Live Forever: The Oasis reunion through the eyes and ears of WXPN

It’s weird how certain artists come to represent eras or styles. I was a massive fan of Oasis thru the ‘90s, but found myself (like much of the world) paying less attention to them as the ‘00s went on.  But after they broke up in 2009, I realized it was time to be an unabashed fan again.

For all the supposed flaws and hipster complaints about the band (rock classicists, derivative to the Beatles, boorish Gallagher behavior, etc), I still luved them. And as time went on I missed what they were for us in that era of the mid/late ‘90s – when Britpop was a true alternative to the post-grunge malaise in America that manifested itself in trend-hopping as rock’s focus lurched from swing to ska to electronica to Lilith Fair to nümetal rap-rock to… recycled third rate grunge/pop. Compared to all that, Oasis were amazing – a rock band with personality like the legends, who mixed the classic song structures of Beatles and Bowie with bits of punk and mod culture, and a whole lotta attitude.

Myself and two of my WXPN programming team colleagues — midday host Mike Vasilikos and weekend host Wendy Rollins — attended Oasis’ Labor Day Weekend two-night stand just outside of New York City, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. When we all got back to Philly, we convened a virtual roundtable to talk about what we heard, and saw, and this band we all love. Here’s what everyone had to say.

Why were you so psyched to see Oasis in 2025?

Mike Vasilikos: I had never seen them before. In 1997, I had the opportunity but ultimately didn’t go. And when they split in ’09 – I felt like I had made a big mistake. For those 16 years, it was one of my big (musical) regrets.

Wendy Rollins: They’re easily one of the top bands of the 90s. They were Britpop royalty and then they were gone! I was at the last tour in 2008 when they played Susquehanna Bank Center and I loved them. The rumors had swirled around for years. Honestly I never thought they would do it!

Jim McGuinn: Having seen the band six times between 1996-2001 (seven if you include a Y100 Sonic Session), I knew they were a great live band then. I wanted to see that again, but also see how their legend had grown.  I thought about splurging on a UK trip to see one of the early shows of the tour, and as soon as I saw HUNDREDS of my friends’ videos and posts from overseas, I’m kind of kicking myself for not getting there – but even the show at MetLife last weekend was incredible.  Powerful performance, great production / experience, and a wonderful community coming together to celebrate – but I do think it was a bit next level over there.  Here we had everyone singing along to the six to seven big radio hits, but the stuff I’ve seen from the UK it was like that on every song.

What are your first memories of hearing Oasis?

MV: For me, Morning Glory was one of those albums I had on repeat for years. But the moment that sticks out was their MTV Unplugged session – when Liam bailed and Noel took over. It was shocking, but kind of awesome, and I just remember talking about it with my friends the next day, like “did you see what happened?!?” Obviously those story lines with Liam and Noel would carry on for years.

WR: I honestly can’t remember the first time I heard them. I feel like they’ve always been around. HA!

JM: I went to England for the first time and got to go to the Reading Festival in August of 1994, a couple days before the release of Oasis’ debut album Definitely Maybe.  There was a buzz about the album that was palpable.  Live Forever had been released just a couple weeks earlier – I’d heard that and first single “Supersonic” already, and I was, as they say, Mad Fer It!  Everyone at Reading was talking about this band – they didn’t play the festival – but I saw Elastica, Pulp, Primal Scream, Lush, Radiohead.  I remember getting the album, and learning how to play and recording terrible versions of both “Supersonic” and “Live Forever” at my apartment in St Louis, where I was living in ’94.  

What was your reaction when the tour was announced?

MV: Like I was getting a chance at redemption for never seeing them before.

WR: I simply didn’t believe it. I thought for sure they would do a few dates in Europe and come unglued. Instead the Gallagher brothers seem to be more bonded than ever. I think that’s why people feel so strongly about this tour: everyone loves a happy ending.

JM: In the words of Australian comedian/radio DJ Liam Stapleton, “should I wear my parka?  Or my fookin’ parka?”  It was August of 2024, and I’d recently returned from two weeks in the UK, visiting Manchester the first time, and I was sooooo excited and optimistic – it felt like just maybe the universe was coming together in a good way.   

What were you most looking forward to heading into the show?

MV: The Poznan during “Cigarettes & Alcohol”!!

WR: There’s something about being with “your people” at a concert. I was in an Oasis shirt and a bucket hat all day, and as I walked down the streets of NYC people pointed and nodded. The Oasis family hasn’t seen each other in a long time.

