The Man From UNKLE - Movie Trailer 2009

Trailer, the forthcoming movie about the band. Massive Attack, Beastie Boys, Thom Yorke, Noel Gallagher, Portished, The scratch pervets, Ian Brown and many others will be in this movie.

For more details visit www.themanfromunkle.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Prodigy Man Has A Lot Of Respect For The Gallagher Brothers

The Prodigy's Keith Flint speaking in a recent interview.

"I've got a lot of respect for Noel and Liam," says Flint. "I've hung out with Liam a lot of times. He's a geezer, he really is. With Liam, what you see is what you get. I love him for it. That's what it's about -- you've got to have the Liam Gallaghers out there, you know what I mean?"

Click here to read the full interview.

Source: www.independent.ie

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Liam Gallagher On Fans And Snobby Mums And More

There was blood, there was rock'n'roll, and there were irate primary school mums. It was just another day in the life of Liam Gallagher.

But as the dust settled the day after Oasis had graced the stage at Murrayfield, the band's frontman was still "up for it" as he embarked on a tour of the city's pubs.

Stopping to chat with fans, pose for photographs and sign autographs, he called in at The Jinglin' Geordie in Fleshmarket Close yesterday afternoon, where one of the locals from the neighbouring Halfway House invited him for another tipple.

He headed down the Close and spent an hour and a half tucked into a corner booth of Edinburgh's smallest boozer.

Pub owner Steve Whiting said: "I said I'd stand him the first one, so I bought him a Guinness. He looked like he was enjoying himself. The first thing he did was go straight to the jukebox and put the Stones and the Beatles on. He was chatting with all the locals, he seemed very personable indeed. He said the gig had gone very well."

A pint or two into his walkabout, Liam slipped out for a cigarette and a chat to the Evening News, ready to wax lyrical about the Capital, which he described as: "Beautiful, amazing, f****** biblical, in fact. Words can't explain it, it's just something that's out of my realm, really f****** beautiful. The best it can be."

He said he'd decided to opt for a liquid lunch after failing to get a feed at his hotel: "I rang room service at about half 11 and said 'Can I have breakfast?' They said 'No' so I said 'Can I have dinner then?', and they said 'No', so I thought I'll have a pint and meet the people," he said.

Asked if he was "chuffed" with the way the gig had gone, he said: "I don't do it to be chuffed, I do it because it's something that's got to be done. I wouldn't do it to enjoy it, it's not about being a smiley-pants. My reason is to make people happy and not break people's days, to make people's days. The crowd was beautiful."

Not everybody's day was made by the band's arrival. As the News reported on Wednesday, parents at Roseburn Primary, close to Murrayfield, were fuming when the council closed the school for the afternoon because of the crowds expected in the area.

On stage, Liam dedicated Cigarettes and Alcohol to "everyone who had half a day off" and the "snobby" mums at Roseburn, but in the cold light of day, he reflected: "They didn't p*** me off, I thought it was cool. I just hate posh people who work all day. It's about time they spent time with their kids and I reckon they should have had a full day off with their kids, not just a half day off. It's about the kids."

The night was also marred by violence when a man was badly beaten up on the pitch before Oasis arrived onstage, but Liam was laid back about the ruck: "I didn't see it. But that's f****** Oasis man, that's rock and roll. Fine, if that's what people want to talk about, but fighting at a rock and roll concert, f****** hell, do they not scrap here every night when someone stands on their kebab? Is it the first f****** fight that's ever happened in Edinburgh?"

On which note, he made his way back up Fleshmarket Close, stopping to be photographed with a blushing fan, who said: "Sorry, you must get so fed up of this."

"No, I f****** love it," he replied.

Source: www.scotsman.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Tales From The Middle Of Nowhere

Taken from Noel's tour diary for oasisinet.com

Hello? Is there anybody out there? Been having technical problems with the lines of communication of late. Sorry for the break in transmission. Normal service is now resumed - and no, you're not getting your money back!! While I'm on that subject, it seems that around 20,000 of you have asked for a refund from that night at Heaton Park!! 20,000!! So you were genuinely disappointed? I don't recall seeing a 20,000 gap in the crowd. Cheeky cunts! Tsk ..some people.

