“Tennessee Quick Cash” stood out in the Pulse of Americana playlist on Spotify. That’s what you’re looking for, something that jumps out and grabs you, and this did, so I decided to dive deeper. And I found that Crockett had a new album, “Dollar a Day,” that came out on August 8th, and his previous record, “Lonesome Drifter,” had just come out in March.

“Tennessee Quick Cash” was on the new album, so I decided to fire it up and have been playing it ever since.

Kinda reminds me of Ry Cooder. Not the sound really, but Cooder started to get traction with his second solo LP, 1972’s “Into the Purple Valley,” which focused on songs from the past that became contemporary when remade by Cooder. “FDR in Trinidad”? Most listeners were completely unaware of Roosevelt’s 1936 trip, but that didn’t inhibit enjoyment of the music.

I purchased “Into the Purple Valley” unheard, and believe me, it didn’t sound like anything I’d heard before, but it penetrated me, I got into it and played it incessantly, I can sing every word on the album. Even though the radio played none. But I went to see Ry in Jackson Hole in the fall of ’74, and bought every album for a long while.  But “Into the Purple Valley” was always my favorite, and I believe it’s the best, but the slickly produced debut and “Paradise and Lunch” are close. Ultimately Ry got some mainstream press, with the supposed first digital album, “Bop Till You Drop,” and entered the public consciousness with his movie soundtracks. But when Ry was making albums in the seventies, he was in his own lane, his own genre, he wasn’t in the traditional music business, but I was a big fan and I wasn’t the only one.

Now Charley Crockett’s music is not as out of date as Cooder’s, not as idiosyncratic, but this is not the kind of stuff you find in the Spotify Top 50, not even in the country chart, but it resonates more than all that stuff because there’s an authenticity, an honesty not found elsewhere. Along with changes and…

At first you might be caught off guard by Crockett’s voice. It’s not traditionally radio friendly. More akin to a Texas troubadour, someone from the sixties and seventies. But the more you listen…

Which is what I did.

The opener, the title cut, “Dollar a Day,” is a cover, but it’s intimate, an introduction, just Crockett, a guitar and vocal. It’s a prelude. Instead of hitting you over the head, it’s an invitation, you get the sense something serious is going on here. And there’s a delicious change in the middle and the song is not even two minutes long and the album segues into “Crucified Son,” which sounds like the Dust Bowl. With background vocals akin to “O Brother.”

“Caught a plane out of Austin

This morning in the drizzling rain

Bluebonnets line the highwayside

Let me know it’s spring”

You can visualize it. This is not the platitudes of wannabe hit music.

And then:

“They wanna put me in a TV show

I don’t know if it’s right”

There’s self-knowledge involved, we’re living in the present, the music is not a complete throwback. And when was the last time an act wondered if a TV appearance was right for them? Crockett ultimately does it, but he thought about it.

But the best song is track four, “Ain’t That Right,” which has a honky tonk feel. As well as a bunch of changes, which is a revelation after hit music based on one chord.

And this ain’t modern Nashville music, with babies and trucks and church. And it’s neither left nor right. More the story of an adventurer. Which reflects Crockett’s nomadic life. Which is not brief like the barely pubescent wannabe chart toppers. Charley is forty one. Didn’t they used to say this was too old?

Not anymore, there are no rules.

Furthermore, Crockett’s made fifteen albums. I don’t know what kept him going, a lot of self belief. But also some positive indicators. If things aren’t improving and you continue to make albums you’re probably more of a hobbyist, but to have a career you’ve got to cause a reaction, such that people want to pull your music in the future, and tell people they know about it, and want to see you.

And I was immediately thinking of seeing Crockett listening to his music. This is the kind of sound you can get into, not the overamplified wash of noise that is too often experienced at the venue. This music is more intimate, without being precious. It’s about the vocal and the lyrics, you get to know Crockett’s persona, they all come together to paint a 3-D picture. This is the kind of music you don’t have to know to enjoy the live show, and that’s very rare, and if you do know the songs you sing along with a smile on your face.

As for “Tennessee Quick Cash,” you’re hooked from the lyrical picking of the intro, which slowly becomes louder and louder.

“Well I’m hard to understand

And I can’t work for the man”

THERE’S the essence of being a musician, it’s the only thing you can do, not because you don’t want to work for the man, but because you CAN’T! You don’t fit in, you can’t subjugate your personality, play by insane rules, kiss ass to move up the ladder, no, you can only be yourself, expressing yourself.

“I earn my livin’

Playin’ one night shows

On a long and windin’ road

I don’t care about where it goes”

This is not the star business, this is the music business, earning enough to make it all work, not worried if everybody knows your name. And the funny thing is the more you adopt this persona, the more people are drawn to you. You’re not living your life in public on TMZ, you’re not ripping us off with multiple versions of the same damn album to move up the chart, it’s solely about the music. And if the music is good enough… And this Charley Crockett album is…good, that is.

“Well the memory it stays with me

I went on before the committee

They put me up so late

The doggone joint was closed

But before they cut out the light

On number eighty two that night

A woman lockin’ the door

Gave me some good advice”

Once again, there’s self-knowledge, and you can relate. Open mic night in Nashville, a rite of passage if you want to make it, but it’s disheartening, you play late to a tired, jaded audience, what are you going to?

GET A PAYDAY LOAN!

“If you need some money fast

Hit the Tennessee Quick Cash”

Not that Charley doesn’t know the downside:

“Now I know what you’re about to say

About their predatory ways

But brother at least they let you know it right up front

‘Cause if you take that ride downtown

Where them rounders hang around

You’ll find anything in the world but a fair deal”

If you’re broke and desperate, you’ve got no choice.

