I Can't Stand Oasis

Mackenzie Glover
Jul 21
3 min read

Oasis Performing at Heaton Park, July 2025 (Big Brother Recordings)

I’m sorry about that title, and I will immediately clarify that it’s exaggerated to an extent, but not by much. I don’t mind the 90s working class rock of Manchester based brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. It’s pretty fun, well written, and worthy of screaming at the top of your lungs. Most of their tunes feel designed, expertly, for a huge setting. That’s definitely why I feel they rose to such a huge level of popularity. They were born to be rockstars during a certain period in time. Their music has also stayed pretty close to the forefront of pop culture relevancy throughout the decades, and it’s what I found so annoying about seeing Oasis at Heaton Park in July of 2025. They have only maintained that huge relevancy because of pure nostalgia, which sucks.

Photo Credits: Gie Knaeps/Getty Images/Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Avalon/ Tim Mosenfelder/Michel Linssen/Redferns

Everyone experiences nostalgia to some extent. It’s a natural human feeling to want to go back to a better time. To have fond memories of childhood, teenage years or something later. I completely understand it. The issue that presented itself at Oasis initially, was that there was nothing new from the band at all. No new singles, no concrete hints at a new album, nothing. It was a band playing on a stage, making you remember the 90s. It sounds fun right? A cheeky throwback to 30 years ago, but then the nostalgia extended further to the support acts. Both Cast and Richard Ashcroft were acts that were relevant during the 90s britpop heyday and neither were gathering huge followings in the last decade.

It was annoying to see an event that was so focused on looking back, rather than looking forward. All three bands got on stage, played their tunes, and left the stage. You might think “but that’s what they should be doing” and you’d be right! But I wish these acts would add some more flare to their shows, or do something extra. In comparison, I managed to catch Billie Eilish at Co-Op Live between the several Oasis gigs, and she showcased a plethora of exciting, interesting things while playing her music. She silenced the crowd at one point, and looped her vocals live to use as a backing track for a song. She disappeared and reappeared on a separate stage on the other side of the arena. Even her stage was a big 360 degree setup in the center of the arena, meaning the fans who wanted to get to the barrier could do it from 4 sides.

Billie Eilish photographed by Black Label Supply

Some people might think that all of this sounds like a load of gimmicks, and you might be right. A lot of fans thought Oasis was truly spectacular, and that was without any of the fancy extras that more modern artists employ. I’m not specifically saying that Oasis had to do similar tactics as Billie Eilish, but it’s just something I wish they’d look at sometimes. I wish they could see what new artists are doing and experiment.

Maybe I’ve accidentally wandered onto my point here, and it’s about experimentation. Oasis, and their support acts, are all very much not experimental artists. Even in their heyday, they just did what their contemporaries did but at a more refined level. I want artists in all mediums to attempt things that they wouldn’t normally do, and whether that leads to success or not doesn’t matter. I just think people who are creative shouldn’t try to make things that are safe, because then I don’t consider you to be a great artist. What does my opinion matter though? I’m not a great artist, even though I want to be. I also wasn’t playing to a crowd of 80,000 people over the weekend on 5 separate occasions. I’m just voicing my tiny opinion, that I wish we’d stop revelling in the past and look to the future instead.

Sorry for ending on a downer, here’s some recommendations for new, experimental albums!