On a blustery August evening in Edinburgh, the air around Murrayfield Stadium pulsed with anticipation and the unmistakable swagger of Britpop nostalgia. Oasis, fronted by the famously outspoken Liam Gallagher and his brother Noel, had returned to Scotland for the first time since their split in 2009, drawing an estimated 70,000 fans for the opening night of a sold-out three-show run. But the music was only half the story. The other half played out in a very public spat between the band and the City of Edinburgh council—a conflict that spilled from backstage briefings to social media rants and, ultimately, the stadium stage itself.
The tension began months earlier, during the scheduling process for Oasis’s highly anticipated August shows, which coincided with the city’s world-renowned Fringe Festival. According to The Independent, a safety briefing held in October 2024 brought together city officials, event promoters DF Concerts, security firm G4S, Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service, and local transport providers. During that meeting, council members voiced concerns about the potential impact of the concerts on the city and, more specifically, on the safety of Fringe performers. Their primary worry? That the influx of Oasis fans—described as “rowdy” and “intoxicated”—might prove disruptive.
But the comments didn’t stop there. The report, made public through a freedom of information request by the Scottish Sun, also noted that the crowd would likely include a significant number of “middle-aged men” who would “take up more room” than the younger, more reserved audience that flocked to Taylor Swift’s shows at the same venue the previous summer. The tone of the band itself was mentioned as a concern, with officials bracing for an “energetic and high-spirited” audience with a “medium to high intoxication,” as reported by BBC News.
For Liam Gallagher, these remarks struck a nerve. Never one to mince words, he took to social media to voice his outrage: “To the Edinburgh council I’ve heard what you said about OASIS fans and quite frankly your attitude fucking stinks I’d leave town that day if I was any of you lot.” In a follow-up post, he added, “I’d love to see a picture of all the people on the Edinburgh council bet there’s some real stunning individuals.” The council’s comments, it seemed, had become personal.
When the band finally took the stage at Murrayfield on August 8, Liam wasted no time addressing the controversy in front of the massive crowd. According to BBC News, he called the City of Edinburgh council “a bunch of snakes,” adding, “We’re still waiting for our apology.” The jabs kept coming throughout the night. “The amount of money we’re going to bring in, they’ll split with their posh, ugly mates,” he sneered, before claiming, “We’re bringing £1bn to this city,” but, in his view, “none of the crowd would see any of it thanks to the council.”
Gallagher’s ire wasn’t reserved solely for city officials. He also took aim at the concurrent arts festivals, describing the Fringe performers as “people who swallow swords” and those who perform “poor magic tricks.” His words, though sharp, echoed a sense of frustration that the band—and, by extension, their fans—were being unfairly maligned.
The council’s remarks drew criticism from other quarters as well. Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, who serves as an Edinburgh MP, didn’t mince words when speaking at the Fringe festival. “That’s just classist and snobbery,” he said, pointing out the double standards in how different crowds are treated at the stadium. “You can go and see Scotland versus the All Blacks on a Saturday at three o’clock and get as ratted as you want sitting watching the rugby, and people do, they spend most of their time at the bar… And I remember my team, Hearts, played Celtic there the following day on the Sunday… and there was a complete ban on drinking in the stands for the football fans.”
Despite the controversy—and perhaps fueled by it—the concerts became a landmark event for the city. Fans of all ages poured into Murrayfield, many donning bucket hats and Oasis merchandise, eager to witness the reunion of the Gallagher brothers. Some even gathered outside the stadium or at nearby tram stops, hoping to catch a glimpse or simply soak up the atmosphere. The setlist was a greatest-hits parade, with classics like “Morning Glory,” “Supersonic,” “Roll With It,” and a rousing encore of “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and “Wonderwall.” The night closed with “Champagne Supernova” and a spectacular fireworks display, leaving the crowd buzzing with nostalgia and excitement.
The economic impact of the shows was impossible to ignore. According to BBC News, the concerts were expected to inject as much as £130 million into the local economy. Merchandising was brisk, with an official Oasis store on George Street welcoming thousands of customers, some spending hundreds of pounds on memorabilia. The crowd was one of the largest ever seen at a Scottish stadium concert, potentially surpassing the record set by Taylor Swift the previous year.
Yet, as with any large gathering, there were a few hiccups. Police Scotland confirmed three arrests during the event—one for assault, one for drug offences, and one for abusive behaviour. A 46-year-old woman received a warning, while a 49-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman were due to appear in court at a later date. Still, for the vast majority, the night was a celebration—a testament to the enduring appeal of Oasis and the passion of their fans.
Across town, the ripple effect of the reunion was felt in unexpected places. At the Murrayfield Ice Rink, tribute band Definitely Oasis played to a packed house of fans looking to warm up before the main event. “We’re always busy, but this is probably the busiest year we’ve had,” said lead singer Brian McGhee to BBC News. His bandmate, Martin Reid, added, “Noel’s songs have just stood the test of time. The thing is, it doesn’t matter what you think of the band in terms of the attitude, the songs are just phenomenal.”
As the dust settled on the first night—and with two more shows scheduled for August 9 and 12—the question of who, exactly, benefited from the event’s economic windfall lingered. While Liam Gallagher continued to demand an apology from the council, many fans and observers were left reflecting on the power of music to unite (and sometimes divide) a city. For now, the only certainty is that Oasis’s return to Scotland will be remembered as much for its headline-grabbing drama as for its thunderous, communal singalongs.