Anyway, no such problems in Scotland. Gig at Murrayfield was great. Great crowd, as always. The Enemy and Kasabian were on top form. Didn't see The Reverend.

Apart from - yet again! - some poor DJ'ing from Romeo the party in the dressing room was a good-un. Didn't leave 'til the sun came up. Respect to Kasabian. They were still there when I left and they had a gig in Glasgow last night! Fuck that. They must've been rough as arseholes.

Off to Dublin today where, for one night only, we will welcome The Prodigy to the tour. Slane Castle tomorrow. Silvermints, Tayto crisps and brunches! YUMMY.

In a bit.

GD.

Source: www.oasisinet.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Elvis Costello 'Noel Gallagher Is Deluded'

Elvis Costello speaking to the Telegraph in a recent interview.

"I think I can do Paul McCartney better than Noel Gallagher can do Paul McCartney, Noel is deluded about a lot of things, most obviously that he is a songwriter at all. That he even brackets himself in the same sentence as Paul is laughable ."

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

ZANI Chat To Alan McGee About Music And More

Music web zine Zani sat down with Creation Records founder Alan McGee. Here's a small excerpt :

ZANI - The first ten years of Creation were exciting, with signings such as Primal Scream and Jesus and Mary Chain, who sold to Blanco Y Negro for £75,000. What were the first ten years like for Creation Records, I guess that is pretty hard to sum up?

Alan McGee - For the first four years, I saw it as a hobby. Then in 1988, The House Of Love went gold, and My Bloody Valentine went silver. Around the end of 1988, or the start of 1989, I then realised it was a prober job. As Creation was seen as being responsible of critical acclaimed albums during this period

ZANI – Like Screamadelica.

Alan McGee - That was 1991.

ZANI – I know, but I adore that album, but still in the first ten years.

Alan McGee - I signed Primal Scream but nobody liked them. But people liked a lot of the other acts on Creation. Like The Weather Prophets, My Bloody Valentine and The House of Love. During this period, I was getting a lot of respect from the public and the industry and I was enjoying that. Then we started to move into the bigger stuff and shift albums and I think at that point, is when Creation became a real business.

ZANI – Going back to Primal Scream, and the remark you made that no one really liked them. But it was the track Loaded in 1990 that put them on the map and won them a whole new audience, the Acid House generation. Do you think that the DJ Andy Weatherall was hugely instrumental in the success of this single and the album Screamadelica?

Alan McGee - To be honest before this point they weren’t very good. Primal Scream would be in denial about this. Andy Weatherall took one bit from their single Losing More Than I'll Ever Have, and mixed it.

Then Primal Scream suddenly reinvented themselves as this big dance rock band, but I think they were a little before their time. But I don’t listen to their singles anymore; I don't listen to their music anymore to be honest. I only listen to two bands from Creation in 2009.

ZANI – I know, Oasis and Teenage Fan club, why not the others?

Alan McGee - It’s nothing personal, I mean that about all the records I have put out over the years, I just don’t listen to them anymore. There only two bands, that I still listen to, for enjoyment, that is Teenage Fan Club and Oasis. Teenage Fan’s "Everything Flows" still gets me every time. It came out before I signed them and I signed them on the strength of this.

ZANI - I still love Oasis, and they seem to be back with vengeance. As we know, your meeting with Oasis on 18th May at 1993 Glasgow King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is legendary. What was it that really turned you on about them, or is that unexplainable?

Alan McGee - They were just good, it that’s simple. Noel’s guitar playing was brilliant and Liam looked the part.

ZANI - Is it true before you signed Oasis, you thought they were fascists because of their use of the Union Jack?

Alan McGee - That was a year before I signed them, it was only because I was told that by Debbie Turner. I was in her office and I saw their poster with the swirling Union Jack on the wall, I asked if they were a fascist band, she said yes they are.

ZANI – There is one artist on the Creation label that hardly ever gets a mention, a very beautiful woman called Idha.

