So Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s final show this past Saturday took up a lot of my attention, but a very historic gig happened just a day before. Cardiff, Wales was ground zero for the thing a lot of people thought would never happen – Oasis are back together, and have played their first (and second) show in 16 years.

Noel Gallagher did what he seemed dead set against doing – rejoined with brother Liam Gallagher and brought Oasis back for what has been called a “victory lap.” This tour does several more shows in England and a few in Ireland before hitting up North and South America and Australia, Japan and South Korea. Nothing has been confirmed for next year yet, but a tour of the European continent as well as a possible 30^th anniversary show at the Knebworth grounds are strongly rumored.

Joining the Gallagher brothers are a handful of Oasis past members from various points, as well as a new face. Original member Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs is back, as are 2000’s era guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell. Debuting on drums is Joey Waronker.

This is the part where I mention that I am one of the many unlucky ones who did not get a ticket to any of the shows (I only tried for Chicago). In all reality I’m ok with that now since I have a mortgage to wrestle with. I will suffice with whatever live album eventually comes from this, as well as the mountain of bootleg vids and audio already out there.

Anyway, the Oasis machine is back in business and business sounds pretty good. There are a ton of clips and vids from the shows out there. Quality varies by phone and angle, of course, but in the better-filmed clips I have to say the band is sounding really good. They sound vital and hungry, not like they’re just out doing a cash grab. While they are raking in money hand over fist and have truckloads of merch for sale, they came out and made sure people got a show worthy of the premium ticket prices.

There isn’t a whole lot more to say right now – the shows will (most likely) roll on, hopefully they don’t have to pause for some unforeseen issue and hopefully they hold it together and make it through the gigs. Word on the street is that they have contract clauses that make it very, very financially un-viable to cancel shows due to old fashioned brotherly love, so I would assume the gigs go on as planned.

I know that some people are unhappy that Oasis are back together, but judging from the live clips I’d say plenty more are very, very happy. Oasis themselves seem happy to be back, and I’m quite happy they’re back at it even if I won’t take it in. Here’s to ya.

Note – I am putting a few video clips in, no clue how long these will stay up