Liam Gallagher has leapt to the defence of Oasis fans after Edinburgh Council officials were reportedly less than complimentary about them
Liam Gallagher has hit back at a local council after they reportedly branded Oasis fans ‘fat, drunk, lairy and old’ ahead of the band’s much-anticipated comeback reunion tour, which kicks off later this year.
The indie frontman took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to have his say on what some Edinburgh Council officials had allegedly said in safety briefings, as Oasis are set to play three sell-out gigs at the 67,000 capacity Murrayfield Stadium in Scotland’s capital city in August.
According to reports, the council said some punters at the shows will mainly be “middle-aged men” who “take up more room:” They were also said to be concerned acts could pull out of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which also takes place in August, due to possible clashes with ‘rowdy’ Oasis fans heading to gigs nearby.
In an outburst on social media, a fuming Liam ranted: “To the Edinburgh council, I’ve heard what you said about OASIS fans and quite frankly your attitude f***ing stinks. I’d leave town that day if I was any of you lot.” He then added: “I’d love to see a picture of all the people on the Edinburgh council, bet there’s some real STUNNING individuals.”
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Outraged Oasis fans were quick to comment underneath with one writing: “Good on you for calling this out Liam.” Another said: “Thanks for standing up to this lot!” A third commented: “Well said.” A fourth joked: “Little do they know oasis fans are actually sexy, sober and well-behaved.”
Stating there will be lots of younger fans too, a fourth said: “Just trying to get gossip spreading and s**t stirring for the Oasis reunion. They have nothing better to do than to try and be hateful. So many youngsters will be attending.” While a fifth pointed out: “Absolutely ridiculous comments from @Edinburgh_CC. When Liam did Knebworth solo, it was a brilliant, relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere with parents bringing their kids along. Rugby fans at Murrayfield cause more drunken trouble than a music-loving Oasis crowd ever could.”
Other said the band should move their gigs to Glasgow instead in retaliation if they aren’t welcome in Edinburgh. One fan posted: “Move it to Glasgow, its a 2nd home for you @liamgallagher.” Another wrote: “You should have played Glasgow Liam. I saw Oasis twice in 4 weeks in 2000, Murrayfield and Glasgow Green – and the Glasgow Green Crowd were well and truly mad for it.”
The Sun reported secret planning briefings from Edinburgh Council warned: “Concerned about the safety of the Fringe and its performers. Many performers are considering not attending for that weekend. There is concern about crowds… as they are already rowdy… and the tone of the band.’
In an apparent dig at the weight of punters set to descend on Edinburgh for the iconic gigs, it added: “Middle-aged men take up more room. Consider this when working out occupancy.”
Officials are also said to expect “medium to high intoxication” from fans attending the gigs on the 8, 9 and 12 of August.
In a statement, City of Edinburgh Council Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Margaret Graham hit back at the claims and told the Mirror: “We’re very proud to host the biggest and best events in Edinburgh throughout the year, which bring in hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy and provide unparalleled entertainment for our residents and visitors.
“As with any major event which takes place in the city, we prepare extensively alongside our partners to ensure the safety and best possible experience of everyone involved – and Oasis are no different.
“No two events are the same in terms of requirements or planning and our multi-agency approach reflects this appropriately. We’re also working closely with residents in the local area to make sure these concerts pass off as smoothly as possible.
“Over the past few years, we’ve hosted many similar events and managed to strike the right balance between communicating well with residents and fulfilling the needs of major events and I have no doubt we can do so once again. We always look to learn lessons from previous years to update and improve on our plans.
“We’re all looking forward to seeing Oasis take to the stage this August and I’m sure that they’ll ‘live forever’ as some of the most memorable concerts ever performed at Murrayfield.”
The legendary Manchester-based band will be on stage together for the first time in 16 years next monthfor their mammoth Oasis Live ’25 tour. It comes as previously warring brothers Liam, 52, and Noel, 58, patched up their differences to get the band back together last year.
After almost two decades of arguing, the brothers left fans in a state of disbelief when they announced their sensational return – almost 15 years to the day of their split in August 2009.
In just a matter of weeks, they will take to the stage at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on July 4 for their first comeback show. This will be followed by a string of homecoming gigs in their native Manchester at Heaton Park and London’s Wembley Stadium. They then play Edinburgh and Dublin before turning it into a world tour with dates in Chicago, Mexico, Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney and Sao Paulo.
Though things appear to be fine between the brothers now, Liam recently opened up to reveal what his one major regret about the band was. A fan asked him on social media: “How does it feel singing songs with ur brother again? Like old times?” Liam responded: “You know what it’s spiritual, but I can’t help think about all those wasted years, what a waste of PRECIOUS time.”
But could fans see the once-warring brothers again after their upcoming tour? Replying to a fan, Liam teased: “Let’s see how this tour goes and if we still love each other after it.”
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