Alan McGee - Her second album Troublemaker is a fucking amazing record. She’s a house wife in Sweden now. But to her credit to if you make an album that good, you probably don’t need to do it again.

ZANI – True, one last question on Oasis, what it your favourite track by them and your fondest memory of the band ?

Alan McGee - Probably ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ is my favourite track. I have many fond memories of Oasis, but probably The Word in 1994 doing ‘Supersonic’. I was ill in a drug rehabilitant centre and seriously depressed as I was coming off the gear, but watching Oasis on TV for the first time made me forget all about that.

For the full interview please visit here

Source: www.zani.co.uk

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Gallaghers Bury The Hatchet For Slane Gig

The older brother of Oasis legends Noel and Liam Gallagher has revealed that the two Britpop stars will be putting aside any differences to rock Slane Castle this Saturday.

Their celebrity DJ sibling Paul Gallagher said they were like “an old married couple” at this stage and there will be no ‘looking back in anger’ when it comes to their Meath gig.

“It’s like anyone else. There’s days when they talk and there’s days when they don’t talk – they’re like two married people in that way and we all need to have our escapes from other people,” he said.

Tour

“I’m sure that when they’re on that stage on Saturday, they’re going to pull out all the stops for the fans.”

The third Gallagher brother, who has insisted he “never wanted” to be in Oasis, one of the biggest bands in the world, is currently embarking on his own nationwide tour of Irish nightclubs this week.

Tonight will see the laid-back DJ performing a set in Belfast before rocking Eamon Doran’s at a sell-out gig in Temple Bar tomorrow night.

But he said he’ll be saving plenty of energy for this weekend’s monster gig.

Stars

Paul, whose parents Tommy and Peggy are both Irish, has also promised a bevy of big-name stars will be making the trek out to the Co Meath village.

“We still have a family home in Charlestown in Mayo and I go down there every month.

“We have about 30 people coming up on a coach that I’ve put on my guest list.

“There’s also a couple of footballers flying in for it, a few Irish popstars – there will be a healthy range of people,” Paul explained.

Source: www.herald.ie

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Liam Won't Look Back In Anger

The Enemy frontman Tom Clarke has set the record straight on 'that' Oasis feud.

The pair came to blows after Liam thought the Coventry star called him a has-been.

But it was the Gallagher brother who approached Tom on the first night of their current tour to apologise for misunderstanding the situation.

Tom said: "He's a really top guy. He came up to me and said he might have misunderstood the situation.

"I was alseep in Japan when the whole thing kicked off and woke up wondering what had happened.

"All I was saying is that Oasis are one of the greatest f***ing bands in the world and I would love to be able to be in their position one day."

He also spoke of bandmates Andy and Liam, saying there is nothing they could ever do to put their friendship in jeopardy.

Tom said: "They are closer than family. We have spent pretty much every day together for the last three years since this journey began.

"They are the only ones that know what it feels like to be in this band with me."

Source: www.thesun.co.uk

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Liam Gallagher And Gem Cook Haggis In Edinburgh

Oasis' Liam Gallagher and Gem Archer find out how to cook Haggis in the kitchen of the Whiski in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Liam Gallagher And His Band Find Their Own Oasis In Royal Mile Pub

It is not the first image that springs to mind when you mention Liam Gallagher and Whiski.

But when the Oasis frontman and his band called into a Royal Mile bar they wanted to head into the kitchen to see how a haggis is cooked.

The world-famous band spent seven hours eating and drinking in Whiski.

And they were so impressed with the service from staff they left a gift that will live forever in their minds.

The band, who called into the bar on Tuesday, handed over four VIP tickets for last night's sell-out Murrayfield gig as a thank-you for the afternoon they had enjoyed.

Spearheaded by singer Liam, the band also asked to be shown the kitchen area so they could see a haggis being cooked for the first time.

Owner Gary Still said: "They came in at about three o'clock but we didn't even realise it was them until about five, when one of the workers recognised them.

"They just seemed like ordinary guys in having a few drinks.

"They were all extremely pleasant, and dealt with the autograph hunters and people wanting photographs very well. We've had bands in before, but these guys were the most famous yet."

