Oasis is reuniting. Look back at when Liam and Noel Gallagher came to Columbus
The rumors first started to percolate during the weekend, the annual whispers that have never seemed far off from the moment Oasis broke up. A band with such volatility, seemingly on the verge of implosion for years before finally splitting in 2009, has managed to stay in the spotlight despite the technicality of not actually being together.
With that came the question: Would they ever get back together? What would it take for Noel Gallagher to set his High Flying Birds free and for Liam Gallagher to lay his surprisingly successful solo career to bed? Yet each time any chance of a reunion seemed possible, and there were many, all hopes were shot down faster than a cannonball flying down the hall.
This weekend, though, was different. The rumors intensified. No private denials were sent through the tabloids, no barriers were erected and the noise continued to build. By late Sunday afternoon, the hype train switched into supersonic speed.
Monday morning, the clock flipped over to the promised time (3 a.m. in Columbus) and a short statement with tour dates went live. Almost 15 years to the day that the band split up, Oasis has reunited. Brothers Noel and Liam actually got together for a photo shoot to commemorate the event and, while the reasons might have much more to do with money than anything else, there are concrete plans and concert dates for next summer.
For now, that means fans can expect to see 12 concerts, all of which will be in Europe. It all kicks off July 4 in Cardiff, Wales, a mere 5,795 days since the last time Noel and Liam Gallagher shared space on a stage. More dates are likely in the offing, possibly with stops in Chicago and at the Rose Bowl as part of a mini North American tour.
Columbus, for now, doesn’t appear to be in the running for a show. But the last time Oasis came to town, a few fans were treated to not just one, but two performances on the same date.
Oasis played Columbus in 2000
It was the beginning of a new era for the band, one marked by the losses of founding members Paul “Guigsy” McGuigan and Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs. Both left the band during the recording of fourth studio album “Standing on the Shoulder of Giants,” a selection of songs that marked a departure from some aspects of the classic Oasis sound. Released at the end of February 2000, it received lukewarm reviews even as the band embarked on its biggest tour in three years.
Under these circumstances, Oasis arrived in Columbus for an April 24 show at the Palace Theatre featuring support from the up-and-coming Scottish band Travis. Before the band took the stage, Noel Gallagher and keyboardist Mike Rowe made a stop on Front Street for an appearance in the CD101 Big Room. Before playing in front of a small, live studio audience inside what is now a building shared by Rockmill Tavern and Shadowbox Live, Gallagher impressed the radio staff with his meticulous setup for the recording.
Once satisfied, Gallagher treated the audience to an acoustic performance of the second single off the album, “Who Feels Love?” It would be reprised later that night as the second in a 16-song setlist that borrowed heavily from debut album “Definitely Maybe” and the band’s most recent release. For $25, you could get a seat on the main floor.
Yes, “Wonderwall” was played, although it was led by an electric rather than acoustic guitar. “Don’t Look Back In Anger” came two songs later, while “Champagne Supernova” didn’t make the cut. Neither did much of the band’s third album, the bloated “Be Here Now,” which was represented solely by “Stand By Me.”
The encore featured two Noel-sung covers: a sped-up, electric version of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” and, naturally, “Helter Skelter” by the Beatles. It all ended, fittingly, with Liam making his way back onstage for the opening track on “Definitely Maybe” – “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.”
With that, Oasis headed off the stage and away from the city. The band could make three subsequent stops in Ohio, the last a March 25, 2006 visit to the Taft Theatre in Cincinnati, but Oasis has not been back. The show marks Oasis' only stop in Columbus, although Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds played here three times.
Could it happen this time around? To borrow from B-side and live staple “The Masterplan,” all we know is we don’t know. Unlikely as it is (Ohio State, wouldn’t Ohio Stadium make a perfect showcase venue for the tour?), the most improbable of outcomes has already come to pass.
Oasis, somehow, is back. Maybe you and I are gonna live forever after all.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Oasis announces reunion tour. When did the band play in Columbus?
