With the exciting news of Noel and Liam Gallagher putting their differences aside for an Oasis reunion tour, it is the perfect time to reminisce about their memorable performances at the Isle of Wight Festival over the years.
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The County Press takes a nostalgic look back at the Gallagher brothers’ Isle of Wight appearances, where they delivered iconic performances that fans will never forget.
2011: Liam Gallagher’s stormy debut
Flashback to 2011 – Game of Thrones just aired its first season, Novak Djokovic was on the brink of his first Wimbledon title, and Liam Gallagher made his first IW Festival appearance.
Taking to the stage on Sunday evening at the tenth revised IW Festival, Liam fronted his post-Oasis band, Beady Eye.
Despite the torrential rain that soaked both the stage and the crowd, Liam, ever the showman, donned a Union Jack coat and kept spirits high, quipping to the crowd that they “still looked pretty good, mate,” regardless of the downpour.
2012: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying UK debut
Fast forward to 2012 – a year marked by the London Olympics and the iconic ‘Mobot’ and England’s heartbreaking Euro 2012 exit on penalties against Italy.
The same day as the quarter-final defeat, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds made their UK festival debut on the Isle of Wight.
Battling a cold, Noel still managed to deliver a headline performance on Sunday night, with Bruce Springsteen closing the event that year.
Drawing an enormous crowd, Noel belted out a set that included a few beloved Oasis tracks.
The sing-along to Don’t Look Back in Anger was a festival highlight.
Noel dedicated What a Life to the Manchester City fans at Seaclose Park and took a cheeky jab at any Italians in attendance just before the night’s fateful match.
2018: Liam Gallagher returns
2018 saw Liam Gallagher’s return to the IW Festival, just months after the Beast from the East stormed across the Island, amidst Prince Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle and as the World Cup kicked off in Russia.
Originally scheduled to perform on Sunday, Liam switched his set to Saturday night, accommodating his desire to catch England’s game against Panama.
Headlining with Depeche Mode, Liam blended tracks from his first solo album with crowd-pleasing Oasis hits.
Known for his on-stage banter, Liam offered the crowd a choice between Live Forever, Wonderwall, or he could ‘just f*ck off’.
Unsurprisingly, he played both Oasis classics.
With just minutes left of his one-hour-long set, Liam sped through a high-energy version of Wonderwall to close his set.
2019: Noel Gallagher’s second act
2019 saw the return of Noel Gallagher to the Island during a year of significant events – from the birth of Archie, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first child, to Donald Trump taking an unprecedented stroll into North Korea
Noel, alongside his band High Flying Birds, took to the main stage on Friday night.
Known for his no-nonsense style, Noel didn’t address the crowd until three songs into the set, simply greeting, “Good evening, Isle of Wight Festival,” before launching into his next song.
Noel shared a story about a fan who claimed they must be related because his name was also Gallagher, and his family was “from Newcastle too.”
As a nod to the generations of fans present, Noel dedicated Don’t Look Back in Anger to the crowd’s parents and wrapped up his set with a cover of The Beatles’ All You Need is Love.
2021: Liam Gallagher’s helicopter mishap
The year 2021 brought more drama both on and off the stage.
England lost to Italy (again), Emma Raducanu won the US Open, and Boris Johnson faced scrutiny over a ‘business meeting’ during the previous Christmas.
However, the festival later in the year than usual due to Covid, Liam Gallagher returned for the third time, in September, headlining Friday night, maracas in hand and wearing his trademark parka.
His set was a mix of solo tracks and Oasis classics, much to the delight of festival fans.
Joining him on stage were original Oasis guitarist Bonehead and Liam’s son, Gene, who made a special guest appearance on drums.
Ever the joker, Liam quipped about the audience getting “two Gallaghers for the price of one”.
As the night drew to a close, he finished with the crowd-favourite Wonderwall.
The night took a dramatic turn when Liam fell from his private helicopter post-show, sustaining facial injuries.
Liam took to social media to share a photo from his hospital bed, bruised but still in good spirits.
As Noel and Liam prepare to reunite for an Oasis tour, fans cannot help but recall these unforgettable performances.
And, who knows, maybe we will see them both out on stage at the IW Festival soon?
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