There were around 12 of them in total, including sound engineers and other crew, although band leader and main writer Noel Gallagher was not in attendance.

Despite being rock and roll stars, they told fans that instead of hitting traditionally trendy areas such as George Street, they were more than happy half a world away in the Royal Mile pub.

Little by little, more members of the public realised who was drinking nearby and squeezed through the door to seek photos and autographs with their heroes and performers of classic songs familiar to millions.

Mr Still, who rebranded the pub in May 2007, added: "They left a nice tip, although I'm not sure exactly how much, and drank mostly beer, though I'm sure they tried some of our whiskies as well.

"It's great for us that someone as popular as this should choose to stay with us in the bar. Some had approached asking where they would go next and they replied they would stay in Whiski because they thought it was 'cool'.

"They went down to the kitchen as well because they'd never seen a haggis before, so we cooked one for them so they could see for themselves how it was all done.

"We did generally leave them alone, and although a lot of people came up to speak to them they were generally left in peace."

The band, who have played several times in the Capital before, are understood to have left the pub at around 10pm.

Source: edinburghnews.scotsman.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Oasis' Divine Inspiration

Jesus Christ has allegedly joined Oasis, and to see Edinburgh undergo a transformation from torrential rain to cloudless sunny skies, you would be inclined to believe Noel Gallagher.

Their new hirsute keyboard player was all but anonymous as big brother led the band through the old favourites, guitar stompers all.

Opening with Rock & Roll Star, this was punter friendly stuff, with even those who look like they would struggle to remember their own name managing to sing every word.

Cigarettes And Alcohol was followed swiftly by Roll With It, the homage to British seventies glam rock, with the elder Gallagher looking like a man just roused from a light sleep as he blisses out on another guitar solo.

Then Noel dedicated a song to “the missus who lives more or less across the road”, before launching into a stadium-rocking version of The Masterplan.

“I would like to introduce our fifth and last drummer, Chris Sharrock, from Liverpool,” quipped Noel.

His pounding tom tom intros adorned most of what was good last night, and there is a nagging impression that the band’s leader has tired of the singalong simplicity of Wonderwall and Half A World Away. Maybe there is a another album in them yet.

Source: www.theherald.co.uk

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Gig Review: Oasis At Murrayfield Stadium

Anyone seeking online news updates on the state of the Gallagher brothers' fractious relationship during this latest blockbusting UK tour might have been directed by their search engine to a popular web-based betting company currently offering odds on just how long it would take the band to combust.

Would Liam storm off during their next show? What would his first cliche of the evening be? Would it be the long since passed-into-parody "mad fer it"? Who said Oasis had become predictable, huh?

For this group, after 18 years as a going concern and a benchmark 15 since the release of their first single Supersonic, it's long since stopped being a question of what new tricks they'll pull out of the bag and is now a simple matter of in which order they'll be produced.

And ideally, how amusing Noel will be or how much rudeness Liam can muster in the between-song gaps.

Oasis fans, in their musical tastes and partying proclivities, know what they want and they want it to excess.

The gutters full of empty bottles and beer cases surrounding Murrayfield, and the fact that the local primary school had to be closed for fear of the oncoming horde, reinforces the largely mistaken stereotype that Oasis's crowd is comprised of beer-addled barbarians. In fact, the large majority of their fans, like the band themselves, are simply romantics and nostalgics who are chasing the dream of a rock'n'roll glory era that never quite existed. The atmosphere was charged, but only the odd swaying beacon of shirt-off overindulgence let the side down. Even the infamous fraternal rivalry between the Gallaghers isn't going to bring an end to the night anymore.

After more than a decade spent playing before tens of thousands of people, Liam and Noel either know the importance of not inconveniencing an army of fans, or have just mellowed out.

It speaks volumes that the harshest exchange between the duo started with the black leather-jacketed Noel dedicating "the last song to my missus, who's from just along there", pointing eastwards, "or maybe over there", gesturing to the south (his partner is from Edinburgh). When Liam – wearing a camouflage green knee-length waterproof coat – emerged after The Masterplan to reassert his own vocal authority, he declared "well this one (Songbird] is for my missus". It felt like the pair were in competition to see who could be the most soppy.

