Liam Gallagher dedicated the Oasis track Half The World Away to his estranged brother Noel during his headline set at the Reading Festival on Sunday evening – after burying the hatchet during a late night phone call.
Earlier in the day, the Mancunian rocker fuelled speculation he might reunite with Noel for a long-awaited Oasis comeback, despite their well documented estrangement.
Fans have urged the pair to regroup since their explosive split in 2009 which was sparked by a backstage brawl at the Rock en Seine festival in Paris.
During his headline slot at Reading on Sunday night, Liam, 51, performed a number of Oasis hits from their debut album Definitely Maybe to celebrate its 30th anniversary.
Introducing Half The World Away – a 1994 B-side that also featured as the theme tune to sitcom The Royle Family – he told revellers: ‘I wanna dedicate this song to Noel f**king Gallagher.’
Liam continued to keep fans guessing by dedicating his rendition of Cigarettes & Alcohol at the Reading Festival to people who hate Oasis.
The track, written by his older brother, was the final single on their 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe.
As he closed the set, Liam suggested an announcement could be made on Tuesday at 8:00am. A short clip of a sign in the style of Oasis logo was projected on a large screen above the stage and subsequently shared to Oasis, Noel and Liam’s official Instagram and X accounts.
The white rectangular box which a black block in the centre had the date “27.08.24” written in the middle where the band’s name is usually seen. It then flickered and changed to read “8am”.
A source told The Sun: ‘Noel and Liam are never going to be the best of friends but they want to bring Oasis back for the fans.
‘They aren’t getting any younger and the demand is huge. They decided it was now or never. Noel dug his heels in for a long time but has finally caved and agreed to return.
‘He spoke to Liam on the phone and they are on the same page. They know this reunion will go down in music history.’
Professor Jonathan Shalit OBE, chairman of talent agency InterTalent, told The Sun they could make more than £400million from the tour and any residual deals.
He said: ‘With tickets, sponsorship, merchandise and filming, I would predict an income for Noel and Liam of over £50million each. This is a tour that could easily gross over £400million.’
Oasis has been promised a payday of £50 million to reform and embark on a global tour, with Liam appearing to confirm the reunion.
The eye-watering sum is said to have convinced warring brothers Noel, 57, and Liam to bury the hatchet 15 years after they last appeared on stage together.
Their fractious relationship came to a head in 2009, after a backstage fight in Paris led to Noel leaving the band.
In recent years, Liam has been keen to make amends with his brother and reform the iconic Britpop band, but his older brother poured cold water on the idea.
But after Noel’s £20m divorce from ex-wife Sara MacDonald last year, the elder Gallagher is said to have been persuaded of the financial merits of getting the band together for dates at Glastonbury and Wembley Stadium.
It is expected to be the most popular tour in British concert history, with industry insiders saying the deal negotiated between the brothers will net them £50 million.
It comes as Liam sent Oasis fans into frenzy, as he appeared to confirm the Don’t Look Back In Anger singers would next year tour the country.
Asked on X, formerly Twitter, about the planned Oasis shows, Liam wrote: ‘See you down the front’.
He later told his 3.6m followers on the platform: ‘I never did like that word FORMER’.
Despite the thawing in their relations, the younger Gallagher couldn’t resist a dig at his brother. When asked what he would say to Noel when they return to the stage, he said: ‘Keep up’.
Fans have speculated Liam could confirm the reunion whilst on stage for his solo headline set at Reading Festival on Sunday night.
An account for the Oasis Podcast posted on X: ‘Liam I’m off to see you in Reading can you dedicate Columbia to the oasis podcast it’s my favourite song’whilst another wrote: ‘waiting for liam to bring noel out at reading and announce a oasis reunion.’
Liam has been touring the UK this summer on his Definitely Maybe tour to celebrate the 30 years since its release in 1994.
Noel has been notably absent from the concerts, but during a show in Cardiff Liam made a point of dedicating Half The World Away to his ‘little brother’, saying he is ‘still playing hard to get’.