For more go to: 

https://tnquickcash.com

It’s a real place, if it’s a real story I don’t know, but I do know the business wouldn’t exist if it didn’t have customers. It’s not only hard to get ahead, it can be very hard to keep your head above water.

But irrelevant of the lyrics, the music has you nodding your head, tapping your toe, and there’s that rollicking piano and everybody’s having a good time, even if they don’t have any money.

Now when you make records like this…your goal is to capture lightning in a bottle, it’s not about having a hit, you just want your music to have that something extra that catches the ear of people. It’s not do or die. It’s not the label needing something commercial. It’s digging deep and driving on instinct. Trying to convey emotions, so people can relate. People can admire hit music, but usually it’s hard to relate to. Whereas this sounds like real people playing real music, sans artifice, just like you.

Do I expect Charley Crockett to suddenly become a critics’ darling, with features in every publication to man? No. Hell, “Dollar a Day” isn’t even fleshed out on his Wikipedia page, for that you need an army of rabid fans. Then again, Wikipedia will give you the outlines, but you can’t hear it. And today you can hear everything, even for free. But so much is dreck you find yourself not wanting to listen to anything new. But then you find something and it’s like an oasis in the desert.

That’s how I feel about Charley Crockett’s “Dollar a Day.” 

She’s got a new album, “Hard Headed Woman.”

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/margo-price/id1316200737?i=1000723863463

https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9ff4fb19-54d4-41ae-ae7a-8a6f8d3dafa8/episodes/11644543-e6f4-4d0b-a19c-aff3914a6f05/the-bob-lefsetz-podcast-margo-price

The Oasis Reunion is one of brotherly love. My son, Joey Waronker, is now drumming for the Gallagher Brothers. He began when Liam invited him to join he and Jon Squire to record an album two years ago and tour the UK. In January 2025, Noel requested a visit from Joey in London to meet. In mid-May Joey returned to London to begin rehearsal for this monumental event of brothers reuniting and coming together through music to heal the past. My husband Jered and I attended the concert in Toronto on 8/25 to witness and share in the ecstasy of the crowd’s celebration they have been waiting for. As an artist from the Sixties experiencing Beatlemania, I find this experience as a parallel.

Donna Loren

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You are spot on. When the shows were first announced, I was caught in the initial hype and so close to dropping serious $$ for tickets/travel to NYC.

Then I started thinking, beyond the “Morning Glory” album, what have they really accomplished?  Not much as you noted. This band has such an aura because of the brotherly drama which I think leads to the hype. You didn’t mention Eagles “Hell Freezes Over” but this is such a money grab. God bless them if people are willing to pay it.  It just won’t be me.

Frankly, the more successful band is the opening act Cage The Elephant. And that is who I’d rather see. So, I’ll pass on the Oasis hype and catch Cage this fall as they do their own tour. I can pay a fraction of the cost to see them in a more intimate venue playing 2 hours of material, which isn’t enough time to cover the strength of their repertoire.

Thanks for your work.

Kevin Smith

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It may be an age thing – I have noticed that a lot of the super-fan letters have come from folks right around my age (49). Oasis was a revelation to many of us when, during our freshman year in college, they ushered in a period of post-grunge, melodic brit-rock with attitude. My friend and Penn classmate played for me a bootleg of them covering “I am the Walrus” and I was floored.

I went on to see them twice during Spring Break (March ’95) – first at the Stone Pony and then I went into the city to try and find tickets to see them at the Academy. When I was almost out of time and luck, I saw Matt Pinfield outside and let him know I saw him introduce the band at the Pony a few days earlier. He asked if I was going to the show and I said that my friend and I couldn’t find tickets. He handed me a ticket, saying “here is one, I’ll be right back.” Two minutes later, he handed me the second ticket and this 18-year old kid was sold forever on the power of rock and roll.

My buddy Barry and I ended up backstage with Bonehead and snuck into the after-party (Liam actually announced onstage that they will be partying at Rebar on 16th and 8th after the show), even though we didn’t have fake IDs. Barry and I had a good chat outside the coat room with Liam about Dennis Rodman’s purple hair – he was really into the NBA at the time.

Fast forward to early sophomore year when, using dial-up internet, we were able to access a 30-second clip of Wonderwall before it came out. It is hard to describe in words the impact of that moment. We grew up listening to our baby boomer parents talk about that night on Ed Sullivan and spent our lives to that point waiting for our version of that event – this tugged those strings. It was such a blast following the band around during the fall of 1995 as the country was gradually waking up to the incredible songs coming off the pen of Noel Gallagher. We hung by their tour bus outside Hammerjack’s and accidentally tried to sell an extra ticket to Sheryl Crow outside the Roseland Ballroom.

Jonathan Zucker

Santa Monica, CA

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I’m an Oasis fanatic, so I admit bias at the start of this email. I traveled from the USA to the show July 16 in Manchester, England, and here are two aspects about the resonance of this reunion tour I think you missed.

One, Oasis reached its peak right before the true dawn of the digital age. It was one of the last globally big bands at its creative and popular zenith right before digital technology began to infiltrate our lives. So, while everyone has their phones up at these shows, the music and communal joy at these shows revive memories of a simpler time without social media and other apps. You lived more in the moment than in front of a screen, and I got that vibe at the Manchester show more than any I’ve attended in the last 25 years.

The evidence of people desiring that return to a simpler time was overwhelming in Manchester. Everyone sang every word at the top of their lungs for two hours. Grown men were weeping — those reports are not exaggerations; I SAW it right in front of me.

