Seeing Oasis in Concert with My Son

Standing amid 70,000 people, a young man asked my son, “How old are you?” “13,” my son replied. The man continued, “You’re living the dream.” My son nodded as Oasis boomed from speakers all around.

My 13-year-old son wasn’t my first choice to take to the Oasis concert. I had other people in mind, but one by one they dropped out. My brother-in-law was going to go with me, but called a couple of hours before we were to leave. He had come down with something and was contagious. So, my options were my 13-year-old son or my 10-year-old daughter.

Many months ago, I signed up to get tickets for the Oasis concert at MetLife Stadium. I won the lottery and made it into the queue. I bought two tickets and was looking forward to going to the concert. Oasis released their first album in August 1994. I bought a CD right after hearing them on the radio. In college, they became one of my favorite bands, and long after the band broke up, I still sang their songs unprompted. I have long believed Oasis should be in the conversation when people talk about the top 10 bands of all-time.

Oasis famously split up because the two founding brothers, Liam and Noel Gallagher, could no longer get along. Whenever one of them was on a talk show or gave an interview, I craved for a reunion. Then, in August 2024, came the announcement that fans had desired for years; Oasis was getting back together for a tour.

Only 3 locations were selected for the reunion tour: MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The demand to see them was intense. I was lucky enough to get into the queue and buy the tickets.

My son knew a few songs since I play Oasis quite a bit in the house. As we drove to the concert, I gave him my backstory with the band. I told him how I would lie in my bed in my dorm room and play Oasis while staring at the ceiling. We got into the brothers disputing with one another and what led to the breakup. Still unsure about the “why.”

We arrived at the stadium and picked up our wristbands. The opening act was Cage the Elephant, and they put on a great show. I knew a couple of their songs, but really loved their energy. I became an instant fan and after their set, added a bunch of their songs to my Spotify playlist.

Then, Oasis took the stage. It is hard to explain the feeling. The closest I can come to is that if there was a life meter in your chest that went from empty to full and each time you did something momentous, the meter moved toward full, my meter would have moved closer to full at that moment. It appeared all was right with the world, and I was a part of something much bigger than myself. 70,000 people jumping, dancing, shouting, and singing together was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been to a lot of concerts, but nothing has matched that level of excitement.

We had floor tickets, which meant we were standing all night in a sea of Oasis fans. To say it was crowded is an understatement. Throughout the show, there was someone directly in my personal space all the way around. It also meant my son had a hard time seeing the stage.

While at the Oasis concert, I was 100% fan and 100% dad, which meant I was having a great time and being in the moment, but was also constantly aware of my son’s happiness. I kept positioning him and giving him ideas about where to stand so he could see the stage, but it was difficult. He mostly had to watch the large screens that showed what was happening on the stage. It was also extremely crowded, and I had concerns for his comfort.

As the concert moved along, intoxication set in for many people on the floor, and people were tossing their beers and water into the air. If I were by myself or with another adult, it wouldn’t have bothered me. Since I was with my son, I went into protective dad mode, and with each drink that flew into the air; I searched for the culprit.

Smoke from cigarettes and weed was also constantly swirling around us. At one point, a man in front of me got mad because every time he blew his cigarette smoke into the air, I blew it away from us. It became a funny moment for my son and me as with each drag; he got a face full of my hot breath. I asked my son if he wanted to move to the back, but he said no each time.

I knew my son didn’t want to move to the back because he wanted me to have a great time. Being six feet tall , I could usually see the stage easily. He also knew how badly I wanted to see the concert. About half-way though the show, I motioned for him to follow me, and we went to the back. My son still couldn’t see the stage, but we at least had room to move around.

We weren’t as close as I wanted to be, but, more importantly, my son was happier and more comfortable. It didn’t affect my fun, as I could still see Liam singing with his hands held behind his back and Noel strumming and singing my favorite tunes.

The best moment of the night came while I was singing along with the masses with other Oasis fans, and I looked over and my son was singing along too. He learned the songs through a process of osmosis. It was another example of kids learning by watching their parents.

 

With my voice slightly above a whisper from all the singing and yelling, we left the stadium and made our way to the car. I parked near the exit, which is something I aways do at events, so I can have an easy exit. We quickly exited MetLife and talked about our favorite songs and the moments my son didn’t care for.

I do not know if seeing Oasis with me will be a core memory for him. Maybe one day when he’s older he can brag to his friends that he was at Oasis’ reunion tour. Or maybe he’ll focus on getting beer tossed on him from above. What he won’t remember is that his dad made him stand where he wasn’t comfortable.

For me, it was a perfect mix of being in the moment and being a dad. I got to see the greatest concert of my life with one of my favorite people on earth.

If you’re a fan of Oasis, get the tickets. If you’re a fan of Oasis and a parent, you might want to stay off the floor. It’s hard for kids to see, and there’s a lot of pushing, smoking, and beer tossing.

Here are some other concert stories:
Growing up with Green Day and Finally Seeing Them in Concert
Taking My Daughter to a Depeche Mode Concert and the Feelings That Followed
Raising Fists and Parenting During a Public Enemy Concert