Oasis fans seeking tickets to the band's reunion tour have endured hours-long waits, and in some cases disappointment, as online platforms strained under demand from hundreds of thousands of fans.
The Britpop-era behemoth led by brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher will play 17 gigs - its first shows for 15 years - in Cardiff, Manchester, London, Edinburgh and Dublin starting July 4.
More than one million tickets went on sale Saturday morning, with prices starting about Stg74 ($A144).
Some people attempting to get onto the handful of authorised sales sites, including Ticketmaster and Gigs and Tours, received error messages, while many others were informed they were in a lengthy queue.
Josh Jeffery, a videographer who lives near Edinburgh, spent hours moving up the online ticket queue before “the whole site collapsed” at the last step.
“I’ve given up, my friends have given up," said Jeffery, who first saw Oasis in Manchester as a teenager in 1996.
“We just decided it’s too much hassle.
“As I was in the queue, I heard Wonderwall blasting out from my neighbour’s house," he added ruefully.
"He’d obviously got tickets.”
Some fans managed to buy tickets through a pre-sale lottery on Friday.
Within hours, tickets began to be offered on resale websites for as much as Stg6000 ($11,645).
Oasis warned that tickets could only be resold at face value through authorised sites.
“Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters,” it said in a statement.
Formed in Manchester in 1991, Oasis was one of the dominant British acts of the 1990s, producing hits including Wonderwall and Don’t Look Back in Anger.
Its sound was fuelled by singalong rock choruses and the combustible chemistry between guitarist-songwriter Noel Gallagher and singer sibling Liam.
Oasis split in 2009, with Noel Gallagher quitting the band after a backstage dust-up with his brother at a festival near Paris.
While the Gallagher brothers, now aged 57 and 51, have not performed together since, both regularly perform Oasis songs at their solo gigs.
They have also each fired off criticisms of the other in the media.
The tour will begin July 4 and 5 at the Principality Stadium.
Oasis will also perform at Heaton Park in Manchester, on July 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20; London’s Wembley Stadium on July 25, 26 and 30 and August 2 and 3; Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on August 8, 9 and 12; and Croke Park in Dublin on August 16 and 17.
Prices for the London, Cardiff and Edinburgh concerts range from about Stg74 to just more than Stg200 for seats, and about Stg150 to stand.
In Manchester, the cheapest tickets are Stg148 to stand, with no seated option.
The costliest option is a Stg506 package for the London gigs that includes a pre-show party, admission to an Oasis exhibition, souvenirs and a “premium collectible item”.
Tickets for the Dublin shows start at 86.50 euros ($A141) plus booking fee.
The host cities anticipate an economic boost to hotels, bars, restaurants and shops, especially Manchester, the band’s hometown and a city renowned for its musical heritage.
“This is a homecoming gig,” said Sacha Lord, Manchester’s official night-time economy adviser.
“When they set foot on that stage for the first time, it’s going to be a really special moment.”
with PA
