Friday evening will see Oasis take the stage for the first time in 16 years in front of a sell-out crowd at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. After years of rumours and speculation following their acrimonious 2009 split, the Britpop group announced their reunion last year.
Tickets have been like gold dust, and there has been intense debate among fans, and bettors, over the opening song. ‘Acquiesce’ and ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ are the current favourites, priced 11/8 with William Hill.
Oasis used several tracks to kick off their live performances back in the day. ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’, ‘Columbia’ and ‘Hello’ were all rotated as openers over the years, while classics such as ‘Shakermaker’ from ‘Definitely Maybe’ and ‘Morning Glory’ from the band’s blockbusting second album have all been discussed among fans.
Let’s take a look at the odds from William Hill.
| Song | Odds |
|---|---|
| ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ | 11/8 |
| ‘Acquiesce’ | 11/8 |
| ‘Hello’ | 5/2 |
| ‘Supersonic’ | 6/1 |
| ‘Shakermaker’ | 7/1 |
| ‘Morning Glory’ | 8/1 |
| ‘Half the World Away’ | 16/1 |
| ‘Cigarettes and Alcohol’ | 20/1 |
| ‘Live Forever’ | 20/1 |
| ‘The Swamp Song’ | 20/1 |
| ‘Wonderwall’ | 20/1 |
Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’: Could be Liam’s Choice but Will it Open at Cardiff?
Liam Gallagher stated in an interview last year that ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ would be the first song he would want to play live should the reunion happen. The track was the opening track on the band’s first album ‘Definitely Maybe’ and was used to open gigs in the early years.
However, Liam has used ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ as the first track during his solo career so maybe Noel might not be as keen. We think that this is possible but definitely not nailed on.
‘Acquiesce’: They Need Each Other!
A classic example of a B side that many think should have been the A side, ‘Acquiesce’ was one of the most popular tracks of the band’s mid 90’s heyday. The line “we need each other” could be a very apt reminder of why the Gallagher brother reunion took place.
‘Acquiesce’ featured early in the setlists of the 1996 gigs at Knebworth, following ‘The Swamp Song’ and ‘Columbia’ and is a strong choice to open the batting this year. We think that this could happen. It would strike the balance of entering with a popular crowd pleaser while keeping the most popular tracks until later.
Good to be Back! ‘Hello’ Could be the Perfect Intro
The first track on the acclaimed second album ‘(What’s the Story) Morning Glory’, ‘Hello’ has opened sets in the past and has suitable lyrics and sound to fit the moment. Don’t rule this one out!
Shake it up Baby? ‘Shakermaker’ Might be a Shout
This track from the first album was the first song performed at the band’s appearance at Glastonbury in 1994, just as they were bursting onto the scene. Could this track be used to relaunch the second coming? Definitely a maybe!
‘The Swamp Song’: A Possible Value Bet!
Classed as an outsider to kick things off, ‘The Swamp Song’ was played by Noel and the band leading into Liam making his entrance for much of the 1996 tour. Given how iconic the Knebworth gigs were, we think that this is definitely worth speculating on at 20/1.
