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In Manchester, on the morning of Oasis’s first homecoming gig, the excitement levels are as high as the temperatures.
With the band set to play a run of six gigs in their home city, Manchester has very much got Oasis fever. Huge pictures of the Gallagher brothers have been splashed on the side of the city’s yellow buses, and Liam Gallagher’s voice will be making announcements on the Metrolink tram network, telling fans “the next stop is … Heaton Parrrk,” before adding: “off you go”.
Outside Heaton Park, which will host the gigs, a car drives past with its top down, blasting the lyrics to Live Forever. Fans have been queueing outside the gates since the early hours, hoping to rush for a spot at the barriers as soon as the gates open.
Many are wearing the bucket hats that have become synonymous with the band to shield themselves from the unusually warm Manchester sun.
Right at the front of the queue is Carley Williams, 27, from Boston, in the US. She has spent more than $15,000 (£11,000) to visit Manchester for two weeks and see five out of six of Oasis’s home town gigs.
“I’ve just never been more excited in my life,” she said. “This is like what I’ve lived my life to do, so I just have never experienced this level of anticipation in my life, and I’m just loving every minute of it.”
Williams has been in the queue since 4am, desperate to secure a spot at the barrier. “I think we are all in agreement that this is going to be the biggest show of the tour,” she said.
Tommaso Caccialupi, 16, and his father, Fulvio Caccialupi, 48, were also some of the first in the queue, having travelled from Rome for the gig.
“I’m very excited, because it’s the first time that I’m seeing Oasis live,” Tommaso said. “For me, it’s the best day of my life.”
Erick Chanto, 26, from Costa Rica, has been waiting since dawn with friends from Los Angeles and Mexico. They wanted to see Oasis in Manchester, he said, because “it’s their home, we needed to be here”.
“I love the people. I mean, it’s amazing. I’ve been to London, but you cannot compare London to Manchester,” he said. “The vibe, the atmosphere, the people, it’s different.”
Although, Chanto admits, he wasn’t quite expecting the 28C temperatures. “I feel like I’m in Costa Rica,” he said. “It’s too hot, so I feel like I’m coming home.”
While some fans have come hundreds of miles, 18-year-old friends Neve Leckie-Traynor and Lola Toft only had to travel from Didsbury in south Manchester to secure their spot in the queue.
“We grew up on [Oasis],” Toft said. “It’s just a part of any child living in Manchester, or any dad or mum living in Manchester, so it just feels very special.”
They had come down early, she said, because “if we’ve got tickets, we have to make the most of it”.
“Growing up in Manchester and then seeing these two brothers from Burnage, which is down the road,” Leckie-Traynor said. “In this queue, there’s people from everywhere around the world … it’s just amazing.
“It’s reached so far, and that’s where we’re from.”
Angel Cisneros, 44, and his wife, Liz Ballesteros, 45, have travelled from Mexico City. While he has seen Liam Gallagher before, today is his first time seeing Oasis live.
“I’ve been a fan since I was 13, but being in Mexico, not being wealthy, it’s difficult to attend those concerts,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this the same way for any, not only concert, but any life event.
“I’ve been to so many concerts, I’ve been able to see the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, but this is going to be the best concert I’m ever going to attend in my life, I’m quite sure.”
