“Ciao bella! The Gallaghers land in Italy with chaos, charm, and colossal chords!”
Back in the tail end of 1997, Oasis were deep in the whirlwind of their Be Here Now world tour – bigger than ever, bolder than ever, and possibly more coked-up than ever (we’re just sayin’… 😅). On November 16th, they hit The Forum in Milan, bringing Manc swagger to Italian soil like a rock ‘n’ roll Roman invasion.
And you know what makes this night even more iconic?
👉 It was the first gig I ever went to.
Living in Milan at the time, teenage me stepped into that arena not knowing I’d walk out absolutely obsessed with live music for the rest of my life. One night with Liam, Noel and 10,000 screaming Italians? That’ll change your DNA, mun! 🤯
🛬 The Context: Be Here Now Mania
At this point, Oasis were riding the tsunami of hype from Be Here Now, their third album that dropped in August. It was overblown, overproduced, and over seven minutes long per song, but it still shifted millions. Italy? Obsessed. The Forum? Packed to the rafters with fans belting “D’You Know What I Mean?” like it was church.
🎶 Setlist Snapshot (likely but not 100% confirmed):
- Be Here Now
- Stay Young
- Stand By Me
- Supersonic
- Some Might Say
- Roll With It
- D’You Know What I Mean?
- Don’t Look Back In Anger
- Cigarettes & Alcohol
- Slide Away
- Champagne Supernova
- Live Forever
- It’s Getting Better (Man!!)
- Acquiesce
- I Am The Walrus (Beatles cover, obviously 😎)
🎤 Highlights & Chaos:
- Liam was on form: snarling, strutting, and sipping from a bottle of god knows what. His voice – though slightly shredded – still had that nasal snarl that made “Live Forever” punch your spine.
- Noel shredded like a man possessed on Slide Away, and his solos in Champagne Supernova melted the Milanese audience into a dreamy puddle.
- Italian fans? LOUD AF. Think football stadium-level chants between songs. Oasis barely needed to sing the choruses – the crowd did it for them. 🇮🇹🎤
- There were rumours of Liam storming off mid-tour, but on this night, he stayed put. No tambourine tantrums – just top-tier vocals and brotherly tension you could cut with a pizza cutter.
🍕 A Personal Note from the Pit
As a wide-eyed gig virgin living in Milan, I didn’t know what to expect. But when the house lights dropped and Liam Gallagher sauntered out with that tambourine and trademark scowl… I knew I was hooked for life. The sweat, the sound, the songs – it was pure electricity ⚡
No other first could compare. That night birthed a love for live music, for rock ‘n’ roll, and for queuing in the rain for merch that’s three sizes too big. 😂
🍻 Aftermath & Legacy:
This Milan show sits in that golden-yet-chaotic post-Morning Glory, pre-meltdown phase. The Be Here Now tour was a monster, and gigs like this prove why Oasis were the last proper rock ‘n’ roll band before everything went all indie and shy.
Fans still share bootlegs and grainy VHS recordings of the gig – and if you’ve got one, upload it now, butt – seriously! 🙏
📝 Fun Fact:
Oasis were so massive in Italy during this period that local fans nicknamed Liam “Il Re del Britpop” – The King of Britpop. Not that his ego needed help, mind.
Verdict:
🔥 A stadium-sized band in a cavernous arena.
🍻 A night of swagger, singalongs, and sweat.
🎸 A first gig experience I’ll never forget – and the start of a lifelong addiction to live music.
Oasis – The Forum, Milan, 1997:
Loud. Lairy. Legendary.
And for me?
Life-changing. ❤️🔥
