Richard Ashcroft – former lead singer of Wigan band The Verve – has pulled out of Tramlines Festival after it became a pilot event for government testing.
The musician was due to play a headline slot at the Hillsborough Park festival later this month – which has been permitted to take place at full capacity as part of the government’s Events Research Programme.
But on Monday (July 5), Ashcroft confirmed he would not be playing the event.
The singer shared a screenshot of an announcement revealing Tramlines was going ahead but appeared to cover up his own face from the image.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ8ezDCsBHH/
“Apologies to my fans for any disappointment but the festival was informed over 10 days ago that I wouldn’t be playing once it had become part of a government testing programme,” he wrote.
“I had informed my agent months ago I wouldn’t be playing concerts with restrictions. The status of the festival was one thing when I signed up for it, but, sadly was forced to become something else.”
He also added the hashtags #naturalrebel and #theydontownme.
Messages sent from Ashcroft’s official Twitter account also confirmed that the singer would not appear at Tramlines.
A spokesperson said: “Richard wishes to confirm that in spite of the publicity issued by the tramlines organisers he is not appearing at the tramlines festival on July 24.
“He does not understand why he is billed as appearing. Once he was advised that he could only appear subject certain government restrictions he immediately advised the organisers that he would not appear under those circumstances.
“He apologises to all of his fans for the confusion but that was not of his making.”
All restrictions on mass gatherings including festivals are set to end on July 19 – four days before the first day of Tramlines.
However, the festival will still form part of the Events Research Programme as the government looks to trial the use of the NHS app for COVID-status certification on a larger scale “to inform how crowds can return to live events safely”.
According to the Tramlines website, all ticket-holders will be required to show proof of a negative COVID result from a lateral flow test taken within the previous 48 hours, or two vaccination doses, with the second received at least 14 days before.
There will be no social distancing or mask-wearing requirements at the event.
The festival will also feature Dizzee Rascal, The Streets, The Kooks and Blossoms.
In March, Ian Brown also pulled out of a festival over government restrictions – claiming he would no longer play Neighbourhood as he “refused to accept vaccination proof as condition of entry.”
The former Stone Roses lead singer was replaced by the band James.
The ULTIMATE guide to Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour at Heaton Park – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
The biggest export in Manchester music history, Oasis, are officially back performing, and they’re about to play five nights right here in Heaton Park this summer.
You can finally ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ over the years spent without the Gallaghers performing together, because the time has finally come… Their momentous homecoming is just DAYS away.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – for us Mancs at least – as Oasis are heading to Heaton Park for five whole nights of Britpop brilliance.
Anyway, enough chitter-chatter, you’re here for a comprehensive Oasis gig guide for their Manchester dates, so let’s get stuck in.
Gig guide | Oasis Live ’25 at Heaton Park, Manchester – all the info
Oasis are bringing their reunion tour ‘Oasis Live ’25’ to Heaton Park across five nights in July.Credit: Supplied
Oasis UK reunion tour dates
Fri 4 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium – you can see the scenes from night one HERE.
Sat 5 July – Cardiff, UK – Principality Stadium
Fri 11 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 12 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Wed 16 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sat 19 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Sun 20 July – Manchester, UK – Heaton Park
Fri 25 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 26 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Wed 30 July – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 2 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Sat 3 August – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
Are there any Oasis tickets left for the Heaton Park shows?
We feel like you already know the answer to this one, surely?
Unfortunately, all five of their Heaton Park dates – just like the rest of the domestic shows and, indeed, all over the globe – are completely sold out.
However, you’re in luck: our music counterpart, Audio North, is running an exciting competition that includes TWO tickets to see Oasis Live ’25 right here in Manchester at Heaton Park.
Of course, there’s always the off chance of grabbing last-minute spares from friends, family and via trusted resellers like Twickets and TicketSwap, but always proceed with caution, and you might as well throw your hat in the ring whilst you’re here.
It’s simple: pay a visit to either of Heaton Park’s on-site cafes (The Stables or The Lakeside), order ‘Digsy’s Dinner’, or a little lunch for yourself, and you’ll automatically be entered into a prize draw that could see you and a mate living it large on 20 July for the Burnage boys final night in Manchester.
Oasis Live ’25 reunion setlist – so far, anyway
The Manc Britpop legends have seven studio albums to their name, so it will come as no surprise that the setlist for the ‘Oasis Live ’25’ shows is a hefty one that tries to work their way through most of the big hits, but they do prioritise the first three albums.
No ‘Shock of the Lightning’ there, if you’ll pardon the pun.
