"It’s good to be fucking back!": Oasis arrive at Wembley Stadium

For those who were there during the glory days, a reunion between estranged brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher always seemed delusional. For those too young to remember the first time, seeing Oasis live was an impossible dream.

But here we are, eight shows into a tour that they said would never happen. Tonight is the first of seven nights at London’s Wembley Stadium following a five-night homecoming at Manchester’s Heaton Park and a pair of warm-up gigs at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. If the rumours are to be believed, the Gallagher brothers are set to walk away with £3million apiece from each and every show on a run that keeps getting bigger. From the moment they kick into the cocksure strut of ‘Hello’ though, tonight’s gig never feels like a soulless excuse to cash in on their legacy.

The show starts with a playful video montage tracking the speculation and eventual announcement of Oasis’ reunion, soundtracked by the scrappy punk of their own ‘Fuckin’ In The Bushes’. The opening one-two of ‘Hello’ and ‘Acquiesce’ continues to play with their own mythos. Lyrics such as “Who wants to be alone when we can feel alive instead?” and “Because we believe in each other” take on new meaning when sung by Oasis v.2. Despite support acts Richard Ashcroft and Cast, the message is clear – this isn’t a nostalgic celebration of what was, this is the start of the next chapter in the band’s already bumper legend.

What follows is a polished showcase of the power of rock‘n’roll. There are no frills, just a tight live band, 23 choice cuts from the back catalogue and a flurry of fireworks to round out the evening. It’s a lot more slick than the good ol’ days, though. Oasis kick things off promptly at 8:15 and at no point does it feel like someone’s going to throw a punch. Noel and Liam even walk onstage hand-in-hand. “Every time I open my mouth I seem to get into trouble, so I’m just going to stick to the singing,” Liam says before an impressive ‘Some Might Say’. He breaks this rule to compliment the crowd on looking stunning, indulge in some pro-Man City football banter and get annoyed at how long the sun takes to set.