The little-known Sheffield gig that helped shape Oasis story as reunion possibility revealed
From their first Sheffield gig in 1993 to selling out the Arena, Oasis have a long history with the Steel City. Now, new revelations detail how their Live ’25 reunion could have started there, too.
Oasis will always be inextricably linked to their hometown of Manchester but in the three and a half decades since they began their journey to the top of British music, Sheffield has played its own part in their remarkable story.
Their first arena gig came in the Steel City, in front of 12,000 people in 1995. That night, fans heard a new song called Don’t Look Back in Anger for the first time. It was also the final gig for original drummer Tony McCarroll, before he was unceremoniously sacked.
Sheffield was also the setting for the first meeting between Oasis and their sleeve designer Brian Cannon, who went on to create the iconic artwork for Definitely Maybe and (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? That gig, at Hallam University’s Nelson Mandela student union, took place exactly 33 years ago today.
Five months earlier Oasis had played their legendary gig at King Tut’s which saw them catch the eye of Creation Records boss Alan McGee, who offered them a record deal.
They were no strangers to the Steel City individually, with Noel Gallagher remembering once being decked by United fans after travelling over the Pennines to watch his beloved Manchester City.
But they were still on the support bill network by the time they arrived in Sheffield for the first time as a band, on October 28, 1993. The headliners were a Scottish band called BMX Bandits and Oasis played third on the bill, behind them and 18 Wheeler. The venue held 900, tickets were £3 and £4 and Oasis stayed at the Novotel afterwards before continuing their tour.
Oasis played a number of songs that would make up their debut album Definitely Maybe the following year, including Shakermaker, Cigarettes & Alcohol and the anthems Live Forever. Liam Gallagher also led the band in a cover version of the Beatles’ I Am the Walrus.
And a backstage pass from the gig is one of the priceless artefacts featured in a new book from Star journalist Danny Hall, who teamed up with renowned Oasis collector Kyle Dale to produce This is History. The book is an alternative story of the band’s rise, told through memorabilia, stories and exclusive interviews.
In between the Mandela building and the Arena, Oasis also played at the Leadmill in May 1994 and the University of Sheffield’s Octagon seven months later. After one of those gigs, the promoter took the band to the arena and told them of his plans for them to play there. Noel stood on stage and laughed at the idea.
But just a few months later they sold it out, with hometown heroes Pulp supporting them in a real full-circle moment. Creation managing director Tim Abbot later said it was the gig that changed everything.
In July 1997, The Star’s front page reported “a stampede” for tickets for two Oasis dates at the arena that September. Fans jammed phone lines to get their hands on tickets, with 24,000 sold in four hours - the equivalent of one every 0.6 seconds. One teenager even camped outside the arena for two days to secure a golden ticket.
They also played at the arena in 2002 and 2008, a year before they split, before they reformed for their seismic Live ‘25 tour and In another world, Oasis’s reunion story could have begun in the Steel City.
Liam kicked off his Definitely Maybe solo tour in Sheffield in 2024 and, as revealed in This Is History, was so impressed with the venue that he privately suggested Oasis should start their reunion there, too. Ultimately, it didn’t happen; but it could have added another local milestone to their remarkable journey.
This is History, published by Sheffield-based Vertical Editions, is released on October 30. Pre-order via www.verticaleditions.com.