Sunday, December 22, 2024

Liam Gallagher ‘seriously gutted’ over Oasis ticket chaos as fans join lottery for extra gigs

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Fans have started receiving invites to join a lottery to buy tickets for two extra Oasis concerts next year.

It follows a major backlash over ticketing issues for the UK and Ireland gigs, which sold out in less than a day and triggered an investigation by competition watchdogs.

A message posted on Oasis’s X account said they would be sending the invites out to “eligible fans we have been able to identify” who were signed into a Ticketmaster account on Saturday 31 August – when tickets initially went on sale.

Those who were able to join a queue for tickets “may be eligible to take part” and will receive an email on how to register for the ballot.

Ticketmaster was widely criticised for dynamic pricing – a system used during high demand and limited supply – which caused the cost of a standard ticket to more than double from £148 to £355.

The Competition and Markets Authority has asked for evidence from fans, including website screenshots during the buying process, as it examines concerns over whether the policy is fair.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also promised a government review and the European Commission said it would examine the issue too.

Ticketmaster defended dynamic pricing and said concert prices are down to the “event organiser” who “has priced these tickets according to their market value”.

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Mercury artists on dynamic pricing outcry

But dynamic ticket pricing has prompted strong criticism from other artists, including this year’s Mercury Prize winner, English Teacher.

Extra Wembley dates announced

Fans were also furious after being left empty-handed, despite waiting in an online queue for hours.

On Wednesday, Oasis announced they would play two more dates at Wembley Stadium on 27 and 28 September as part of next year’s Live ’25 tour using the new ticketing plan.

In a statement, the band said they hoped the strategy would make “the process far smoother for fans by reducing the stress and time it takes” to obtain tickets.

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Meanwhile, Liam Gallagher has been speaking about his brother Noel.

Liam will ‘blow kisses’ to Noel on stage

During a series of messages on X he said he “won’t have a bad word said” about him, and added he would be “blowing him kisses in between each song”.

He also addressed the chaos over ticketing: “I’m seriously gutted for people that can’t get tickets, I can’t even go there it hurts my heart and I know people will think I’m taking the piss, but I’m not.”

On Friday he had joked about the price of tickets.

Liam talks setlist for reunion gigs

Replying to one fan who was kicked off Ticketmaster’s website while trying to buy tickets for the band’s Cardiff gig, Liam replied: “If that’s what happened I’m sure someone will be in touch coz that ain’t cool, good luck.”

Liam also gave away some details about their tracks for their reunion gigs, telling one fan Don’t Go Away from their 1997 album Be Here Now was “not on the list”.

Formed in the early 1990s, Oasis rose to fame with songs such as Supersonic, Cigarettes & Alcohol and Live Forever, before second album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory gave them their first number one single, Some Might Say.

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