GRAND BY ME

Croker gig one of the best nights of my life

- MARK KAVANAGH

THE 16th show on the Oasis Live 25 comeback tour was arguably the noisiest and most celebratory concert in Irish live music history.

The last, and only previous, time Noel Gallagher graced a stage in Croke Park he had performed to a half empty stadium and sang, among others, five songs that featured in the Oasis setlist on Saturday night.

That was more than eight years ago, in July 2017, when he was supporting U2 on their sold out 30th anniversary celebration tour of The Joshua Tree album.

Noel and his younger brother Liam - making his Croker debut - were the main attraction on Saturday for the 80,000-strong capacity crowd and by the time the second support act Richard Ashcroft took to the stage at 7pm, the stadium was close to full and the atmosphere was electric.

The joyous scenes and universal praise from the 15 previous Oasis Live 25 triumphs at Cardiff, Manchester and London perhaps heightened the sense of eager anticipation for the two Croke Park shows.

The city was buzzing for the past week and the sense of 90s nostalgia was in the air.

I don't recall ever going to a Croke Park concert with as much pre-show excitement.

And the Oasis merchandise shop must have done brisk trade as everyone in the stadium seemed to be kitted out in the band's T-shirts.

Bucket hats and Adidas sportswear were the uniform of choice for the supporters who gathered in the streets and bars from early.

ANTHEMS