The Gallaghers' asides are an integral part of the show by now, though, and are mostly quite amusing. "This is our fifth and final drummer, Mr Chris Sharrock", said Noel upon introducing the band. "He's from Liverpool, we found him on the Discovery Channel." Their particularly hirsute keyboard player was identified as "Mr Jesus Christ".

The band would be ill-advised to pull any surprises before such a crowd, so played a straight greatest-hits set with only the occasional recourse to their most recent album Dig Out Your Soul. The more devoted fans might have been pleased to hear My Big Mouth, a long-mothballed highlight of their critical downturn Be Here Now, receive an airing.

The infrequently-played Half The World Away also provided a curiously tender few minutes, but old favourites are the order of this tour – Live Forever, Supersonic, Roll With It, Slide Away, an uproariously received Cigarettes and Alcohol and perennial set-closer I am the Walrus.

The Importance of Being Idle and recent hit Falling Down show Noel's songwriting muse didn't desert him in 1997, but to the band's most passionate fans the period preceding that year will always be Oasis' glory days.

Source: www.scotsman.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Oasis Ticket Dispatch Update

Ticketmaster update

Oasis at Wembley Stadium, 9th and 11th-12th July 2009- Ticket Dispatch Update

As of today 17th June, we are currently preparing to commence printing and packing these tickets. Dispatch will commence ASAP. Please keep checking back for updates.

Oasis at the Ricoh Arena on 7th July 2009- Ticket Dispatch Update

We are still awaiting ticket stock from the event

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Edinburgh Oasis Gig Marred By Brutal Assault

A music lovers dream turned into a nightmare at Murrayfield stadium yesterday as a gang of thugs viciously beat a man during the build-up to an Oasis concert.

Shocked music fans watched in horror at the historic gig as a fight between two men escalated into a full-blown beating.

Overcome by three further attackers, the man, said to be in his mid-thirties, was punched and kicked in the head after falling to the floor.

He was left bloodied and unconscious by the attack which happened on the western part of the pitch just before 8pm during a performance from indie rockers Kasabian.

Eyewitness Jennifer Patterson, from Edinburgh, said that security staff simply watched as the fight escalated.

She said: “He was unconscious and bleeding on the ground for ten minutes and security just stood and did nothing.

“I’ve no idea how it started, there were pint glasses being thrown in the air then all of a sudden two men started going at it.

“Before I knew there were four or five guys beating him while he was on the floor.

“The main culprit who was putting the boot in just walked away – it’s a disgrace.”

Other eyewitnesses said that the man was taken away by ambulance crews for treatment after lying on the ground for several minutes following the assault.

St Andrew’s Ambulance service, who were providing first-aid support for the gig, were not available for comment.

Source: deadlinescotland.wordpress.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Oasis At Murrayfield

Tonights set list from Murrayfield, Scotland.

Fucking In The Bushes
Rock N Roll Star
Lyla
Shock Of The Lightning
Roll With It
Cigarettes And Alcohol
To Be Where There’s Life
Waiting For The Rapture
The Masterplan
Songbird
Slide Away
Morning Glory
My Big Mouth
The Importance Of Being Idle
Half The World Away
Wonderwall
Live Forever
Supersonic
Don't Look Back In Anger
Falling Down
Champagne Supernova
I Am The Walrus

Photo Credit aispeake

Oasis' next stop is Slane Castle in Dublin, Ireland on Saturday.

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Pretty Green Pictures

A selection of pictures from the items given to me during the interview with Liam Gallagher on Friday.

PLEASE NOTE THE OASIS BANDANA THAT THE ITEMS ARE PICTURED ON IS MY OWN AND NOT INCLUDED WITH ANY OF THE ITEMS.

For more details on Pretty Green visit the website here.

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Oasis Fans Warned On Drug, Alcohol Abuse

Superintendent Michael Devine from Navan Garda Station said anybody using illegal substances or abusing alcohol “stands a reasonable chance of winding up in court in Navan”. Special court sittings have been arranged for Saturday night and Sunday morning following the concert.