Oasis starring in their official music video for ‘Wonderwall’ in 1995.Credit: Screenshot via YouTube
Here’s the setlist from the first two nights of the Live ’25 reunion tour, as Oasis played a pair of biblical shows at Principality Stadium in Cardiff to kick off their long-awaited comeback. Of course, they’ll most likely tweak and experiment with this lineup of tracks from time to time, but here’s how it looks so far:
Hello
Acquiesce
Morning Glory
Some Might Say
Bring It On Down
Cigarettes & Alcohol
Fade Away
Supersonic
Roll With It
Talk Tonight
Half the World Away
Little by Little
D’You Know What I Mean?
Stand by Me
Cast No Shadow
Slide Away
Whatever
Live Forever
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star
The Masterplan
Don’t Look Back in Anger
Wonderwall
Champagne Supernova
Die-hard fans will be pleased to hear they do still walk out to their iconic intro, ‘F***in’ in the Bushes’, so there is some representation post-Be Here Now.
We broke down all the details from Oasis in Cardiff – Night One to see what it could mean for Manchester.
What are the stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester?
According to Ticketmaster, the opening times for doors at each of the Manchester shows are scheduled for 3:30pm; however, Oasis’ Heaton Park stage times are yet to be confirmed by the band themselves.
The Principality Stadium gigs saw support acts starting from 6pm (5:59pm, to be exact) with Oasis taking to the stage from roughly 8:15pm.
In fact, pretty much everyone got started a minute early on night one in Cardiff, so we guess you could say everyone involved was just as eager as the Oasis fans themselves.
Heaton Park has a curfew of 11pm, so fans can rest easy knowing they can listen to every note of the seven-and-a-half-minute-long number ‘Champagne Supernova’ without having to stay up all night long – not that anyone is going to be bed after this full-on cultural event.
Anyone wanting to know how excited Liam is ahead of the upcoming shows needs to take a scroll through his X (Formerly Twitter) and you’ll soon see just how excited he is.
He also confirmed the Cardiff set times prematurely, too. Someone should really take his phone off him at this point…
Nevertheless, we were pleased to see Wigan’s finest, Richard Ashcroft, confirmed as the first warm-up act, who had no shame in confessing he was absolutely “buzzing” to be a part of the reunion shows.
The former Verve frontman and the Gallaghers are big supporters of one another, and we’re sure that Heaton Park will erupt into chaos the second ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ plays out this July.
The Liverpool natives are known for smash hit singles including ‘Walkaway’, ‘Finetime’ and ‘Sandstorm’, joining the younger Gallagher brother, describing these upcoming gig opportunities as “biblical”.
What are the expected drinks prices for the Oasis gigs?
Although official drinks prices have not been released yet, another one of the biggest dates in the Manchester music calendar, Parklife, took place last month and can be used as a rough calculation.
Spirit and mixers
Smirnoff No.21 Vodka- £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Spiced Gold – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Captain Morgan Black Spiced – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Johnnie Walker Black Label – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s London Dry Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Gordon’s Pink Gin – £11.80 for double, £7.90 for single
Casamigos Blanco Tequila – £14.80 for double, £10.90 for single
Included mixers: Pepsi Max, Pepsi Max Cherry, 7Up Free, Ginger Beer, Tonic, Soda, Grapefruit Soda
Rockstar Energy drink mixers: Tropical Guava, Peach Zero Sugar, Original – +£1
Pre-mixed cans
Smirnoff Miami Peach- £9.50
Captain Morgan X Pepsi Max – £9.50
Gordon’s Gin & Tonic – £9.50
Johnnie Walker & Lemonade – £9.50
Captain Morgan Muck Pit Brew – £8.50
Jagermeister
Jagermeister Mule – £11.80
Jagerbomb – £7.90
Jagermeister ice cold shot – £6.90
Jagermeister cold brew coffee shot – £6.90
Wine
Rose/white wine, 187ml – £7.95
Beer and cider
Poretti Lager – £6.65
Somersby Cider – £6.65
0.4% Brooklyn Special Effects Hoppy Lager – £5.50
White Claw
Blackberry – £7.90
Green apple – £7.90
Mango – £7.90
Raspberry – £7.90
Parklife drinks prices may set the tone for what Oasis fans can expect.There will be an array of bars and drinks options throughout the park.Credit: The Manc Group
Where can I buy merchandise for Oasis Live ’25?
You don’t have to travel ‘Half The World Away’ to find a good selection of Oasis merchandise, our bustling city is full of it – and we for one certainly aren’t complaining.
Ahead of the biggest Manchester gigs of the year, two exclusive Oasis merchandise pop-up shops have opened – one of them being on the city’s shopping hub, Market Street, which has seen the band’s long-standing affinity with adidas rekindled.
