British rock band Oasis launched the North American leg of its long-awaited reunion tour in Toronto on Sunday, drawing thousands of fans eager to see the group perform together for the first time since 2008.
The band, fronted by brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, rose to fame in the mid-1990s as part of the Britpop movement before a public split in 2009. Their reunion tour, one of the most anticipated in recent years, has sold out shows across multiple continents.
Fans lined up outside Rogers Stadium hours before the concert. Some said the show marked the fulfillment of a decades-long dream.
“Seeing them live has been a life-long dream because I thought they would never reunite,” said Thunder Penir, who brought a Canadian flag to the venue.
Amanda Ferraro, who wore a shirt from the band’s 2006 Canadian tour, said Oasis’ music has been a constant in her life. “All the songs really got me through a lot of things: my parents’ divorce, milestones,” said Ferraro, 38.
Another fan, Shanon Simon, said the tour’s appeal lies partly in nostalgia. “It’s going to shows and not having phones up,” she said.
Tickets for the North American tour reportedly sold out within an hour of release. The group has already performed in the United Kingdom and Ireland and will continue to the United States, Japan, Australia, and Brazil.
Oasis is scheduled to play a second night in Toronto on Monday before heading to Chicago for a Thursday show. AFP