Liam also played a host of Oasis hits during his headline performance at Reading’s sister site Leeds Festival on Friday night
The tweets came after reports that the warring brothers have finally put aside their differences with 2025 gigs lined up at Glastonbury, Heaton Park in Manchester, and a 10-day run at Wembley Stadium.
The tour is expected to take in dates in the UK at the Glastonbury festival and stadiums including Wembley, Twickenham and the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, as well as a run of dates at Liam and Noel Gallagher’s beloved Etihad Stadium, home to Manchester City football club.
It is understood that two huge promoters – SJM Concerts and Live Nation – are in the running to land the tour, which would include dates across Europe and in America.
As the Mail on Sunday revealed, Glastonbury have informed the band that a headline slot at next summer’s festival has been ‘left open’ for Oasis in the increasingly likely event the band confirm a reunion.
A music industry source said that a possible ten nights at Wembley Stadium next summer, surpassing the eight-gig record recently set by Taylor Swift, would be a ‘tough ask’ at this stage of the year with bookings at the iconic London venue already at a near maximum.
‘There will be a run of dates at Wembley if the Oasis tour goes ahead, but it’s a bit late to confirm a run of 10 dates now,’ said a music industry source.
‘Instead the tour is likely to take in other big stadiums in London, and in Manchester. Heaton Park is another possibility up there, as is a repeat of Liam Gallagher’s more recent gigs at Knebworth.’
10 gigs at Wembley in 2025 would break Taylor Swift’s recent record at the venue.
The Cruel Summer songstress, 34, played eight shows at the north London venue to delighted crowds in June and August – making her the first solo artist to play the stadium that many times.
She told the screaming audience: ‘You have made me the first solo artist to play Wembley eight times on a single tour!’
On Thursday, a video was released to mark the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe, Oasis’s debut album.
In the video, Noel – who previously said ‘I liked my Mum until she gave birth to Liam’ – was unusually complimentary about his little brother.
He said: ‘When I would sing a song, it would sound good. When he sung it, it sounded great.’
Noel added: ‘I can’t sing Cigarettes & Alcohol, Rock’n’Roll Star and all that. I don’t have the same attitude as him.’
‘My voice is half a Guinness on a Tuesday — it’s all right. Liam’s is ten shots of tequila on a Friday.’
Fans were also surprised to hear Noel pay Liam a string of compliments.
Reflecting on Liam’s performance on a number of their hits, Noel said: ‘It’s the delivery or the tone of his voice and the attitude.
‘I don’t have the same attitude as him.’
Next Wednesday will mark 15 years since Noel sensationally quit Oasis ‘with great relief’ following a backstage bust-up in Paris saying: ‘I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.’
The Paris bust up included a barrage of insults being traded and a guitar being ‘wielded like an axe’, to end a 15-year career which saw its fair share of Rock and roll antics from both siblings.
Last year, Noel joked in an interview on Radio X that he would ‘properly consider’ getting Oasis back together if he was given £8 million.
Asked whether it annoys him when people ask about a reunion, he said: ‘It used to really annoy me when I first started and now it’s just, it’s just whatever…
‘I’m fascinated with people asking the same question and getting the same answer, but the thing that is ongoing and will never get old is how the music just keeps appealing to another generation of fans.’
Formed in the 1990s, the Britpop group rose to fame with hits like Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger and Stop Crying Your Heart Out.
They went on to become arguably one of the biggest bands in British music history before their break-up in 2009.
The brothers went on to have successful solo careers, with Noel fronting the group Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
Fans said of the possible reunion on social media: ‘Felt it’s always been on the cards since Noel’s divorce. I haven’t been Glastonbury for two years (thanks Rowan) so go make a return when Oasis play it could be up there with Macca for me.
Others said: ‘Oasis reunion will be up there with the birth of my child.’,
‘I am very sceptical about the Oasis reunion rumours but something seems different this time. To see them live together in my lifetime would be amazing. Please…’,
‘Oasis Reunion announcement? @liamgallagher Come on’,
‘Oasis reunion is a done deal I’m hearing yus’,
‘oasis reunion making a particular kind of white dude (me) make incredibly irresponsible financial decisions.’,
‘woooooooooow oasis reunion.’,
‘OASIS REUNION FOR REAL?’