Launching to the general public on Thursday, 3 July, adidas and Oasis have teamed up to open a pop-up shop selling an exclusive 90s-inspired collection.
There might even be some merch items that have been right under your nose the whole time, like these impressive and colourful tees from jeans mastermind Levi’s in Manchester Arndale.
Any eager-eyed office commuters will have noticed there’s an official merchandise pop-up trailer outside Manchester Central Library at St. Peter’s Square ahead of the five monumental shows.
And of course, there will be merch points spread across various locations in Heaton Park where you can sport your very own Oasis-branded apparel and accessories like a keyring or bottle opener.
There’s plenty of t-shirts and Oasis memorabilia at the official fan shop in Spinningfields.You can shop Oasis merch at multiple Manchester stores including Levi’s.Credit: The Manc
How to get to Heaton Park
Last but not least, if you’ve never been to the massive green space before, your best bet is to travel via tram or other Bee Network public transport. Metrolink services will be running direct from Victoria to the venue during the day, and thankfully, it’s just a case of getting off at the Heaton Park tram stop itself.
From there, you can enter the event site via the North Gate; after the party is over, the Bowker Vale tram stop located near the East Gate is your quickest exit. Please also be mindful that Heaton Park station will also be closed from 9pm due to help with congestion and safety reasons.
Otherwise, the usual Big Green Coaches will also be running from the city centre, which can be booked in advance, and taxis home will be available from Blackley New Road and along Bury Old Road.
The posters of our Burnage boys Liam and Noel have been cropping up around town.
Throughout the city, there are also lots of official Oasis wayfinding signage which direct any concertgoers to the tram stop at Victoria, which runs directly to Heaton Park every 6 minutes on Oasis gig days.
Alongside this, a shuttle bus service will be running from Lever Street to Heaton Park and back on any of the upcoming Manchester Oasis dates.
The signage will direct people arriving at Piccadilly Station through the Northern Quarter to Victoria Station to either the shuttle buses or the Victoria trams.
And that should be just all the important key information you need to know ahead of what is sure to be nothing short of one of the most memorable nights of your life and in music history.
We’re sure you’re about to have a ‘Supersonic’ night, let’s just hope the weather makes sure to ‘Cast No Shadow’ over these five very important nights of Manchester music history – the last of our puns for today, we promise.
An Oasis lookalike competition is happening in Manchester city centre this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Manchester, we’ve made it.
It was only a matter of time, but after celebrity lookalike competitions absolutely took the world by storm last summer, with droves of Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal, and Pedro Pascal wannabes gathering in the streets of New York and London over several different weekends, Manchester is finally getting in on the action this year.
And of course, what else could be more fitting on the weekend Oasis returns to their hometown than a Gallaghers Lookalike Competition?
In case you (somehow… really, how?) hadn’t heard, Liam and Noel have finally buried the hatchet and reformed as Oasis for the first time in more than a decade – with the long-awaited Live ’25 tour getting underway in Cardiff over this past weekend.
Now that Cardiff is done and dusted, the brothers – along with more than 300,000 fans – are returning home and will be descending on Manchester’s Heaton Park from this Friday (11 July) for five nostalgia-drenched gigs full of iconic tunes.
Anyone heading to the second Oasis gig on Saturday 12 July, or even anyone who isn’t, is invited to practice their best Gallagher impressions and make their way over to St Peter’s Square in the heart of the city centre to take part in a lookalike competition that’s bound to get plastered all over social media.
The competition is being hosted at The Manchester Shop – the legendary local gift emporium on the ground floor of Affleck’s – from their dedicated stall at the MCR Live ’25 pop-up markets in St Peter’s Square, which is set to see hundreds of Oasis fans gather to soak up to atmosphere during the day, before journeying over to Heaton Park.
An Oasis lookalike competition is happening in Manchester city centre this weekend / Credit: Stefan Branding (via Wikimedia Commons) | Flickr
At the markets – which are part of the wider MCR Live ’25 events – you’ll also find local makers, artists, and indie traders gathering for a celebration of sound, style, and city pride.
But we have no doubt the Gallaghers Lookalike Competition is going to draw in crowds.
“Think you’ve got the swagger of Liam? Or the scowl of Noel? Prove it at our Gallagher Brothers Lookalike Competition,” event organisers wrote on social media.
So, no matter whether you’re ‘mad fer it’ or you just fancy a bit of a laugh ahead of what is one of the most important gigs of the century so far, make sure to dig out your parkas and tambourines, come dressed to impress, and get ready show off your best Gallagher vibes.
Prizes, tunes, and Mancunian mayhem are ‘guaranteed’.
The Manc -
6th July 2021 