Plus, I’m 60 and have been to a ton of shows, and the communal experience at the Oasis show was incredible. Unlike anything I’ve experienced. People hugging. Proper strangers turning around and embracing me and calling me a “f*cking legend, mate,” all because I came to the show from America. Everyone enjoying each other in complete communal joy. No assholes.

But the biggest reason this tour resonates is that unlike most 401K tours by aging bands, Oasis sounds AMAZING. Liam must be off cocaine and cigarettes because his voice has turned back its biological clock to the late 1990s. The band’s sound is monstrous with secret weapon and original member Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs back in the lineup in a three-guitar attack for the first time. Noel is back on lead guitar for the first time since Oasis broke up in 2009, and while never being mistaken for Stevie Ray Vaughan or Eric Johnson, the man is unleashed.

I expected to see a band rediscovering itself in its 50s, not a band that was as tight and even more powerful than its mid-90s peak when the band members were in their 20s and 30s.

Nostalgia is great, but it doesn’t mean sh*t if the band sounds lousy. And Oasis sounded BIBLICAL July 16 in Manchester.

Love the newsletter.

Thanks,

Paul Kelly
Marcellus, New York

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Hi Bob! Being from a small town and being brought up in a less-than-ideal home situation, the Oasis rags-to-riches story resonated with me as much as the music did. I bought every record, single, poster, magazine and even dressed like them. I was loyal and followed them all the way through their last LP Dig Out Your Soul. One of my stories about seeing the band on that tour is featured in a new book by Melissa Locker (And After All: A Fan History of Oasis) so I guess you could call me a pretty big Oasis fan. However, I didn’t bother to purchase tickets for this tour and haven’t even taken up a few offers to go for free. As Liam sings in “Hello”…”it’s never gonna be the same”. Plus, I’m sober these days so the pre-gig pub ritual certainly wouldn’t be as wild!

-Greg Glover

KNRK-FM Portland

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“Now I can completely understand why Oasis sold out stadiums in the U.K. It’s not only the music, but the cultural element. Northern lower middle class boys giving the finger to London and those who think they’re better. There were hits, a whole movement. But in America?”

Which is so ironic Bob as that’s the lifestyle they pursued and achieved. Locations in London don’t get much more desirable than Maida Vale or Primrose Hill.

Liam is a lovely bloke though and I didn’t “get them” until I saw the noise they made on stage which was quite hypnotic. The Albums weren’t exactly my idea of great but the self belief was and I do admire the honesty interviews especially in this current climate. They inspired arrogance in place of talent in the Punk tradition.

The far more middle class Blur did the post grunge “Woo Hoo” song but they didn’t like slogging the States at that level like many of us Brit artists doing well. Europe is so individually cultured, closer and easier compared to the Mid-West, not to mention the financial returns are so much better.

Paul Godfrey – Morcheeba

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I caught the first show in Cardiff not knowing what to expect and it was one of the greatest concerts I’ve seen anywhere, the fans, the energy the pre show hype, it was worth the travel from London. Catch a show if you can, you might be pleasantly surprised.

DANNY ROBSON

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Plant singing his brother’s  once-in-a-lifetime songs. A band that generates a lyricism through a mix of loud, bleeding, and distorted guitars. However, Oasis, like the Beatles, will only appeal to those who were once young – those who were born old will simply never understand.

It ain’t over yet, my brother.

With from Toronto,

Nigel Russell

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I was a 1990s teenager and, while there was nothing like the hysteria for Oasis that I now know was happening in the UK, my recollection is that Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova were constants on MTV and the radio, back when both counted for a lot.  They were big enough to play arenas when they toured (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? in America.  In August 1996, right before the start of my senior year of high school, I saw them in Philly (side note: the arena there was then named the First Union Center. A Philly venue being called the FU Center was perfect).  What a disappointment, one of the worst live acts I’ve ever seen.  They obliterated all the dynamics the songs had on record and didn’t bring any string or keyboard players with them so it was all the same loud mush.  I love when a band is more aggressive live than on record (cf Radiohead) but that wasn’t what was going on that night, they just didn’t give a sh*t.

I heard a story once that when Oasis were playing some club at the beginning of their career, a record excec ran up to the stage in the middle of their cover of I Am The Walrus to sign them.  Probably not true, but if it is, that guy’s ears were busted.  The played it in Philly and it sucked.  The only musical enjoyment I got out of the night was Noel’s three song solo acoustic set.

Some of the old hits still sound OK to me, but I had zero motivation to try for a ticket on the reunion tour.  A lot of people writing in seem to’ve had a great time and good for them, but I’m not taking a chance after seeing them in their prime and knowing, even as a teenager, that the performance was lousy.

Jeremy Berg

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Americans don’t understand Oasis, simple as that

Sàndor Von Mallasz

Astute. I have experienced Oasis in small clubs, and we also did a live broadcast on WBCN from the Orpheum Theatre when the band played Boston. Exceedingly dull performances every appearance. One boring band with a few good songs. Give me Blur any day.

Oedipus

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I agree with everything you said about Oasis. I was at Sony when Oasis first came to America and Liam thought they were already superstars here. He wasn’t happy that they’d be starting at the bottom and working their way up. But, they did the work and succeeded, despite their live show being less than exciting.

Drew Ferrante

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Bob, I saw the second show back in Cardiff back in July. I went to an early show because I figured they would be broken up by now. It was a fantastic show of 24ish songs that went by in a flash. I was not what you would call a massive fan but sold a bunch of Oasis back in my record store days. Saw them once at the Fox in Atlanta sometime in the late 90’s. Don’t recall being super impressed.