Supt Devine said there will be an alcohol ban on the streets of Slane though the pubs in the village will be open and nobody will be allowed to bring in alcohol into the venue.

Saturday's concert which will features The Prodigy and Kasabian is a sell-out and 80,000 people are expected to attend.

Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles said the only trouble ever experiened at Slane Castle was when Bob Dylan played the venue 25 years ago and lessons were learned from that. “I say to members of the public, respect the people of Slane and realise that unsociable behaviour is unacceptable,” he said.

Gardaí have advised fans who are being dropped off at the venue by coaches to return to the designated coaches area which is on the N2 for fans returning to Dublin and the East Coast and the Navan and the Cullen roads for the rest of the country. At previous concerts fans have become lost when the coaches did not pick them up at the place where they were dropped off in the first place.

The traffic plan for Saturday's event is on the Garda website at www.garda.ie and motorists not travelling to the concert are advised to avoid the Slane area if possible.

The majority of cars will travel via the M1 motorway to dedicated car parks on the N51 Drogheda road, Slane. There will also be car parking on the N2 both north of Slane and on the Navan side of Slane on the N51. There will be car parking south of Slane on the N2.

Source: www.irishtimes.com

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Oasis Concert Could Be Cancelled Because Of Feuding Gallaghers According To Paddy Power

This Saturday’s Oasis gig at Slane Castle in County Meath could be cancelled according to bookmakers Paddy Power because the Gallagher brothers can’t even stand to be in the same room as each other!

Liam Might Not Turn Up
Liam and Noel have apparently been at each other’s throats for the last two weeks and Paddy Power are offering odds of 8/1 that Liam pulls out of Saturday’s gig and 9/1 that it gets cancelled completely because of the alleged feud.

Fight On Stage Is Possible
Even if the gig does start with Liam there, it is not guaranteed he will complete, Paddy Power offer 3/1 that he has a temper tantrum and storms off mid performance and you can even get 8/1 that Liam and Noel have an argument on stage.

Hotel Rooms To Be Trashed?
You can get 10/1 with Paddy Power that the pair trash their rooms after the gig in true rock n roll style whilst Liam is 50/1 to throw a TV out of their room!

First Cliché For Liam
Bets are even available on the first cliché that Liam comes out with first on the night. Howareya is the 3/1 favourite with Paddy Power whilst Mad For It is 7/2 with Paddy Power. For a full list of clichés you can bet on or to see what other Oasis specials are available at Paddy Power visit the Paddy Power website and click on Novelty Bets.

Source: www.online-betting-guide.co.uk

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Anger As Oasis Gig Shuts Primary School

An Edinburgh primary school has been closed early because of an Oasis concert being held at nearby Murrayfield Stadium.

Roseburn Primary was closed at 1215 BST following advice from police over the numbers of people gathering and drinking in the area.

Lothian and Borders Police said it expected 55,000 people with gates opening at 1400 BST.

Parents said it had caused problems over childcare.

Although Oasis were not due on stage until about 2030 BST, people were expected to start congregating much earlier to listen to the warm-up bands.

Single mother Angela McGregor, 30, said she could not afford to take time off work to collect her five-year-old son, Robert, at lunchtime. The school normally closes at 1445 BST.

She said: "It's ridiculous that the school had to close early because of the Oasis concert. My son Robert lost half a day's education.

"If it was the Queen coming then fair enough.

"I'm a single parent and I had to make other childcare arrangements.

"I had to ask a Sunday school teacher at St Nicholas Church to pick up my son.

"If I didn't have her I would have to take four hours off work to look after him, which I can't afford to do."

An Edinburgh City Council spokesman said: "We took the decision to close the school for the afternoon based on information we received from the police.

"We also know from past experience that the area will be very busy, access will be difficult and alcohol will be sold in the area."

A Lothian and Borders Police spokeswoman said: "We have a significant policing detail between ourselves and the council to maintain the needs of the residents in the area."

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Tickets are still available for a number shows on Oasis' largest-ever UK Stadium tour, click here for availability of tickets.