JM: Liam Gallagher does very little onstage, but somehow has more presence than any rock star – maybe ever.  I hadn’t seen either Gallagher’s post-Oasis bands – I think I was worried they would ruin the magic for me – and I wanted to see what those songs I loved would sound like in 2025, with a community that was all fully engaged.  And they did not let me down.  To quote Liam, “it was biblical, man.”

What was your top highlight post-show?

MV: Liam’s banter was amazing. The band sounded awesome. But singing “Don’t Look Back In Anger” with 70,000 people was tops!

WR: The crowd sing along for Don’t Look Back In Anger took my breath away. We had passes to float around a bit and went up into the stands. When Noel stopped singing and 80,000 fans took over I was awestruck. People wrapped their arms around each other, sang to one another, cried through the lyrics – it was something I’ll never forget.

JM: So many bangers!  But the best for me is “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” – here’s a song that kicks off your debut album, and it’s got the bravado to just ordain yourself – they fookin’ do it!  And with 80,000 people singing along, Liam twists the lyrics now: “Tonight, I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star,” adding the aside “yes YOU fookin’ are!”  

Getting back from the show, people are asking – how good was it?  It was very good!  Among the bigger stadium shows I’ve seen in the past 40 years – Bruce, Metallica, Taylor, McCartney, Stones, U2, Grateful Dead – this was right up there, and in a way for me, more personally satisfying because of what this band has meant to me for 30 years.  I could appreciate all those others, but that was literally my generation onstage.  I want to go again – they’ve announced some European dates for 2026 – who’s with me?

A brief history of Oasis in Philadelphia, as told by Jim McGuinn

1994, Oct 23 – First gig in Philly at JC Dobbs!

1995, March 7 – TLA gig! They would never again play a room this small in Philly. You can watch video of this full set in the WXPN archives.

1996, March 9 – Tower Theater.  My first time seeing the band live.  I’d been in St Louis when Definitely Maybe came out, and didn’t get to see them til I got to Philly in time for this Tower shows.  It was great.  Liam had so much attitude on stage, we didn’t quite know what to make of it all then.

1996, Sept 2 – Corestates Center with Screaming Trees.  I have very little memory of this one, but remember it as the moment they moved up to the big venue in the wake of the success of “Wonderwall.” Again, you can watch video of this full set in the WXPN archives.

1998, Jan 8 – Blockbuster Sony Entertainment Center – this was the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, but “with the garage doors down” to make it a 7000-seat indoor facility in January.  Cornershop opened and were delightful, riding high on “Brimful of Asha.” Oasis was larger than life, but this was the time when the cracks were maybe starting to show.

1999, Dec 3 – First Union Center – This gig was the greatest show I’ve ever been a part of – the Y100 FEASTIVAL featured Beck, Foo Fighters, Oasis, and Moby.  For Oasis, it was the first show after two dramatic personnel changes (Bonehead and Guigsy were out, Gem Archer and Andy Bell of Ride were in), and with years of tabloid mania surrounding them, the UK press descended on Philly for the show.  We had a pre-show party at the Continental the night before, and one of the NME journalists nearly came to blows with someone from Rupert Murdoch’s paper The Sun. We paid Oasis $30k for their set, which would only be 30 minutes, as the new band hadn’t learned many songs yet.  Turned out to be a bargain compared to the rumored $20m+ per show the band is generating this year.  

2000, April 26 – Oasis at The Tower Theater.  This was the last time I saw the band live – and came on the heels of Noel and Gem popping into the studio to do a Sonic Session for Y100.  No Liam – recall he couldn’t be bothered to do an MTV Unplugged, let alone a local radio session.  Noel was cool though – I remember giving him a Neil Young bootleg on CD, and he seemed to appreciate that.  

2001, May 30 – Tweeter Center with The Black Crowes and Spacehog.  Ah, the Brotherly Love tour – three bands of brothers on stage!  I skipped this one but saw Noel and the band later that night, as they showed up where I was – catching a soon-to-be-big NY band at the 5 Spot, The Strokes.  They came in and were ushered to a side table by security.  It was almost a passing of the torch from the most interesting band of one generation to another.

2005, May 25 – Festival Pier.  I have no memory of this show happening, and no idea why I wasn’t there.  Maybe Oasis had fallen that far off my radar by then.  They also played House of Blues in Atlantic City on Oct 3, 2005, and Susquehanna Bank Center on December 19, 2008 – two more shows that maybe you saw (Wendy did!), but I skipped. 

This piece was produced and edited for web by John Vettese