Oasis arrives in Chicago this week for a concert Thursday night at Soldier Field.
Chicago is one of three cities in the United States for the British band’s world tour and one of just five in North America, although the other North American cities all have two nights to Chicago’s one. Oasis first landed on this side of the pond in Toronto for concerts on Sunday and Monday nights; it next comes to Chicago, then MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and Mexico City.
The reunion shows for brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher will be their first in the United States in 16 years. Globally, Oasis Live ‘25 has been a ticket-selling sensation, with stadium concerts selling out in minutes from London to Brazil.
The Tribune put together five things to know ahead of the Soldier Field stop.
What, when and where
The concert on Thursday begins at 7:30 p.m. with opener Cage The Elephant, who recently played on the opening day of Lollapalooza in Grant Park. The parking lots around Soldier Field open at 3:30 p.m., gates at 5:30 p.m.; more information on the show and bag policy at www.soldierfield.com.
The show is sold out, but secondary tickets are available through the band’s website and resellers such as SeatGeek.
Along with the Gallaghers, the band for the tour consists of Paul Arthurs (guitar), Gem Archer (guitar), Andy Bell (bass) and Joey Waronker (drums), plus Christian Madden (keyboards), Alastair White (trombone), Steve Hamilton (saxophone) and Joe Auckland (trumpet).
Shop early
A pop-up store of band merchandise opens at 10 a.m. Tuesday at 1421 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wicker Park.
A similar store in Toronto had long lines out the door. The Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store is expected to carry T-shirts, prints, tour-edition vinyl and a limited stock of the Adidas Originals x Oasis collection; more information at shop.oasisinet.com.
What’s the story (morning glory) on weather and transportation
Forecast on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service, calls for a 50% chance of showers early and then partly sunny in Chicago, with a high near 73 and a low in the low 60s.
If you plan to drive, purchase parking in advance ($60) for Soldier Field and the Museum Campus at www.soldierfieldparking.com.
For public transport, the closest CTA train station to Soldier Field is Roosevelt Station, which serves the Red, Orange and Green lines. The station is less than a mile walk to the stadium entrance. Buses include the 146 Inner Lake Shore/Michigan Express route, which stops at Soldier Field, and Route 130.
For ride-share, fans can be dropped off at the 18th Drive turnaround, which is at the 18th Drive exit ramp west of DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Traffic may be heavy, so dropping off at Columbus Drive or Michigan Avenue might be a better option. Be prepared to walk to Soldier Field from there. Post-concert pickup for ride-shares and other drivers will be at the intersection of South Columbus Drive and East Balbo Drive.
Brothers, eh?
Younger music fans might be puzzled by high demand for tickets for Oasis; the British band had its biggest hits in the 1990s. Its second album, “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?,” was released in 1995 and subsequently became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Centered on Liam and Noel, Oasis also became known for on-stage temper tantrums and fractious breakups, the last in 2009.
Noel Gallagher notoriously joked in a 1996 MTV interview that Oasis was bigger than The Beatles, a reference to John Lennon’s joke in 1966 about The Beatles being “more popular than Jesus now.”
This reunion tour began in early July in Cardiff, Wales, and is slated to conclude with two dates in Brazil in late November. It’s a rare chance for fans to see Oasis live.
What will they play?
The setlist for the first, rain-drenched North American concert at Toronto’s Rogers Stadium spanned 23 songs, opening with “Hello” off “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?” The band’s first studio album was “Definitely Maybe” in 1994; they released “Dig Out Your Soul,” their seventh and most recent, in 2008. In Toronto, they saved hits “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova” for the end, same as they’ve been played elsewhere during the tour.