Thursday, September 19, 2024

‘Smug’ Liam Gallagher lashes out at fans and tells them to ‘shut up’ and buy ‘kneeling tickets’ in shocking rant after Oasis ticket debacle left millions disappointed

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Oasis star Liam Gallagher has told fans he is feeling ‘smug’ about the band’s reunion tour as he launched an online rant after their ticketing debacle left millions disapointed.

The singer broke his social media silence amid a row over tickets for the sold-out shows scheduled to be held next summer – but faced further flak for his outbursts.

He posted on X, formerly Twitter, this morning: ‘OASIS are back your welcome and I hear there ATTITUDE STINKS good to know something’s never change.’

When fans responded by criticising the ticketing approach, he replied: ‘SHUTUP.’

And when asked how he was feeling, the 57-year-old responded: ‘SMUG only kidding SMUG AS F*** I told you all we were gonna get back together 1 fine day.’

Are YOU angry about the Oasis ticket row? Email aidan.radnedge.mol@mailonline.co.uk

Oasis star Liam Gallagher has told fans he is feeling ‘smug’ about the band’s reunion tour amid controversy over ticket prices – he is seen here at the Reading Festival last month

Liam (left) and Noel Gallagher (right) have been criticised by fans over the ticketing chaos

The Oasis star posted a series of messages this morning on X, formerly Twitter

The Oasis star posted a series of messages this morning on X, formerly Twitter

He was also asked how his mother Peggy felt about him and older brother Noel reuniting 15 years after the band split and following years of public feuding.

Liam commented, ‘She’s gutted she couldn’t get a ticket’, and joked about there now being ‘kneeling tickets only’. 

His ‘SHUTUP’ response came to a fan who had told him: ‘Didn’t expect them to rip the fans off as much as they have done. It’s genuinely a shame.’

When asked whether he had any spare tickets, Liam hit back: ‘S*** loads but there really expensive 100 thousand pounds Kneeling only.’

Many wannabe ticket buyers either failed to secure tickets amid 11-hour queues last Saturday or were faced with ‘dynamic pricing’ doubling of fees.

Oasis announced on Wednesday evening two extra dates after what they called ‘unprecedented demand’.

And the Britpop group, which split in 2009, blamed their managers for the dynamic pricing fiasco – saying they were ‘not aware’ the system would be used.

Oasis said the approach was chosen during meetings between Ticketmaster, promoters and their management.

A meme widely shared during fans’ attempts to buy tickets last Saturday had a mock-up image of the Ticketmaster website saying: ‘Unfortunately, Oasis have split up while you were in the queue.’

Liam and Noel Gallagher confirmed on Tuesday last week that Oasis were reuniting

Liam and Noel Gallagher confirmed on Tuesday last week that Oasis were reuniting

Feuding Gallagher brothers Liam (left) and Noel (right) are set to return to Wembley Stadium next summer - picture here in October 2008

Feuding Gallagher brothers Liam (left) and Noel (right) are set to return to Wembley Stadium next summer – picture here in October 2008

An estimated 14million people attempted to buy tickets when they went on sale last Saturday

An estimated 14million people attempted to buy tickets when they went on sale last Saturday

Both brothers have accounts on X, formerly Twitter, although Liam – who has 3.8million followers to Noel’s 1.4million – has tended to be more prolific in responding to people online. 

Ahead of the confirmation of the comeback last week, he hit back at critics who claimed they were only getting back together because they were broke by posting: ‘Your attitude stinks.’

Yet his last contribution on the social media site came last Thursday, sharing details of three gigs next year at Heaton Park in Manchester on July 16, Wembley Stadium in London on July 30 and Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on August 12.

The Sun has now quoted a source close to the band as saying: ‘Liam is getting the brunt of the backlash and is being called out by fans.

‘Noel and Liam have discussed what’s happened and have asked their teams to see if they can change the Ticketmaster policy. They want to look after their fans and get as many to their concerts as they can, for the price they marketed the tickets at.’

Liam suffered particular criticism last week when an old tweet of his mocking Noel for solo gig prices resurfaced and was widely shared online.

The younger brother had slammed Noel in for charging $350 (£266) for a gig in the US, writing in September 2017: ‘350 dollars to go and see rkid in USA what a c*** when will it all stop as you were LG x.’

The post was shared with comments such as ‘This hasn’t aged well’ and ‘Well this is evergreen’.

And a new backlash targeting Liam from fans online has included one poster writing: ‘Gone very quiet @liamgallagher since the dynamic pricing stuff.’

This meme was widely shared during fans’ frustrating attempts to buy tickets last Saturday

Liam and Noel Gallagher, pictured here at the V Festival in Chelmsford in Essex in August 2005, have not played together after Oasis broke up in 2009

Liam and Noel Gallagher, pictured here at the V Festival in Chelmsford in Essex in August 2005, have not played together after Oasis broke up in 2009

The official Oasis account on X, formerly Twitter, announced on Saturday evening that all the reunion concerts had sold out - but two new ones have since been announced

The official Oasis account on X, formerly Twitter, announced on Saturday evening that all the reunion concerts had sold out – but two new ones have since been announced

Another directly asked him: ‘Was it Ticketmaster or the band who agreed to dynamic pricing? Hope it wasn’t you guys.’

