For L.A.’s Anglophiles, the Oasis reunion is ‘a football game with 80,000 people on same team’

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For 15 years, Dylan Shepherd’s band was as close as you could get to seeing Oasis onstage.

The individual named Shepherd leads a band known as Supersonic, which is a tribute act accurately replicating Oasis’s live performances, capturing details such as Liam Gallagher’s stage presence with his anorak jacket and the crisp twang of Noel Gallagher’s guitar. For those concerned about the possibility of the Gallagher brothers ever reconciling following their tumultuous split in 2009, Supersonic serves as a worthy alternative.

Never has a band been happier to be upstaged.

Just like everyone else, we were both stunned and thrilled when Oasis announced their reunion,” Shepherd stated. “In response, we brainstormed the idea of organizing several pre-concert shows in various cities to further excite fans, if such a level of excitement could be surpassed.

This Friday, as Oasis takes the stage at the Rose Bowl, Supersonic will perform a headlining show at the Whisky a Go Go – a venue that witnessed Oasis’ chaotic onstage incident involving drugs back in 1994. Despite any potential shenanigans from the Gallaghers, this week’s events for Angeleno fans of British music are comparable to the excitement surrounding Taylor Swift’s Eras tour or a BTS reunion in town.

For one weekend, L.A. will more or less become Manchester with palm trees.

During July, we attended Oasis’s debut concert in Manchester, and it was nothing short of sensational. The energy in the air was electric! Everywhere you looked – from storefronts to bars – you could hear Oasis playing, and their performance surpassed anything I had previously experienced.

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In case you’ve managed to get hold of tickets for either performance, or if you’ve decided to purchase them from a secondary source, here are some vital points to remember before your journey to Pasadena.

As a cinephile looking back on the era when colossal pop concerts set the pulse of the live music scene, the Oasis reunion strikes me as both nostalgic and invigorating. With their raw energy and electrifying performances, this hard-living, high-voltage rock band has once again become the must-see act, setting the town alight with a passion reminiscent of national pride rather than casual fandom, transforming UK city centers in the process.

Now, for the first time since 2008, it’s L.A.’s turn.

Fans in Los Angeles, whether they’ve watched the documentary “Depeche Mode: 101” or attended a Morrissey concert with a predominantly Chicano audience, are eager to support their transatlantic idols. Many local superfans were chomping at the bit for the band to arrive.

Rose Ghavami, an L.A.-based promoter and DJ who is also a long-time fan of Oasis, has been eagerly waiting since the ’90s to catch them live, but unfortunately missed out back then. Recently, she flew all the way to the U.K. for two of their shows, yet found it insufficient.

I’m really excited! I have plans to attend the Rose Bowl on Saturday, followed by a concert in Mexico City the next weekend. Planning my travels around these concerts has been quite moving. I even shed some tears while singing along with everyone, as stated by Ghavami.

During that time, she will be organizing a pre-party themed around Oasis at the Cha Cha Lounge in Silver Lake on a Friday night. Amidst her circle of Britpop enthusiasts, she finds similarities to a different group who once conquered American stadiums.

Ghavami shared that he missed out on Beatlemania, but the current atmosphere feels reminiscent. He admitted that it’s often awkward to wear a band’s shirt to their concert, yet in this case, it seems acceptable as fans don head-to-toe apparel, from hats to socks. On the streets here, you see people sporting Oasis merchandise, and it becomes a conversation starter – asking each other if they’re heading to the show.

Without a doubt, the queues at the temporary merchandise stand for Oasis in Hollywood have been immense, with fans eagerly purchasing memorabilia to mark what seemed like an unlikely reunion. The tour’s glowing critiques and the absence of drama among the Gallagher brothers turned this into the unmissable rock concert of the year.

For long-time Oasis concert regulars, the strong bond and warmth shared among the band and audience is truly rejuvenating.

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Enthusiasts of the iconic British rock band waited outside the W Hotel on a Wednesday, where the band’s first North American Oasis Live ’25 pop-up shop resided, offering unique merchandise exclusively for them.

Kevin Cummins, a renowned British photographer, captured the band during its formative years, prior to the release of their debut album “Definitely Maybe.” Starting this week, his photographs from the era featured in the book “Oasis: The Masterplan” will be displayed at Musichead Gallery in Hollywood. Interestingly enough, even he is astonished by how smooth and jubilant this reunion has turned out to be.

In England, I used to watch football with Noel, and for years, we’d occasionally discuss a reunion. He’d consistently express doubts, saying it wouldn’t happen or work. So, I was just as shocked as anyone by the magnitude of these shows and their positive response. When I talk to Noel after the performances, he tells me each one is better than the last. Even they seem astonished by how massive this has become.

