Liam Gallagher defends Richard Ashcroft support for Oasis reunion instead of young bands: 'There's LEVELS to this'

22 October 2024, 15:38 | Updated: 22 October 2024, 16:38

The Manchester rocker has slammed those suggesting Oasis should give a young emerging band the chance to open for their reunion tour.

Liam Gallagher has defended choosing Richard Ashcroft as a support act for Oasis' upcoming reunion.

This week saw the Britopop band confirm that the former Verve frontman would be the special guest on their UK & Ireland dates next year.

While most of their fans were delighted with the news, some criticised the band's choice not to go with young, up-and-coming artists and Liam addressed them all with a post on X, which read: "To all the folk who are crying about us not showing love to the young bands and not letting them support there’s LEVELS to this game and I’m afraid 99 [per cent] of ya are way off."

When one fan pointed out that Liam showcased his son Gene's band on his Definitely Maybe dates, the rocker argued that they were in the 1 per cent of young acts that he thinks are "mega".

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When the band first announced the news, one follower argued that "Oasis could really have made a difference by promoting newer/contemporary band”.

However, the Rock N'Roll star wasn't having it, responding: "Richard’s got more talent in his left nostril than all your so called new bands put together now stop being an entitled little bumbaseed and show some f***ing respect."

When another fan said it was funny that people felt Oasis were expected to promote new bands, the Champagne Supernova singer wrote: "New bands have it easy tday it’s the middle aged bands I feel bad for".

Oasis shared the news about Richard Ashcroft with a video which showed their relationship through the years.

Ashcroft said in a statement: "As a fan from day one I was buzzing for many reasons when the news of Oasis’s return was announced. I can say with no exaggeration that the songwriting talent of Noel and Liam’s pure spirit as a lead singer helped to inspire me to create some of my best work. It was the perfection of ‘Live Forever’ that forced me to try and write my own. They dared to be great, made the dreams we had real and I will always remember those days with joy. Now it’s time to create more memories and I’m ready to bring it. See you next summer. Music is power."

Ashcroft will no doubt go down well with the fans, set to deliver everything from Verve anthems such as Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work, Lucky Man and Sonnet alongside his solo highlights such as A Song For The Lovers, Break The Night With Colour, C’Mon People (We’re Making It Now and Music Is Power.

See Oasis' UK & Ireland dates for 2025:

July 2025

• 4th July - Cardiff, Principality Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 5th July - Cardiff, Principality Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 11th July - Manchester, Heaton Park (SOLD OUT)
• 12th July - Manchester, Heaton Park (SOLD OUT)
• 16th July - Manchester, Heaton Park - (SOLD OUT)
• 19th July - Manchester, Heaton Park (SOLD OUT)
• 20th July - Manchester, Heaton Park (SOLD OUT)
• 25th July - London, Wembley Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 26th July - London, Wembley Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 30th July - London, Wembley Stadium -(SOLD OUT)

August 2025

• 2nd August - London, Wembley Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 3rd August - London, Wembley Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 8th August- Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 9th August- Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 12th August- Edinburgh, Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 16th August- Dublin, Croke Park (SOLD OUT)
• 17th August- Dublin, Croke Park (SOLD OUT)
• 24th August - Toronto, ON – Rogers Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 25th August - Toronto, ON – Rogers Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 28th August – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field (SOLD OUT)
• 31st August – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium (SOLD OUT)

September 2025

• 27th September - London, Wembley Stadium (SOLD OUT)
• 28th September - London, Wembley Stadium (SOLD OUT)

READ MORE:

• Who could support Oasis at their reunion dates in 2025?
• Liam Gallagher says there won't be a documentary on the Oasis reunion: "There’s been enough said"
• Liam Gallagher won’t reconsider Glastonbury for Oasis reunion because it's "full of drips"