Handbags at dawn – Oasis tribute bands at war like the real Gallaghers
Like the warring Gallaghers, Liam and Noel, there’s also a huge rivalry between the Oasis tribute bands that are currently touring Australia.
One of the original tribute band are Noasis, who play at Sydney’s Manning Bar tomorrow [Saturday], and its lead singer Darren Spiby (Liam) – British-born but now lives in Australia – says there is huge rivalry between the tribute bands.
Although they coined the name Noasis in 1995, another one trademarked the name in the UK, and since then they’ve taken shots at each other on socials and in the media.
“There is huge football terrace type rivalry between the Oasis tribute band fans, not unlike Liam and Noel and Oasis and Blur back in the Britpop days, and trash talk across social media between band members is rife,” says Darren.
“The other Noasis claim to have formed in 2013. Although a bit like Oasis their line up seems to change as regularly as underpants.
”The claims of originality is pretty funny, as we all play Oasis's back catalogue of huge hits such as Supersonic, Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, and Champagne Supernova, not an original song in sight.
“We like to entertain the crowds who want to experience the rock shows of yesteryear, and always get comments from fans of ‘being back at Knebworth or Wembley, Loch Lomond or Main Road’ – these are legendary Oasis gigs that were performed to hundreds of thousands, before smart phones”
It's ironic how Noasis and all Oasis tribute bands carry the torch for the two brothers who can't seem to settle their differences to bring their music back to the masses.
Individually, both Liam and Noel Gallagher have had success over the 13 years they have been disbanded, but it's the tribute bands that push Oasis record sales and downloads, especially in Australia.
“It’s great as the younger generation get our shows,” says Darren. “ The18-25s are moshing at the front, the 26-plus in the middle with some sense of fragility and the 40+ either at the back drinking wine and entertaining a cheese board or totally misjudging their and throwing up in the wings after drinking pints of lager and moshing.”
Noasis are certainly the closest thing to Oasis this side of the pond and like the original, family blood runs through this band too, with tribute Liam Darren Spiby and Noel Darren's son Tom Spiby.
Some of the other tribute bands sport corking names such as Definitely Oasis, Some Might Say, Shakerfaker, Live Forever, Mad Ferret, Fauxasis, Saku, Stop the Clocks, Oas-ish, SuperSonic, Sally Can Wait, Themasterplan … and even footballer Lionel Messi even formed an Oasis tribute band in 2010!
Noasis play Sydney this Saturday, 30 April, at the Manning Bar and are touring nationally, including the Gold Coast, Melbourne, South Australia, Coolagatta, Brisbane, Perth and Freemantle. For more Australian tour dates click here.
Noasis are also touring the UK and Ireland between Sept 20th and 25th this year under the show name pseudonym “This is Hist’ry… right here… right now…” as a tribute to Oasis.