This was different. The production and sound were incredible. The crowd energy was something I have rarely experienced in 50 years of going to shows. I count this one in my Top 5 of all times. What a fun night. I was expecting a fight and a mess. What I got was pure rock and roll. Highly recommended!

Best,

Don VanCleave

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I caught the show last week in Scotland, and it is just outstanding

The connection the have with their fans is truly never level, it’s an emotional bond that is deeper then most especially overseas.

Dan Steinberg

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Amen!

I was joking on social that I love Britrock but they were mid at best. My music friends commended me “for my bravery” because so many people are seeing them live. Some managers said it’s nostalgia, it’s what they blared in their first NYC apartment. Time and place. That makes sense to me. And hey like you, maybe I’d go if I were invited – to sing the along to the two songs I hated when they played ad nauseum on the radio, because I know them very well. And even that is a kind of nostalgia that feels quaint now.

This tour is lightning in a bottle. Everyone can sense we’re in a pot of boiling water and Oasis represent a time when it seemed life was major chords. Champagne supernova hits that perfect utopian yearning.

Noel was top notch on Twitter when that was still kicking – that’s when I was on the music team there and he kept it lively!

Nicole St. Jean

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As the dad of a 20-something musician, there is a new generation of Oasis fans who is very interested in the US shows. But I remember passing on seeing them at relatively small Dallas venues.

The hits are pretty great and the Live at Glastonbury film/soundtrack is amazing. That said, US stadiums won’t be full of Brits who know every word of every song, so the energy will be different over here.

Finally, I saw a post on Twitter/X that said, “People are mad Oasis and Phish aren’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the Beatles and Grateful Dead already are. Why would we induct their tribute bands?” That made me smile.

Tim Wood

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I managed to buy a couple of pitch standing tickets for the recent Oasis show at Croke Park in Dublin. It is easily one of the best shows I have ever seen. What made it so special was the atmosphere. It was electric. The brilliant, sunny weather helped for sure and on the way into stadium all the local residents were outside their homes, sitting at tables, having a beer and chatting with everyone. It was just amazing.

 

The last song played over the PA before the band walked on was The Auld Triangle by The Dubliners. The whole stadium joined in. Incredible moment that nobody there will forget. It made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. And then the band walked on stage and delivered a cracking show……..

 

I’d go again in a heartbeat.

 

Best wishes to you and Felice!

 

Kind regards,

 

Brian Hand

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Amen.

I have several friends driving up from St. Louis to Chicago. They are not music people. They have become Yacht Rock people who tried (sadly) to love their kids rap/bro country music diet but would never see a show in anything but a stadium or an arena. I don’t get them, they don’t get me. The oldsters I love are still writing and recording new music. Oasis was irrelevant 5 years after their first album. Who has the time when there is so much good music out there?

Mike Becker

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You’ll see people traveling from around the world to watch them at the rose bowl. They’re massive in Asia and Latin America. Oh, and listen to the Masterplan album from beginning to end and you’ll see/hear how Noel can write tunes for days and knows which ones he should sing vs. Liam. They’re a juggernaut on this tour. I saw it first hand in Manchester and London, but I reckon they’ll bring that same vibe everywhere they go. The band is playing great and the brothers are in their prime.

Darrin Holender

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I saw them in a club in London around 1993, I think before they signed to Creation, but for sure before they had a publishing deal or a record released. I was running EMI Publishing Canada and was in London for one of Marty’s quarterly Managing Director’s conferences. Guy and the A&R staff invited me along to see this “new band with a buzz”. Can’t remember the club but it was a typical rat hole where the band didn’t even have a stage. They were drunk out of their minds, I didn’t know any of the songs, and it was one of the greatest things I’ve ever seen in a club.

 

Michael McCarty

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I saw every Oasis headline show in LA from the Feb 1995 show at the Palace to the final LA show at Staples in 2009 which had curtains over most of the upper deck.   I am just as amazed as you are that they can sell out the Rose Bowl twice when during their prime,  they were only playing Universal.   I have watched videos from almost every show and the crowd is just insane singing along to every song.   Will be very curious to see how the US shows go because most of the people in attendance won’t know most of the songs.

Steve Burnette

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Great article, well said.  I saw Oasis in Toronto in 2008, recognized 3 or 4 songs.  It was that it was on Toronto Island that made it cool.

Ross Winters

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Seems on point to me. Saw them once on the 2000’s when one of my brothers had an extra ticket. Liked Wonderwall and Champagne Supernova but never bought an album. Didn’t; nd still don’t know their music.

Jet opened (remember them??) and were fun. Oasis actually were good even though I definitely didn’t know all the music.

Am I going from Phoenix to LA or elsewhere to see Oasis? No. But I know a couple from there that went to Scotland to see them. My two oldest, who are 28 and 25, are flying from Denver and South Bend to go to a show with a second cousin who is 25 and lives in Pittsburgh to see Oasis at the Meadowlands (hard to call it MetLife Stadium) this weekend.

The couple is nostalgia for sure. For my kids and cousin’s kid, all of whom are way into music, is it FOMO or a band they have gotten into and really like? Don’t know but they definitely play into the dynamics you describe.

Cheers!

Neal H. Bookspan

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Nailed it!

Claudia Hirsch

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I became a diehard Oasis fan only after watching their 2016 documentary, Supersonic. I’ve watched it easily 40 times since and can quote it with my band mates just like we do The Big Lebowski and Tombstone.

