Ever since Oasis split in 2009 both Gallagher brothers have been pretty much constantly asked in all interviews about a reunion. Many people were pining for it, and you’d probably expect that someone like me who saw them multiple times (and bought every one of their CD singles and albums) would be of the same opinion.

That was never really the case though as I thought it was best to leave things in the past, and I was very happy with the songs of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds as well as some of Liam’s solo work. However, when it was announced that they’d be coming to Japan for the first time in 16 years to play two dates at Tokyo Dome I was of course interested.

The promotional trail leading up to the performances began at Miyashita Park in Shibuya which was given something of an Oasis makeover beginning with the Adidas shop offering a range of exclusive crossover products.

The Oasis Live ’25 merchandise is probably the most successful range of products ever created by any musical act. There were very few people in attendance at their European dates not wearing something from that line, and that was to be the same for the Asian part of their tour. The Adidas collaboration included a range of cool-looking t-shirts, jackets and bucket hats at high but not extortionate prices.

On October 11th the Oasis live ’25 Tokyo fan-store opened just a stone’s throw away from there but reservations needed to be made to enter in given time slots. I just couldn’t be bothered with any of that as I wasn’t so desperate to part with my cash for such products.

Elsewhere in Miyashita Park were a couple of photo opportunities allowing fans to become part of musical history by transporting themselves back in time to be on the album cover of ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?‘ which was famously taken on Berwick Street in London.

The other was from the ‘Live Forever‘ music video which I got a picture of last November at the band’s 30th anniversary exhibition in Roppongi so I didn’t try to improve on that one.

Also, at that aforementioned exhibition was the living room scene from their debut album ‘Definitely Maybe’ which is worth showing again.

Back in the present day, the escalator entrance to Miyashita Park has had the classic Oasis logo on its rooftop.

Before that on the walkway leading to the shopping mall were some ground-floor level billboards displaying various sleeve work and lyrics from their back catalogue.

What’s been perhaps a little surprising to me is the number of young people who like the band. Even if they do only know the likes of ‘Wonderwall‘ and ‘Don’t look back in anger‘ it’s been interesting to see fans of all generations coming together to appreciate the work of one of Britain’s best ever bands.

The two concerts finally came round last weekend (October 25-26) and around 50,000 people saw them each night. However, I was NOT in attendance!! I was unsuccessful in the first two lotteries and was just unable to get on the ticket site when some extra seats went on sale in early October. I could’ve stumped up a load of cash to get one from a resale site online but resisted temptation as I was kind of satisfied with seeing them at their peak back in the day.

As the promotion and hype was ramped up in anticipation of the two concerts, I did begin to have some slight regrets but refused to pay 60-70,000 yen like a couple of mates did. As sad as it is, I decided to drop by Tokyo Dome on the way home from work last Saturday (25th October) just to see what was happening. I wasn’t the only one as there were a couple of hundred fans hanging around in the hope of getting tickets from a tout or just taking photos and visiting the merchandise stands.

Over on the other side of the stadium close to Korakuen station were even more people as it turned out that this was the best place to actually hear the concert. Many of them were as good as putting glasses to the wall to improve the sound coming from within. I was unable to stay for the whole show but people were clapping the songs and singing along. An online video later emerged of hundreds of people outside Tokyo Dome belting out ‘Don’t look back in anger‘!

This post does have an air of those occasions when TV stations try to cover events they don’t have broadcasting rights to and instead have to make do with the scraps surrounding it. I may not have actually seen them this time but still enjoyed the various promotional opportunities surrounding their performances and can just reflect on having seen them multiple times in their heyday.

Click here to read ‘Getting In The Mood for the Oasis Reunion at the Band’s 30th Anniversary Exhibition In Tokyo’

Click here to read ‘My First Time to See Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds Live in Concert’

Click here to read ‘TF Flashback: Watching Oasis at Summer Sonic ’05 (2005)‘

Click here to read ‘Oasis Masterplan25 Exhibition In London’

Click here to read ‘TF Flashback – Coachella Festival In The USA (2002)’