Oasis Tour Kickoff & Black Sabbath’s Final Show: A Back-to-Back Return/Farewell for Rock Fans Everywhere

For months now, I've been looking forward to this July 4th weekend. No, it's not because of the patriotic holiday. Instead, it's because of England.

In August 2024, Oasis announced a series of reunion shows in their native U.K. A month later, they announced a series of shows in North America. (This tour has since expanded to include shows in Asia, Australia, and South America.)

Similar to the 2016 "Not in This Lifetime..." tour from Guns N' Roses, this is really the first time I'll get to see Oasis live. Between being too young and growing up in a working-class family that didn't have a lot of spare money for concert tickets, I didn't have the chance to see either band in their heyday. The GN'R show I attended in 2016 was outstanding, and I look forward to seeing some of Manchester's most iconic exports later this summer.

The Oasis reunion, of course, marks the first time Noel and Liam Gallagher will perform together under the Oasis name since Noel quit the band in 2009. The Gallaghers are notorious for their fighting. But, as they declared when their first tour dates were announced, "The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised."

The Oasis tour is a massive deal for many reasons, but it serves as a reminder of how unique the Gallaghers were and still are. At the risk of alienating people, the Gallaghers are a prime example of how much personality rock and roll lacks today.

Are there incredibly talented artists and bands? Absolutely, but where are the swaggering rockers? Hell, where are the funny rockers today? If you want an example of both, watch this classic video of Liam Gallagher making a cup of tea. Can't embed it due to all of the f-bombs, but even if you've seen it already, watch it again. Truthfully, Liam makes some good points about why there are "no real rock and roll stars around."

Plenty of jokes have been made about this Oasis tour and whether Liam and Noel will make it to the end before killing each other. The tour kicks off on July 4th at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. Call it wishful thinking, but I believe this tour is going to be a massive success, if only to prove the doubters wrong. If there are two c-nts that would make it a point to make others eat their words, it's the Gallaghers. Here's hoping they are able to serve up a big s-it sandwich for haters to eat.

On July 5th, the day after Oasis kick off their reunion tour, Villa Park in Birmingham, England, will be the site of "Back To The Beginning," an all-star concert headlined by the final performance of Ozzy Osbourne as a solo artist and the final performance from the original Black Sabbath lineup.

Sabbath, of course, formed in Birmingham, and the show is as much a tribute to them as it is to the heavy metal and hard rock genres. Since "Back To The Beginning" was first announced in February, I've reported on its developments extensively. Simply put: The bill for this show is one of the ages, and it feels akin to the 1992 Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. (In fact, Metallica and Guns N' Roses were on that bill, too.)

While this show will see Sabbath take its final bow, it's extra poignant for Ozzy. The Prince of Darkness has been plagued with various health issues that have resulted in him being forced to cancel his farewell tour. With this hometown show and being joined by his Sabbath brothers and some of the biggest acts in metal and hard rock history, he can hopefully say goodbye on his terms. He's more than earned that. Even if you're not a big Ozzy fan (which, if you're not, what are you even doing still reading this?), you can't deny his impact.

Millions of people will celebrate Independence Day tomorrow and throughout the weekend. While I'll physically be in the United States, my heart will be across the pond, hopeful that Oasis and everyone on the "Back To The Beginning" bill show the world the power of rock and roll.