The Gallagher’s story is simply incredible. And utterly unique. And when you add the way Noel managed an abusive childhood with throwing himself into reading and guitars and songwriting, it’s as inspiring (arguably more) as any member of the Beatles or U2 or The Eagles or Metallica.

And yes, Oasis’ impact and imprint in the UK is biblical.

I would debate anyone that that documentary has grown their legend in North America far more than simply fans discovering or re-listening to only the music…which is comprised of at least a half dozen timeless songs that rival any act on our American classic rock stations.

Damon Johnson

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A British friend in the business told me that Oasis tickets were so scarce (or expensive via brokers) in Europe that it was cheaper for European fans to fly to the USA to see a show. That could account for some of those stadium seats.

 

Floyd Dillman

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Oasis is only playing 5 shows in the US, a country of 330 million people and I agree with your assessment of Oasis market position in America.  I am a fan and going to the Rose Bowl show with friends who are all Oasis fans, but the band is far from a household name.  In fact, i had to convince my wife to come along  as she asked, “What songs do they have besides Wonderwall”

Hoping for the best, but I think it’s unlikely that the crowd sings more than a few songs in unison like we have been seeing form the social posts from the UK shows.

Bill Gagnon

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1. They are the youngest, most recent version of the “rock and roll stars” of yesteryear. The Backstreet Boys hit only a couple years after Wonderwall debuted — and you as well as anyone else know the massive cultural shift that happened in America in 2000. Even the bands that survived the change of the millennium became pop bands that played rock music in a sense. Everything had a vinyl sheen on it. The confidence/arrogance, quotable interviews, cigarettes in pictures, all that stuff you used to see from every band ever — Oasis were the last to do it. It’s nostalgia for the Gen X’s but an unattainable and delicious flavor for the kids. When has Harry Styles ever said “where’s the little c*** that makes me tea?” on camera?

2. Liam and Noel are both incredibly funny and terminally online people. Liam stayed relevant on Twitter the entire time he and his brother were doing their meaningless solo gigs. Staying relevant online + time to stew + big announcement = viral moment. And that viral moment has created the “you can’t miss this” feeling that you described. The younger generation is complicated and they have a lot of quirks but one thing they will absolutely not do is be left out of a moment deemed worthy of the internets eye.

And for what it’s worth, it’s pretty cool for my elder millennial self to see a couple of dudes flipping the bird and playing without a click track again. You’ve been saying for years about how authenticity sells and Oasis is nothing else if not purely, truly, unwaveringly authentic.

– long time fan, Eric Henkels

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Greetings, Bob:

Thank you for your note about Oasis.  I wondered, too, why you hadn’t included them in your piece about tours.

I like the band well enough, but I’ve never been a fan, and I had no impulse to attend a show in Toronto, the nearest to me, not least because of the hubbub about the supposed crush to buy tickets to any or all of the performances on the tour.

So it was more out of idle curiosity than any other impulse that I looked at the Ticketmaster site on Sunday, and I found the views for the show that night and the next.  Thousands attended, obviously, and most of the area not visible in these graphics, the far end of the venue—the lower-priced seats, I gather—were almost completely greyed out and sold out.  I was very surprised to see how many seats were still available in what look like pretty desirable regions, the stands on the side, angling on the stage, and the standing area.   The blue dots were legitimate, first-sale tickets—most, I saw, in the CAD500 or CAD300 range (compared to the CAD200 at the far end), which struck me as not inconceivable in the overheated, overpriced world of mega-concertgoing—and the red ones resales, some on the order of CAD1,000, maybe one row in front of the CAD500 seat.

Maybe there were gamblers who held out for discounted resales at the last minute, maybe people moved down, maybe hundreds of seat-fillers were bused in, but otherwise I’d have thought that these gaps would have been pretty evident.

I looked at the Rose Bowl show on Ticketmaster, and found some resales, but no original sales available, and proportionally way fewer than in Toronto.

So, what was up with Toronto?  I’m not at all doubting the bona fides of the fans who attended the show with you, nor the alcohol-fuelled verve they brought to the event, and the lads walked away with many, many thousands of Canadian dollars. But no sell-out.  Did they just reach their limit of punters who were willing to buy into the ticket frenzy?

What ever can this mean?

Thanks for your letters, Bob.

All best,

Blaine Allan

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I couldn’t disagree more
If you were correct and explain to me how they’ve sold out Asia and central and South America in a nanosecond
I saw them in London, so yeah it’s different but you didn’t go to the pop-up store at the W hotel in Hollywood and see the frenzy to buy essentially garbage
Your comparison to Charlie Sheen is frankly not valid. I’ll see him again in Los Angeles, but I will be pretty certain, but it will be the same largest karaoke sing-along just like it was in the Uk

Mark Sanderson

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Going to see Oasis reminds us that we are like sheep…follow the herd. Fear of missing out.

Gary Lawrence

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I gotta disagree with your Oasis take here (though I’ll give you the solo material thing).

I graduated high school in ‘95. Oasis was massive for Beatle freaks my age. I’m Gen X, Bob. Forty-eight. Not dead. You said, “Who was around who actually saw them?” Uh… me, Bob. I saw them at the Stone Pony. I think ‘96-ish, right before the second album dropped. Liam spent half the set calling us wankers, told us we didn’t deserve them, and stormed off with a “f*ck off” or something equally charming. It was glorious.

So yeah, us 48-year-olds? We’re still here. We’re in our prime, Bob. Prime. And guess what? Next week, I’m seeing Oasis again — MetLife Stadium. Sold out. Forty-eight and still in the pit.