Oasis said on Wednesday of Saturday’s chaotic ticket sale: ‘As for the well reported complaints many buyers had over the operation of dynamic ticketing: it needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management, and at no time had any awareness that dynamic pricing was going to be used.

‘While prior meetings between promoters, Ticketmaster and the band’s management resulted in a positive ticket sale strategy, which would be a fair experience for fans, including dynamic ticketing to help keep general ticket prices down as well as reduce touting, the execution of the plan failed to meet expectations.

‘All parties involved did their utmost to deliver the best possible fan experience, but due to the unprecedented demand this became impossible to achieve.’

Their comments came as the band announced two extra dates for their sought-after reunion tour on September 27 and 28 next year.

Tickets for upcoming dates will be sold via a staggered, invitation-only ballot and be open to fans who missed out over the weekend.

Dynamic pricing works by increasing the prices of tickets in line with a demand – similar to an Uber journey or seats on a plane. 

However, the system, which is designed to deter touts, has been criticised by fans who were shocked by the cost of tickets.

Some waited for up to eight hours to get to the front of the queue on Saturday only to be presented with standing tickets costing more than £350 – far above the expected £150.

Liam suffered criticism last week when an old tweet of his mocking Noel for solo gig prices resurfaced - he is seen here at London's O2 Forum Kentish Town in March this year

Liam suffered criticism last week when an old tweet of his mocking Noel for solo gig prices resurfaced – he is seen here at London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town in March this year

A tweet posted by Liam Gallagher in September 2017, criticising his brother Noel for ticket prices, has resurfaced and been widely shared online after Oasis's reunion announcement

A tweet posted by Liam Gallagher in September 2017, criticising his brother Noel for ticket prices, has resurfaced and been widely shared online after Oasis’s reunion announcement

Fans were quick to criticise Liam after the recent controversy caused by Ticketmaster's pricing policy

Fans were quick to criticise Liam after the recent controversy caused by Ticketmaster’s pricing policy

Oasis fans accused Liam of 'hypocrisy' for the post as he has now sold tickets that matched the price of Noel's 2017 American gig

Oasis fans accused Liam of ‘hypocrisy’ for the post as he has now sold tickets that matched the price of Noel’s 2017 American gig

Fans who struggled through hours-long queues for tickets for the 2025 tour were shocked at the cost of general standing tickets

Fans who struggled through hours-long queues for tickets for the 2025 tour were shocked at the cost of general standing tickets

Others were kicked off Ticketmaster before they were even able to make a purchase and were accused of ‘being a bot’.

And an Oasis fan who paid more than £350 for a single ticket today told how she was left ‘fuming’ after extra dates were announced, saying: ‘I regret doing it.’

NHS worker Diane Green, 60, from Middlesbrough, was close to buying a ticket costing £158, but said she was kicked out of the queue and waited a total of four hours to pay £357.95 for one ticket.

She wanted to buy a total of four tickets to take herself, her son and two friends to see the band on July 19 2025 at Heaton Park in Manchester, but told the PA news agency: ‘There’s just no way I could have got more.

‘I would never have done it – if I had known they were putting more dates on, I would have just thought ‘no, I’ll chance it again’, but it was really frustrating.

‘I paid double. I could have got two tickets when I paid and now only one person can go. In our household, it’s like, who goes?’

Ms Green bought the ticket on Saturday believing it was her only chance to see the band live, but was ‘fuming’ after Oasis announced they were adding more tour dates.

‘I could not believe when I heard they were bringing out more dates. It was sort of like having you over a barrel because everyone is desperate to go,’ she added.

‘Absolutely fuming. It’s disgraceful. For me to purchase a ticket for £358, it’s a lot of money.”

Oasis fan Diane Green, who paid more than £350 for a single ticket, today told how she was left 'fuming' after extra dates were announced, saying: 'I regret doing it'

Oasis fan Diane Green, who paid more than £350 for a single ticket, today told how she was left ‘fuming’ after extra dates were announced, saying: ‘I regret doing it’

Oasis are seen here in February 2006 at a news conference in Hong Kong - pictured, left to right: Gem Archer, Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Liam Gallagher

Oasis are seen here in February 2006 at a news conference in Hong Kong – pictured, left to right: Gem Archer, Noel Gallagher, Andy Bell and Liam Gallagher

She said the experience of purchasing on Ticketmaster has put her off trying for tickets a second time, adding: ‘There’s no way I would pay £358 again.’

The Competition and Markets Authority yesterday launched an investigation into Ticketmaster, including how so-called ‘dynamic pricing’ may have been used.

Ticketmaster maintains it does not set concert prices and its website states this is down to the ‘event organiser’ who ‘has priced these tickets according to their market value’.

A spokesman for the ticket sales company said: ‘We are committed to co-operating with the CMA and look forward to sharing more facts about the ticket sale with them.’

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