‘No One Should Watch Oasis Alone’: Meet The Ticketless Diehards On Gallagher Hill

"St Monica’s School over there is where I learnt the chords to Wonderwall…I used to run across this field hiding from my PE teacher."Cries of “any spare tickets!” are the first thing I hear when getting off the tram at Heaton Park on Saturday afternoon. Oasis are performing possibly their last ever concerts in Manchester this weekend, and the entire city wants to be there. Thanks to ticketing controversy and the rest of Britain also wanting a piece of the action, they can’t be. But walking the streets around the park, it’s clear that Manchester isn’t going to let the small matter of tickets get in the way of worshiping their spiritual leaders.A group have parked themselves on the kerb opposite the main entrance to the arena, where fences block most of the view. A girl waves her arms and shouts “go on Richard” as former frontman of The Verve, Richard Ashcroft, tonight’s main support act, strikes up. Just down the road, the beer garden of the appropriately named Ostrich pub is full of drinkers craning their necks in the vain hope of seeing something. Some aren’t content with listening from afar though. Next to a sign which says “do not climb park railings and wall” I watch as two lads scale the perimeter fence, and see their joy become devastation as they’re grabbed by a police officer who politely informs them that they’ve just climbed into the public area of the park – not the main arena. By far the most popular destination for ticketless fans is Gallagher Hill - the mound which sits just above the main arena in the public part of Heaton Park. It’s gained its place in Mancunian folklore (and a pin on Google maps) in recent weeks, as thousands of fans have gathered to listen to their heroes perform and get high on the buzz that only Oasis can bring to this city. Jason, equipped with a bucket hat and maracas, has brought his whole family here after failing to get tickets in the main sale and through resale. “We tried every day but couldn’t get tickets” he explains, “I saw them back in ’95 on the Morning Glory tour, I’m 52 now and reliving my youth…we weren’t missing it.” Jason brought his whole family along with him to Gallagher Hill.Despite attracting global attention on social media, the hill is mostly full of locals. Another superfan, Andy, lives nearby and has come sporting a parka and sunglasses. He went to the band’s homecoming gig last Friday, then watched from the hill the following day, and has now returned to see the band for the third time with his dad Paul. “This is all local people, these are all people who’ve been brought up with Oasis” he says. “St Monica’s School over there is where I learnt the chords to Wonderwall…I used to run across this field hiding from my PE teacher.“It’s got momentum, this place, everybody’s absolutely loving the atmosphere, the vibe. You can feel it.”Crowds on the hill have grown exponentially as word has spread, with well over five thousand people gathering each night by the end of the band’s run of shows. This wasn’t foreseen by the local council, who tried to discourage people from going by erecting a ten feet high wall around the hilltop this week. Many speculated that this would be the end of the hill’s popularity, but the resulting news coverage only drove more attention towards it, even though another huge wall and a thicket of trees completely blocked the view of the stage.Today, the crowd is awash with bucket hats, tambourines, camping chairs and beer, but it’s all very good natured in a rascally Mancunian way which would make Liam Gallagher proud. I’m struck by how many kids are around. It’s well known that much of Oasis’ popularity now comes from generations who’ve never watched them before, but seeing just how young some fans are is striking. One mum, Carla, has brought her two primary school aged boys here.“The kids love them…he’s learning to play Songbird on the guitar” she explains, pointing at her youngest son.Teenager Adam and his Dad Simon also share a love of the band. The cross-generational appeal of Oasis is obvious.“I wasn’t planning to [come here] but he bent my ear for a week” Simon says. “This is a rebirth, because there’s a generation of people who’ve never known Oasis in their formative years, and now you look at them and they’re diehard Oasis fans.”Nobody showcases this better than Harry and Lennon, two guys in sky blue bucket hats who were too young to remember the band the first time around. “We grew up on them, singing [their songs] together. They’ve got so many bangers, literally every song is a banger. They’re the best. “We were gonna sneak in, but then we saw that this was happening and we thought we’d join the party. We’d do anything to be inside [the arena] though.”It’s a strange thing, listening to a gig but not watching it. Liam’s whiney drawl is clearly identifiable but muffled by the barrier of trees, and the actual barrier, which separate us from him. It’s hard to catch every word he says but it doesn’t matter – the crowd fill in the gaps. Harry and LennonWhen the band opens with Hello there’s a roar of excitement. Some continue with picnics, while others jump on each other’s shoulders and set off flares, just as they would if they were on the other side of the fence. Gallagher Hill might be everyone’s second choice of destination this evening, but people are making the best of the cards they’ve been dealt. More than probably any other band, Oasis’ popularity was built on the collective feelings of a nation. Their music is best enjoyed when it’s being belted out by a crowd of thousands, which is why so many have come together on the hill. In isolated times, a blast of nostalgia and togetherness is too good to resist. As the band charge through their set, a woman taps me on the shoulder and gives me an instruction.“Come here you, sit with us. Nobody should have to watch Oasis on their own.”On Gallagher Hill, there’s no chance of that.Related...Critics Are All Saying The Same Thing After The First Of Oasis' Long-Awaited Comeback ShowsFirst Look At Noel And Liam Gallagher Reunited Ahead Of Oasis Comeback ShowsLiam And Noel Gallagher's Mum Didn't Exactly Have The Reaction To Oasis' Reunion You Might Expect

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