Maybe not the pit…but still. PRIME.

Anyway…that second album was f*cking huge my freshman year of college — at least in Jersey. Felt like 92.3 K-Rock and MTV had those singles on an every ten-minute rotation through winter ‘96.  Honestly, I’m just shocked those songs didn’t chart higher.

Keep writing, Bob!

Baba-Booey.

Rudy Falco

Eatontown, NJ

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I’m afraid I have to throw the “you’re out of touch” challenge flag, Bob.

I have kids, now in their 20’s, who have been obsessed with Oasis since  they were mere single digits. At the time of the 2009 break-up.

In recent times, I’ve witnessed the lads and their pals crooning away in drunken glee to “Don’t Look Back in Anger”, “Champagne Supernova” and the all-mighty “Wonderwall” to name but a few.

I’m passing this time around because I saw Oasis on that same Black Crowes tour and later at Wembley Arena, a raucous show on my 50th birthday which aired live across MTV Europe about a year before they split. (Note-It can be found on YouTube)  I witnessed the opening number, “Rock n’ Roll Star”, accompanied by what appeared to be a shower of flying pints of lager, but alas…it was a different kind of golden brew.

Now my sons were too young to see the Gallaghers and co. in their prime, so yeah maybe it’s a bit of FOMO, but life’s all about experience, their experience.  And THAT’s who’s going and I’m sending them!

Bob, some equations aren’t meant for us older folk to figure out.  And this Oasis conundrum may just be one.

Reminds me of Dennis Miller’s quote on SNL Weekend Update when he wrote off the Mick Jagger and David Bowie “Dancing in the Streets” video.  “Mick, David? Why don’t you go sit on the porch with some Country Time lemonade and let the kids play with the ball for awhile.”

Have a glass on me Bob. 🙂 And by the way, I do hope Noel reads your entry and reacts. His acerbic response might just be the best “mailbag” email you’ve ever gotten.

Brian Diamond

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I saw Oasis last night in Toronto… still buzzing this morning… loud guitar rock with the audience dancing and singing along song-after-song… just what this mid-50’s kid needed!

Dave Mason

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Longtime reader, first time responder. I think you might be missing the mark here. I’m old and my days of standing in gen pop in a sea of people have been pretty much behind me. However, on my recent trip to Edinburgh I caught Oasis at Murrayfield. I had seen them once before in the 90s at Roseland in NYC. I’ve never been a super fan but I thought they put on a great show at Roseland. But seeing them a few weeks ago on their home turf in the UK was next level. Spilled beer was dripping down the stairs and we were stepping over piles of puke on the way to our seats before they even started playing. From the first song to the last song there was such an energy – everyone was on their feet the entire time, hugging the strangers next to them and singing every word to every song at the top of their lungs. I found myself surprised by how many songs I knew/ remembered and the band sounded FANTASTIC.

No doubt the tour is a money grab and the pop up merch shops in each town prior to the show are left empty by the end of the day. You have to have an “appointment” just to get in the store, then wait in line and hope they have something left in your size. There has always been a cult around Oasis and with the recent hype of this tour I think you are underestimating their fandom and how many songs over the years of their absence music fans discovered and fell in love with. This was no “freak show.” Although I’ll admit I was curious how the brothers would get along on stage for 2 hours- but they put the crowd first. They got up there and put on a stellar show.

As you know, everything is about the experience. When you have a band that is bringing it on stage and you are surrounded by people who have been waiting to hear these songs live for over a decade, its impossible to walk away not converted. I have many industry friends asking me how I got my tickets so they can secure some for their clients. I recommend reconsidering, don’t sit this one out.

Debbie Wunder

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I was a little bit surprised by your comments about Oasis. For someone who constantly laments that the business has become too cookie cutter like, your review had a very disappointingly conventional focus to it as well (e.g. only one or two big hits, record sales, bad show at the Whisky, etc.).

 

I am not quite sure if the quality of their music and past sales is the right lens to capture what is going on with them. I went to the two Cardiff shows and I would call what I experienced events rather than concerts. It is a small town with basically two streets of pubs next to the stadium. From the morning on every Pub was full, crowds spilling over on the street with Oasis songs blaring out. At the concert the energy of the crowd was electric, everybody singing along to every song (and yes, they have more than two). I still think about those two nights almost every day not because they were that great (if you would have put them at the Whisky those two nights it still would not have been good) but as Noel ones said, “people will never forget of how you made them feel” and they can do that better than most other acts.

 

Best,

 

Claus te Wildt

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Hi Bob, I went to the second of two sold out shows in front of 50,000 people last night in Toronto. Simply a magnificent return to form with incredible production that truly brought all of their songs to life. It wasn’t just old farts from the 90’s but people from all age groups and from every walk of life. It was an immersive experience from the second you walked on the outside of the stadium grounds. They had their PA pumping relatively obscure songs that were all UK bands from the 60’s and 70’s. The Kinks – See My Friends, Free – Wishing Well, Rory Gallagher – Country Mile from the Calling Card album, Jimi Hendrix – If Six Was Nine, Geordie (Brian Johnson’s pre AC DC band) – Natural Born Loser, The Heavy Metal Kids – Hangin’ on, Earl Vince and the Valiants –  Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked in tonight and then blasting Neil Young – Keep On Rocking in the Free World before hitting the stage. It made it even more exciting! I paid  face value of $312.00 for a ticket and it was worth every penny. Unlike Some of the bands you mentioned that do the same rounds year after year in many cities in the US, Oasis are only doing East Rutherford, Chicago and LA, and the major select cities globally between now and the end of the year. A big something for the millions that want to go. I dreaded being 320,000th in line when I tried to log in on the dates being announced, but in the end I got a ticket! The Dave Matthews band, are minimal at best outside of the US, Oasis are global through and through. You and any other non believers will be kicking yourself if you don’t go to one of these shows!