Slane Castle Gets Set To Welcome Back Oasis

Some 14 years after their first performance at Slane Castle, Oasis are looking forward to a triumphant return to the Banks of The Boyne next Saturday where they will perform before a crowd in excess of 80,000.

For the eighth Marquis Conyngham (formerly Lord Henry Mountcharles), this will be a very special concert and a real local and family affair.

The Marquis (who inherited his title this year on the death of his father) will be joined by a large family circle but, most importantly, by his first grandchild, sixth-month-old Laragh, daughter of his son, Alex (now Lord Mountcharles) and his wife, Carina.

The Marquis, who still wants to be called Henry Mountcharles, and his wife, Iona, will be joined by a large family circle, godchildren and friends for the occasion. He said it will be an even bigger family affair for another local family – the Gallaghers.

Oasis frontmen Noel and Liam Gallagher have their roots in Duleek where their father, Thomas, grew up and where they spent many holidays as children. Thomas Gallagher’s family still live in Duleek and, at the press conference last year at which the concert was announced, Noel Gallagher recalled that the last time they played Slane, they had about 80 relatives in the audience. “But now they’ve grown up and have their own children, so there will be even more there on 20th June,” he said.

Mountcharles realls his first time to see Oasis live was in Manhattan. “I went to see them with Iona and Adam Clayton and was very impressed by them. There were only about 1,000 people at the show, but they put on a fantastic peformance.

“They were wonderful in Slane in 1995 when they supported REM and I have wanted them to headline Slane for a good number of years,” he said. “The fact that Noel came here in person for the press launch shows just how important this gig is on their tour. It is very much in the rock ’n’ roll tradition of Slane and the fact that Oasis has such local roots really appeals to me and to a lot of people.”

There has been an incredible amount of interest in this gig, but this isn’t unusual; Slane has featured in the Boston Globe, LA Times and the New York Times in the past and the Springsteen concert in 1985 featured on network television news in the US.

“DVDs of U2 and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers performing in Slane enjoyed phenomenal global sales and there are countless images of the Slane rock concerts on YouTube.

”Slane is not a conventional venue, it is not like a stadium, it has a different feel and the acts and performers like that. The history and nature of the venue, combined with the calibre of the acts, are what makes it so popular,” he said.

Preparation for this year’s concert, which also features The Blizzards, Glasvegas, Kasabian and The Prodigy, have been underway for some time but activity at Slane Castle has intensified in the past week or two.

For instance, last Wednesday there were hundreds of people on the concert site, erecting barriers and fencing, putting in a new roadway to improve crowd safety, upgrading existing roads and erecting marquees.

“We also have a lot of people involved in administration and co-ordination and handling media enquiries,” Mountcharles says. “We have been at it so long that everybody seems to know what they have to do.” He admitted the preperations would become more feverish as the day gets closer.

He also is very conscious of the disruption the concert causes in the local community and says they do everything they can to keep it to a minimum. “We didn’t have a show last year and people missed it. It brings life and economic activity to the village,” he said, pointing out that it also benefits business in Drogheda, Navan, Ashbourne and further afield.



“It doesn’t just benefit the area on the day of the concert. It heightens interest in the area,” he said.

Tragedy has stalked the concert in the past, particularly as a number of people have lost their lives in the Boyne at past concerts. Mountcharles said a river rescue operation, monitored by the Irish Coastguard, will be in place to prevent people from getting into the river.

“The Boyne is a beautiful river to look at but it is not for plunging into. I want to warn people to keep away from the river. It may look calm and placid but it is dangerous and it is not clever to go into it,” he said.

Mountcharles is already in negotiations for next year’s concert but, as usual, is remaining tightlipped about possible acts for that gig. He is also looking at other events for the castle. Apart from rock concerts and corporate events, weddings and other special events are held there regularly.

The Slane peer is really looking forward to the weekend and expects he will be absolutely “knackered” on Monday but feels, once again, it will be well worth it. He is urging concert-goers to respect the residents of Slane. “I need their support for the shows. So please follow directions from the Gardai and the road signage. Enjoy the show, but don’t spoil the day for anyone else,” he said.

Source: www.meathchronicle.ie

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