too young to be there. We probably were, but our bucket hats and Adidas trainers did a good job of making us blend in with the rest of the LG impersonators.

So when Oasis announced their long-awaited reunion tour, there wasn’t a price or ticket queue that would stop me from being in attendance. I had to be there.

READ MORE: Liam Gallagher dedicates Stand By Me to mum Peggy in emotional moment at Croke ParkREAD MORE: ‘Oasis at Croke Park was everything Irish fans could’ve wished for’

Before driving down to Dublin, I found that old bucket hat I wore over eight years ago and dusted it off. The drive down was two hours, but you could have told me it was 20 minutes and I would have believed you.

Once we arrived at Croke Park, I quickly realised I’ve never experienced a pre-gig atmosphere that was that infectious. Crowds flowed in and out of pubs, joining together to sing their favourite singles, everyone buzzing to see their favourite band back from the dead. But it wasn’t before long that Croke Park was nearly full. Nearly 90,000 people knew to be there as soon as possible.

Taylor Swift fans have a reputation for screaming their lungs out at her concerts. When the Gallagher brothers took to the stage last night, the dads at the front in their 50s and 60s would have given them a run for their money.

There was no room for Coldplay kiss cams in the setlist either – just two hours of uninterrupted Britpop nostalgia. Frontman Liam took no time to breathe in the breaks, bursting into each song. Opener Hello’s lyrics of, “It’s good to be back” felt like a reality check for what was in front of us, and the crowd made no reservations for making the floor bounce.

As each song flew through the setlist, you quickly realise that very few artists have as many hits as Oasis. How many bands can play Supersonic, Champagne Supernova and Rock’n’Roll Star on the same night?

Much has been joked about before the start of the tour on the Gallaghers potentially locking heads again, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. They looked as though they relished the occasion, walked out onto stage together holding each other’s hands raised to the sky. Liam fist bumped his older brother as he walked off for his break, and the two hugged while fireworks erupted above them.

There were touches of class from Liam throughout as well, including dedicating Stand By Me to his mother. His voice sounded as smooth as it has in decades, as though his vocals were plucked straight from the ’90s. As for Noel, his dedicated parts in the setlist provided the biggest sing-alongs of the night. Half The World Away is still as stunning as it was when he wrote it nearly 30 years ago, and Little By Little’s chorus is an under-appreciated shout for the best he’s ever written.

If you want a real idea of what makes these gigs so special, though, make sure to people-watch and it’ll show you the real magic. It’s the ten euro pints chucked into the air when Cigarettes and Alcohol kicks in. It’s the two boys hugging during Slide Away, or the small lad on his dad’s shoulders for Whatever. It’s the older couple sharing a kiss at the end of Don’t Look Back in Anger.

Oasis’ gigs now bring all walks of life from every living generation, each with memories gifted to them by the songs they now sing together in 2025. As nearly 90,000 people walked out of Croke Park last night, I’d guess there were a few who could have died happy at that moment. I was one of them.

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