Ivar Hamilton
Niagara on the Lake, Ontario

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From a big Oasis fan. 40yo.

I saw them at the Ryman in 2006. Loved it.

But I will say the only reason why I’m scheming to try and see them this time is the notion that it could be their last go around. And that’s probably true for most. They wouldn’t be booking stadiums in the US if they were planning on touring the states every year or two.

An act can only wait fifteen years between touring cycles a couple times in their career.

But it sure is exciting.

And the reports I’ve got back from the Toronto shows were that ‘I’ve never heard so many people sing every word to every song’…so we’ll see if that makes it south.

Side note…Oasis released about 60 b-sides throughout their career but the ones from the 90’s could have been another huge album. I cherry picked 14 of them the other day. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/58eH1yuOqVMOj9V1GfU1Ib?si=a584e9819aa1403e

Gabe Anderson

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Great piece! I think you’re missing something … or I am! lol

I saw Oasis twenty years ago in 2005 when a friend took me to their sold out show at MSG. I went in casually aware of their music, and I left a fan. You’re right that they don’t move much on stage, they didn’t have a light show to speak of, but they were captivating anyway. They’ve got a charisma that is akin to what Jon Anderson of Yes has. I just couldn’t stop focusing on them, and I can’t tell you why. I love that.

After that show I told my family I’d take them to see Oasis some day so they could experience it. Well. It took twenty years and a trip to Toronto from our home in New Hampshire, but it happened. My 20-something kids knew more of the words than I did. The crowd around us (from Canada, Texas, New York, and England) knew all of the words, too. And we stood shoulder-to-shoulder and sang “Stand By Me” and “Live Forever” in the pouring rain like it was the only thing that mattered.

And, in the moment, it was.

Obviously not every band is for every person. That’s the beauty of music. I’m also a Rush fan and a Phish fan, so I definitely grok what it’s like to enjoy a band that the majority dislikes or has no interest in.

Is there FOMO out there about missing Oasis’s reunion tour? Sure thing. But they’re putting on shows with power and meaning, too. And they sound great doing it, at least from where our seats were in Section 103 of Rogers Stadium the other night.

The real question, to your point, is: how long will they be able to keep this going? And how long will the Brothers Gallagher *want* to keep it going?

We’ll find out, I’m sure! Whether they on stage or off, those boys sure know how to command attention!

-Dave Hamilton
Host of Gig Gab, Mac Geek Gab, and Business Brain podcasts.

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So glad you wrote about this. When I heard Oasis was back together and coming to Chicago I thought they would be playing chicago theatre not soldier field! Really?!? Make it make sense!

Nathan B.

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August 1994 at Wetlands in Tribeca – their first U.S. show. I was an unpaid summer intern at Sony Music. No money but I saw a ton of free shows that summer. If memory serves, Lisa Loeb opened. I remember they were loud and rude. I loved the later stuff. But your characterization of them as essentially niche here is spot on.

Hope all’s well.

Best,

Edward Ryan

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Classic Boomer attitude Bob. I deal with guys like you everyday in my Beatles tribute band. If Oasis truly was ever as big as the Beatles, I’d be so much happier singing their songs than She Loves You for the nine thousandth time, to people who for some reason keep paying to see Gen Xer’s wear wigs and essentially make fun of your St. John Lennon.

It’s rock and roll baby. We’re all in it for the money.

Long time reader, keep it up!

Piss off,

Nate Bott

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You know what I like about OASIS’ newly released 9-CD set, ‘The Complete Studio Album Collection’? (2025) I’ll tell ya what I like about it. It’s NO frills!!! NO muddy half-ass demo takes (that I’ll play once, then shelve), no gawd-awful ‘duets’, no marbles or stickers or goofy packaging-filler that no one wants or needs, and no banal critic writing multiple pages in a booklet trying to place the band in some sort of historical context…Just the studio albums as they were originally released & intended. And all gathered together in one handy-dandy box. And if I really need any extra B-side cuts that weren’t on ‘The Masterplan’ collection, I’ve got a stellar O.G. ‘Morning Glory’ Singles Box from back in the day for posterity.

Am I gonna make any of the U.S. shows? Uhh, let’s just say, ‘Definitely Maybe’? But more likely, NOT. I saw them half a dozen times the first time around in smaller venues, like the Fillmore in S.F. Not the most ‘action-packed’ band I’ve ever seen live. (Note the many moving cameras & spliced edits on their live videos.) If I had the extra bones (& foresight) I would’ve definitely gone to Cardiff to experience those crowds though! That looked pretty electric. I’m thinking U.S. crowds will be WAY more subdued. But hey, if I know of anyone who IS going to the Rose Bowl, (of which, I currently don’t), I genuinely hope they have a fulfilling time. 

You’re right Bob, all the clips we keep seeing showing the Gallaghers hugging & high-fiving along with feel-good, ecstatic crowds shots, are meant to keep the momentum going until the tours end. And hey, who can blame them? That’s just good marketing. However, at age 60, I’m WAAAYYY more choosy about which shows I’ll go out & see (preferably Troubadour, Largo & Roxy type venues). So as ‘Rock & Roll Star’ echoes through the canyons, I’ll most likely be kickin’ back with the Studio Albums set, cranking ‘Slide Away’ &/or ‘Underneath The Sky’ and singin’ along to me heart’s content in the comfort of my ol’ music room. 

