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'Never seen queues like this': Oasis fans complain of wait times, prices as Australia pre-sale opens

Author
Lana Andelane,
Publish Date
Mon, 14 Oct 2024, 4:09pm
Oasis announced their reunion gigs for 2025 on August 27. Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, estranged for over 15 years, will be bringing the Oasis Live '25 tour to the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. Photo / Getty Images
Oasis announced their reunion gigs for 2025 on August 27. Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, estranged for over 15 years, will be bringing the Oasis Live '25 tour to the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. Photo / Getty Images

'Never seen queues like this': Oasis fans complain of wait times, prices as Australia pre-sale opens

Author
Lana Andelane,
Publish Date
Mon, 14 Oct 2024, 4:09pm

The pre-sale for the Australian leg of Oasis’ reunion tour opened on Monday - with fans on tenterhooks as to whether they’d score coveted tickets.

Formerly estranged brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher are bringing their Oasis Live ‘25 reunion tour to Australia next year, with two shows at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium scheduled for October 31 and November 1 and two shows at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on November 7 and 8.

While the general sale opens on Tuesday, October 15, fans who were drawn from the pre-sale ballot could try their luck at securing tickets a day earlier, with the pre-sale opening at 2pm and 4pm (NZ time) for the Melbourne and Sydney shows respectively.

Fans who were successful in the registration ballot were given an exclusive code to enter the sale; however, it would not guarantee tickets, it warned on the band’s social media.

Tickets for the shows have been priced from A$187.39 (NZ$207.14) to A$411.67 (NZ$455.05), with a handling fee from A$8.95 per order.

Tickets for the 17-date UK and Ireland leg of the tour quickly sold out on August 31, with fans complaining of technical issues and long online waits that often ended in disappointment. People who tried to access the three merchants — Ticketmaster, See Tickets, and Gigsandtours — reported issues including error messages and being kicked out of the queue before they could purchase tickets.

The high demand to see Oasis 16 years after their last performance had fans Down Under concerned they’d miss out, including New Zealanders who scored pre-sale access.

“It is a bit distressing that the demand is so high that people are just going to miss out for reasons outside of anyone’s control,” an Auckland-based fan who got access the Sydney pre-sale told the Herald.

Shortly after the Melbourne pre-sale opened at 2pm (NZ time), Ticketmaster Australia posted on X that “as expected, the Oasis pre-sale is incredibly popular”.

“Queues are moving and tickets are still available. To keep your place in line, be sure not to navigate away from the page,” it warned, adding 20 minutes later: “The queues for the Oasis Live ‘25 Fan pre-sale are moving. Tickets are still available all dates.”

However, Griffith University professor, Dr Christine Feldman-Barrett, posted on X that she had “never seen ticketing queues like this”.

“The pre-sale ticket queue for Oasis! Goodness gracious, me. Never seen ticketing queues like this for concerts in Australia,” she wrote. “Seems like the whole world wants to see them in Melbourne.”

About 10 minutes after the sale opened, one X user said “17,290 people” were ahead of them in the queue. Another reported that while the queue was “moving”, there were still “15,820″ people before them.

“Loved being early in the queue and getting the tickets I wanted in my cart, to then just have to watch this payment processing screen for several minutes until the timer ran out and I lost the tickets … great stuff!” another vented.

Others were disappointed with the prices, with one fan declaring, “$305 [NZ$337] for GA. What a f****** joke.”

“The prices … yikes!!!! Yeah, nah,” said a second, while a third posted: “Crikey I don’t think I’ve ever paid $300+ per ticket to a gig ever. To be fair I haven’t been to many gigs since having kids … but I was laughing at the Swifties not that long ago. Joke is on me now.”

“Did anyone get pre-sale Oasis GA tickets in Melbourne that weren’t $330?” another weighed in, to which one lucky ticketholder replied that they had scored passes for A$183.

Ticket prices for Oasis’ UK tour caused outrage across social media, with standing tickets said to be priced at around £150 (NZ$315). The cheapest seats set fans back £73 ($153), while those who forked out for the top premium package spent around £506 ($1062) - sums one fan branded “insane”.

“Concert ticket prices are ridiculous these days. I know it’s not just Oasis, but their gig at Wembley [Stadium] in 2009 was £38 which would be the equivalent of about £59 today with inflation - yet they’re charging £150 ... absolutely insane,” they continued in a post to X at the time.

“Working class heroes Oasis charging £150 for a standing ticket,” another deadpanned.

Following the sale, local ministers announced they were planning to probe the use of “dynamic” pricing that saw increased costs for thousands of fans who struggled to secure tickets.

At 3:15pm, Ticketmaster Australia confirmed there were no general admission floor tickets remaining for Marvel Stadium, but seated tickets were still available.

“Tickets are still available, but inventory is limited for Marvel Stadium,” it added.

Those who successfully purchased tickets were quick to share their ecstasy on X, with one posting: “Fan pre-sale worked beautifully, see you boys there, Sat, Nov 1, 2025!”

“Wembley, Los Angeles, Melbourne. Bring on 2025,” another super-fan declared.

Melbourne hopefuls had already been taking to social media in the lead-up to the pre-sale, with several expressing their scepticism at securing tickets.

“Getting ready to miss out on Oasis tickets in the pre-sale brb [be right back],” one joked.

On Sunday, Victoria’s Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events, Steve Dimopoulos, announced the Oasis Live ‘25 tour had been classified as a major event, meaning tickets are protected under the state’s tough anti-scalping laws.

Tickets to a declared major event can’t be advertised or resold for more than 10% above their original value, the announcement said. Ticket package sellers are also required to be authorised by the event organiser, and individual sellers must include ticket and seating details.

“Melbourne is Australia’s live music capital, and we have a very clear stance on ticket scalping – do not resell tickets to concerts at inflated prices because you will be fined,” Dimopoulos said in a statement.

When and why did Oasis break up?

The Britpop band officially imploded in 2009, 18 years after first forming in Manchester, England in 1991.

The end of the Wonderwall hitmakers followed an intense on-and-off feud between the Gallagher brothers, who have continued to publicly trade barbs and brickbats over the past 15 years.

Although it’s not known what prompted the Gallaghers’ reconciliation, some outlets have speculated that the recent divorce of Noel, 57, and Sara MacDonald may have been a key factor in their truce. Local media reported that Noel, Oasis’ primary songwriter, paid MacDonald £20 million ($42.4m) in the divorce settlement; she also is said to have received their £8m ($17m) mansion.

According to the Daily Mail, the hefty payout to MacDonald - who also had a notoriously fractious relationship with Liam, 51 - may have played a role in Noel’s decision to reunite with his brother, given the financial merits of an Oasis comeback.

Last year, sources also alleged the divorce had benefited Noel and Liam’s relationship, claiming the once-estranged brothers were “closer than they have been for years”.

Following news of their reunion , the band issued the joint statement: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

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