Cardiff gets Oasis fever as tour starts at Principality Stadium

Tens of thousands of Oasis fans will flock to Cardiff later as the band reunites on stage for the first time in 16 years.

The highly anticipated 41-date world tour kicks off with gigs at the Principality Stadium on Friday and Saturday, and fans have been camping out for prime spots since Wednesday.

Some have come from Half The World Away – from places such as Chile and Chicago – and they are hoping the Gallagher brothers can keep their notorious bickering at bay.

Music journalist Neil Collins said “astronomical demand” saw more than 14 million people try for just 1.5 million UK tickets and the “eyes of the world” would be on Cardiff, with businesses welcoming the boost in visitors.

Formed in 1991, Oasis are one of the best-selling bands in British history and have performed in Cardiff multiple times, including twice before at the Millennium Stadium, as it was then known, in 2005 and 2009.

Their last gig in Cardiff was in June 2009 – just months before Noel quit the Manchester rock group, saying he “simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer”.

Tickets for their Cardiff gigs sold out in minutes but fans were frustrated by crashing sites and dynamic pricing, which was not applied to later dates.

The 74,500 capacity stadium will see Richard Ashcroft and Cast support the band.

Jasmine Griffins-Jones, 20, from Manchester, and Josh Hibbs, 28, from Bristol, have been camping since Wednesday evening, armed with snacks.

They met queuing for a Liam Gallagher concert last year and have stayed in touch ahead of the concert on Friday night.

Stadium manager Mark Williams said it was possibly the most-hyped music event ever held at the home of Welsh rugby, which has hosted performers such as Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran and Bruce Springsteen in the past.

“The eyes of the world are on Cardiff for what is the most anticipated reunion ever,” he admitted.

He added 62,000 tickets have been sold for both nights, with a 70%-30% male-female split.

Journalist Orlando Silva Vargas is travelling from Chile to Cardiff for the gig, but does not have a bed for the night due to high prices.

“When tickets went on sale, it was the middle of the night in Chile. I won’t lie, it wasn’t a financially smart decision, but I thought that if I didn’t do it I might regret it forever,” he said.

He has made the most of the trip and has travelled around Europe before landing in Cardiff on Friday and hopes to trade Chilean merkén, a traditional spice, for a bed for the night.

He said: “I’m going on my own because none of my friends were mad enough to spend that kind of money and fly across the world just for a concert but I’m honestly thrilled.

“I’m holding on to hope that someone with a kind heart might offer a sofa for that weekend to this crazy Chilean Oasis fan who’s flown halfway across the world.”

Orlando said he was keen to hear the Welsh language, pick up a rugby shirt and try Welsh cakes.

Top of his list is hoping the Gallagher brothers get on.

“Let’s be honest, we all know how unpredictable those guys are! I still half expect they fight with each other and cancel everything,” he added.

Diana Vesely, 46, is travelling from Chicago with her husband Scott for the “historic” event but will be meeting family and friends from all around the world.

“I always said that if Oasis ever got back together, I need to see them in the UK… I thought it would be extra special to be there for the first show of the reunion tour,” she said.

She is staying in Cardiff for two nights before heading to Manchester to take in the brothers’ hometown.

Diana first saw the band in Mexico City in 1998, when she “begged and screamed” her parents to go.

She hitched a ride on a school bus and her aunt waited outside.

“It’s going to be historic, to be there the first time Liam and Noel come out on stage together and perform after all of these years,” she said.

David Prosser, from Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, is not only a superfan, but he had a tribute act The Greedy Souls in the band’s honour.

He said: “I have been an Oasis fan since the first single Supersonic was released in the 90s, I learnt to play the whole of the first album Definitely Maybe on guitar and been playing Oasis ever since.

“I’m over the moon about the big first show at the Principality and so happy and privileged that Oasis chose Cymru for the opening shows.”

He hopes to see “all the classics but also a good mix of album tracks and B-sides” and is taking his 15-year-old daughter Mayzee, born the year after Oasis split in 2009, who is a “massive fan”.

He added: “She has a life-size cut-out of Liam in her bedroom and knows all the tunes.”

Donald’s Pies is just a stone’s throw from the stadium and owner Gareth Owens hopes a special edition pie, the Manceinion Pigadily [a play on the Welsh for Manchester Piccadilly] will bring in the crowds.

He said: “There’s a pretty big buzz around the city for it. It’s always cool when you get big bands come but especially for this when it’s been years since they have played.”

Over at Corner Coffee Co, owner Cary Frame said the team had tripled the number of staff and stocked up.

“The last couple of weeks have been mad so it feels like it’s building to it which is quite nice,” he said.

“All of the gigs have been great for us. We rely on all the tourism in the city and it just keeps us busy, so the more gigs the better for us.”

Neil Collins, who co-hosts the Welsh Music Podcast, said: “It’s pretty amazing that it’s becoming a sort of given that we will have these acts recently and it’s because it’s completely normalising Cardiff as being the place for huge events that extends to sport as well.

“I think it’s quite inspiring really that you know there’s so much music at your fingertips all across the city, from grassroots all the way through to the huge gigs.

“It’s absolutely huge. it’s no understatement to say that the eyes of the world will be on Cardiff on Friday night.”

South Wales Police Insp Adrian Snook said the force was “well-versed” in organising these events, which “puts Cardiff in a really good, positive light”.

“We have planned for this event like we do any other major event in the city – there will be numerous forces and departments working in the city centre this weekend,” he added.

“It’s to make sure those visiting Cardiff can do so in a safe way and enjoy the concert whilst they are in Cardiff.

“We are expecting large amounts of people very excited to see a band they have wanted to see for a number of years and we think the majority of people coming will be looking to enjoy a really good night out in Cardiff.”