For over thirty years, Cummins has captured the band’s images, consistently appreciating how their fans related to their casual, working-class attitude and sharp wit. In a contentious political era where cultural figures often spark immediate polarization, Oasis’ reunion was almost an exceptional unifying event for the United Kingdom.

Amidst the devastation of wildfires in Los Angeles, the gloom hanging over its iconic entertainment sectors due to ICE issues, and a general sense of impending doom, the return of Oasis offers a welcome and exciting respite.

In England, the concerts served as a period of revitalization, if I may put it less figuratively. This year has been quite challenging politically, so these performances have provided a wonderful escape. Oasis has always been a band that people fiercely identified with, and this feels like going to a sports match where 80,000 fans are cheering for the same team.

Throughout the entire week, numerous Los Angeles bars and nightclubs have scheduled Oasis-themed events to fill their itineraries. Given the longstanding nature of Club Underground as a British indie night (now situated at Grand Star Jazz Club in Chinatown), regular attendees would undoubtedly participate in this special occasion.

Each week, ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’ serves as our closing number, shared Lawrence Gjurgevich, who runs Club Underground as DJ Larry G. This Friday night they’re hosting a pre-party. Lawrence commented on the appreciation for Britpop in Los Angeles, tracing it back to KROQ radio that played bands such as New Order, The Smiths, and The Cure. He noted that this love has persisted over time with newer bands like Arctic Monkeys and Fontaines D.C. carrying on the tradition.

Gjurgevich, who lost his home in the Eaton fire, finds solace and motivation during these Oasis shows amidst the challenging rebuilding process. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “It’s fantastic that the shows are right here in our neighborhood. Rebuilding is tough, but these events offer a welcome distraction and an opportunity to meet new people.

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The band, Oasis, issued a statement following an unfortunate incident at their concert in Wembley Stadium where a fan tragically passed away. They expressed deep shock and sorrow upon learning about the situation.

Even newcomers who didn’t experience Oasis during its rowdy ’90s peak and fallout in the 2000s find this tour irresistible, noted Holiday Kirk, an L.A. promoter, writer, and meme enthusiast (who has played a role in the resurgence of nu-metal among Gen Z).

For individuals born after 1996, it might be hard to fully grasp the ubiquity of Oasis, as their music seemed omnipresent and unavoidable. Remarkably, they could effortlessly top charts with their singles just by exerting their willpower, as Kirk, currently in his early thirties, pointed out.

On Friday night, Kirk is switching the genre to Britpop at Gold Diggers for an Oasis-centric pre-party. Both older fans, with their sense of nostalgia, and younger ones, intrigued by a band that combined words, fists, and drugs in equal proportions while creating some of their time’s most impactful songs, are showing interest.

As a movie critic immersed in today’s music scene, I find myself captivated by the allure of a rebellious rock band defying conventions and taking over the world – a notion that seems almost unattainable in our current era. Imagine, if you will, Sabrina Carpenter, in an unexpected moment, expressing disdain for Taylor Swift without fear of career repercussions. It’s thrilling to envision such a scenario!

The internet is filled with enthusiastic TikTok videos dedicated to Liam Gallagher, with comments like “so babygirl” – a Gen Z term of affection towards older males – because no other frontman has exuded that irresistible swagger for some time now.

Despite missing out on the Rose Bowl event, movie enthusiasts were treated to a slice of Oasis at their zenith by the Alamo Drafthouse cinema in downtown L.A., as they screened the 2016 documentary “Oasis: Supersonic” this week.

Young audiences find a captivating allure in viewing these cultural artifacts from an era when celebrities weren’t as focused on their image or stakeholders, according to Jake Isgar, the head of specialty programming for Alamo Drafthouse. The Gallagher brothers have a unique charm that makes them appealing because they simply remain authentic to themselves.

This weekend, Pasadena will be at the heart of rock and roll, and Oasis has shared a live map featuring pre-parties and significant locations related to their band in Los Angeles. Fans can embark on a spiritual journey that includes The Whisky. Los Angeles has had a tough year for many, but the opportunity to indulge in as much beer as the Rose Bowl offers and sing along to “Acquiesce” and “Morning Glory” provides a glimmer of hope for reconciliation and recovery, even for the Gallagher brothers.

Ghavami stated, “It’s common to see families attending these shows, with multiple generations sharing memorable experiences. I can’t imagine another band that could have such an influence. In times like these, marked by ICE raids, fires, and political turmoil, there’s a need for joy. This is why I’m looking forward to the return of one of the best rock and roll bands in history.

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2025-09-05 22:01