Oasis at the Rose Bowl, Sunday, September 7th, 2025
Photos and review by ALYSON CAMUS
LOS ANGELES – A year ago, Oasis announced a reunion tour, just two days short of the 30th anniversary of their debut album “Definitively Maybe.” They immediately unveiled dates in the UK and Ireland, followed by a short American tour that included two dates in Los Angeles. Judging by the numerous buses around the Rose Bowl, people had traveled from far away to see the reunion. It’s true that if you didn’t live near one of the five big cities the Gallagher brothers visited, you had no other choice.
The announcement of this reunion sounded like a small miracle. Didn’t Noel and Liam have a reputation for hating each other? Didn’t they break up the band in 2009? After years of quarrels, brawls, and insults, had they finally buried the hatchet? To give a sense of their disdain for each other: Noel, who has always had a way with words, once called Liam “a man with a fork in a world of soup” and shouted at him during a heated interview in the ’90s, “Get the fuck out of my band and… become a football hooligan.” For his part, Liam declared in 2011, “I’d rather eat my own shit than be in a band with him again… he’s a miserable little fuck.”
But after seeing footage of their UK shows, there was no more doubt: the reunion was truly happening. It was apparently the result of a team effort—deeply personal and driven by family bonds – with Noel’s daughter and their mother, Peggy Gallagher, playing big roles. Personally, I didn’t believe it until I saw Noel and Liam give each other a warm hug on stage… what? A hug? Between the two terrible brothers?
The crowd lining up to enter the Bowl was astonishingly diverse – Oasis can confidently unite Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X with the same anthems from the ’90s. Yet, at the same time, the crowd looked remarkably uniform: bucket hats everywhere and Oasis shirts on what seemed like every other person. So many shirts! And still, this didn’t stop people from forming very long lines in front of the official merchandise booths. Man, how many Oasis shirts can you wear on top of each other?
Many celebrities were spotted at the Rose Bowl over the weekend – from Paul McCartney to Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Idol, Dave Grohl, Billie Eilish, and Metallica’s James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich – a true roster of A-listers, even including Mark Zuckerberg. It was Oasis weekend in L.A., whether you were there or not.
There were two opening acts: the British band Cast and the American group Cage the Elephant, who delivered a raucous, high-energy set. The crowd gave them a warm reception, but there was no doubt about who the stars of the night were.
After an over-the-top video introduction that looked like the trailer for an action blockbuster, the two brothers took the stage around 8:45 p.m. It was the second of their two sold-out performances at the Bowl, and with a capacity of around 85,000 for each show, it was an extraordinary moment – a definite triumph for these two giants of Britpop. Although they had never been as big in the U.S. as they were in the United Kingdom and Europe, Oasis sold out their American stadium tour with the same confidence they’ve always been known for.
The British band not only showed they had reunited but also effortlessly demonstrated they were still in top form, playing their hits and browsing their ’90s catalog for everyone’s delight. Most of the time, Liam sang while standing behind his mic, arms clasped behind his back in a typical Liam Gallagher pose, though he did play tambourine on some songs. His deadpan vocals were strong, cutting through and rising above the band’s roaring sound.
Over two hours, the brothers and their excellent band delivered 23 songs, reaffirming their legacy with cuts from the beloved albums “Definitely Maybe,” “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory,” and “Be Here Now.” Every fistfight seemed forgotten, and their abrupt rupture in 2009 felt far behind them. Their style and aesthetics were intact – including the parka Liam insisted on wearing despite the 90ºF heat – while they sounded much more like a rock band than a pop group. With Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs (a founding member) and Gem Archer on guitars, Andy Bell on bass, Christian Madden on keyboards, and Los Angeles’s own Joey Waronker (“an actual fucking American”) on drums, there was no shortage of talent, and the performance swelled into a full-on stadium rock show.
The crowd was completely into it.
Everywhere I looked, people were holding up their iPhones with the flashlights on, waving to the sound of “Morning Glory” (which Liam dedicated to Woody Woodpecker?), “Bring It On Down” (dedicated to the sword swallowers in the audience!), or “Supersonic”… just to name a few highlights from the first part of their set. Eighty-five thousand people sharing the same moment, loudly singing along, would make even a casual fan emotional.
Between songs, Liam moved in and out of the stage, occasionally telling us stories about the sandcastle he had been building on the beach, while having an imaginary conversation with a shark before the show: “Ah, you know what L.A. crowds are like… they’re all stoned out of their fucking heads in the sun all day, you know what I mean? They’re more of a fuckin’ Grateful Dead kind of crowd.”
After “Roll with It,” Liam really took a break, leaving Noel alone on stage to sing a few songs. It was the most vulnerable moment of the night, with “Talk Tonight,” “Half the World Away” – which he dedicated to the Irish in the crowd – and “Little by Little”, the only song in the set from their album “Heathen Chemistry.”
Liam returned for “D’You Know What I Mean?” – “dedicated to the warriors, not the worriers” – and a few songs later, they added to a chorus of the Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden” to “Whatever,” a choice that could not have left McCartney indifferent.
The two brothers exuded confidence all night long, and without the petty fights we were used to, the chemistry was real. I was too far away to see the faces of people standing in the pit, but according to photos circulating online, some were actually crying like babies, in complete disbelief at what they were experiencing. There’s something magical and poignant about reconnecting with a past long gone—and most people had believed moments like these were gone forever.
Liam Gallagher screamed “Rock ’n’ Roll Star!” just before a thundering rendition of the song of the same name, as if he still needed to prove he was one. There was no question – he was.
After a short break, they returned for the encore and some of their most anthemic songs: “Don’t Look Back in Anger,” “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova.” The crowd on the field surged up and down, mouths wide open singing about a woman named Sally, fists pumping in the air. Liam wore his signature bucket hat, holding the tambourine in his mouth, looking like a truly odd rock ’n’ roll star, and told us that “Champagne Supernova” was their last song because he had to go to bed… “because I’m a little princess these days.”
Fireworks exploded high above the stage as they finished the song with a bang. For many in the audience, it was pure hysteria—singing as if their lives depended on it, crying their heart out. The energy of the night was unmatched, and the improbability of the event made it all the more legendary.
Setlist
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory (dedicated to Woody Woodpecker)
Some Might Say
Bring It On Down (dedicated to the sword swallowers in the audience)
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away (dedicated to the Irish in the audience)
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean? (dedicated to the warriors)
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away (dedicated to the lovebirds in the house)
Whatever (included a snippet of the Beatles’ “Octopus’ Garden”)
Live Forever
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
Encore:
The Masterplan (with band introductions by Noel)
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Wonderwall
Champagne Supernova (With fireworks)