13 classic photos of Oasis in their Britpop heyday as Noel Gallagher announces new Manchester gig

Whenever someone reaches for the acoustic guitar at a party or open mic night, there’s one word that instantly flashes through every Mancunian’s mind: “Wonderwall.” The song is so well known, it’s become a cliche.

Whether this makes you roll your eyes or sing along with a lighter in the air, there’s no denying that Oasis are among Manchester’s greatest cultural exports. They pioneered the Britpop movement in the nineties, solidifying the city’s legend status where music is concerned.

The band – which consists of Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan, Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs, Tony McCarroll, and the infamous brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher – formed in 1991. Over the course of 18 years, they had eight number one singles and eight number one albums in the UK alone. Aside from Wonderwall, some of their hit songs include Don’t Look Back In Anger, Roll With It and Stop Crying Your Heart Out.

A rift between the two brothers eventually tore the alt-rock band apart and they went their separate ways in 2009. But their legacy remains – the signature green parkas and mod haircuts are still Manchester fashion staples and fans still get to hear the big hits played on stage by the brothers in their separate solo projects.

And this week, Noel Gallagher announced his current band High Flying Birds are returning to Manchester for their first headline gig since 2019, we took the opportunity to revisit some fun archive photos of the Gallaghers and co in the 2000s before they parted company.