Much love, Bob!

Mark Atherlay

Burbank, CA.

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The Beatles of the 90’s.

Everyone else f*ck off.

Jimmy Becker

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So you’re not an Oasis fan. Got it.

I’ll be enjoying my second show of the tour this Sunday at MetLife, a follow up to their July 25th show at Wembley.

I respect your takes on most artists, specifically when it comes to recognizing the song comes first. You’ve missed the mark here, minimizing them to two songs basically. Give your infatuation with new country music a breather and revisit the current Oasis setlist. It rocks.

Dave L

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Your instincts have not failed you Bob; Oasis is Muzak for the pop rock crowd of a certain sort.  Next please, we’ll be in touch.

Dvae Dalzell

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Right on the money, as usual….

Or as Noel would say, “SOD OFF!!”

sean michael dargan

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Thanks for clearing that up. I couldn’t understand what all of the hysteria has been  about this tour. I never cared about Oasis before and I still don’t.

Harold Love

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I was sorta shocked and more curious why all my friends were dying to fly so far to see them in England, etc. I love the band but don’t remember the stadium level hype back in the day. They were huge but not stadium huge.  Saw them in Oakland while back tickets were easy to get. I do think this a trend we will continue to see going forward as bands stay away long enough, only to reunite and play bigger venues then they ever had before.  Or at least Coachella for an insane amount of money.

Noah Bailin

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Its the changing of the guard for nostalgia.

 

The Stones, Elton, et al grew their stadium businesses of the back of boomers flush with disposable cash once their Gen X kids were off their payroll and they were taking their kids to see the idols of their youth.

 

The same is happening with Oasis only now its the Gen X’ers who have the disposable cash and they’re taking their Gen Z kids.

 

Unlike the boomers, Gen Xers grew up going to festivals, stadium shows and club culture thanks to the explosion of alternative & dance music. Not that much has changed in terms of that experience which means culturally the generation gap is closer with Gen X & Gen Z than Gen X and Boomers.
Michael Richardson

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Long time lurker….rather, regular reader – I’ve enjoyed your work, your opinions and your erudition for nearly a decade.

And I find myself compelled to respond for the first time following your Oasis post this evening.

Full disclosure, I’m a Brit. Lived in Manchester in the 90s, within spitting distance of the old Maine Road stadium (where Man City used to play when they were sh*t but when die-hards like the Gallaghers and me supported them).

And I queued up at midnight outside HMV to get my hands on What’s the Story….Morning Glory.

Oasis were part of my town, my city, my life. I saw them play a bunch of times. And….fast forward a few years, I was at the gig in Paris where they split up.

But after Morning Glory, let’s be honest, the rest of their albums were rubbish.

Sure, there was a tune here or there, but most of their work was self-indulgent, drug fuelled crap. So I stopped buying them. As did most of my friends and peer group.

But I never stopped listening to the first two albums and some of the B-sides.

I’ve been living in Canada for 15 yrs and went to see Oasis last night in Toronto.

I wasn’t originally planning to…

Well, actually that’s not strictly true.

When they announced the tour and that they would be coming to Toronto, I signed up for the fan club so I could get early access tickets. I put the time and date in the calendar and was in the queue at Ticketmaster.

But the prices were f*cking ridiculous.

I saw Oasis destroy the Manchester Academy in the 1990s for 20 quid. The cheapest floor tickets (I’m not going up in the Gods) were over 700 dollars. So I passed.

But this week, ahead of the gig, I thought I’d check Stubhub. Those same tickets were now $300.

I’d pay that.

So I did.

I’m going to be 50 next year. Nearly 10 years younger than Noel.

But I was almost the oldest person there last night.

Yep – that’s right.

This gig was the biggest f*cking singalong I have ever been to. 50,000 people and every single person knew every word.

And most of them hadn’t been born when Supersonic came out.

There were a smattering of teenagers with their parents, but the vast majority of the crowd were in their 20s and early 30s.

Oasis might not have sold many records and they certainly didn’t get a lot of MTV, but who gives a f*ck?!

Just like every 17 yr old girl today can quote you most of the punchlines from Friends because of Netflix, there’s a whole army of fans who know every single f*cking word to over two hours of Oasis songs (trusted, they only played the good ones). And who weren’t born when the songs were recorded.

Oasis don’t and won’t ever cast a shadow on the creative talent of John and Paul, but they’ve done something that only the Beatles have managed – creating generations who know every f*cking word. Every single f*cking word of every song. And who are prepared to pay hundreds of dollars to stand in the rain to belt them out for two hours.

And for that….respect.

Thanks Bob. Keep on keeping on.

Jon Duschinsky

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Bob, Just got this email earlier today. Don’t miss out!

“A limited number of production release tickets have been made available for Oasis Live ’25 North American dates for the Rosebowl, Los Angeles.”

Ed Arias

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In 1992 when I was President of Epic Records in NY David Massey and I signed Oasis. We had been to see them play a small pub in London and blown away.

We brought them over for promotion on their first album and took them to a pizza place for dinner and to meet the team. Liam over enjoyed himself and Noel grilled me for two hours about how to break America.

They broke America because of the great music but also because they worked their arses off going round the States do promo and playing gigs.
I think you’re a bit dismissive of the millions of albums they sold!

Went to see them play Wembley stadium. Incredible show.

I’m flying out to go to NY shows and we are having an Epic Records reunion. Just about everyone who worked there in the mid 90s is coming!

Go and see them in LA. You will be blown away!

Richard Griffiths