Oasis' Liam Gallagher takes aim at Edinburgh Council after ‘fat and rowdy’ comments
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has criticised the City of Edinburgh Council after safety briefing papers appeared to label fans of the band as overweight, old and ‘rowdy’.
The Scottish Sun were first to report on the council documents that described Oasis fans as mainly ‘middle-aged men’ who ‘take up more room’ adding there were concerns ‘about the safety of the Fringe and its performers’.
The safety briefing notes added: “There is concern about crowds ... as they are already rowdy ... and the tone of the band.” The documents also warned of ‘medium to high intoxication’ and a ‘substantial amount of older fans’.
It comes after details from the briefings were published by the City of Edinburgh Council following a Freedom of Information request. The reported statements appear in the minutes from a safety advisory group meeting on October 23 last year.
Oasis are set to play three sold out gigs at Murrayfield Stadium on August 8, 9 and 12 with tens of thousands of fans attending each performance. The summer dates will go ahead when the capital is already packed with residents and tourists during the Edinburgh festival period.
Reacting to the news, Liam Gallagher wrote on social media: “To the Edinburgh council I’ve heard what you said about OASIS fans and quite frankly your attitude f***ing stinks I’d leave town that day if I was any of you lot.”
The Britpop legend later added: “I’d love to see a picture of all the people on the Edinburgh council bet there’s some real STUNING individuals.”
David Walker, 44, from the Oasis Collectors Group, told the Scottish Sun: “To call fans drunk, middle-aged and fat is a nasty, sneering stereotype — it’s a jaundiced view.
“People want to have a great time. If reports of councillors’ drunken parties are anything to go by, they’d be better keeping their opinions to themselves.
"The fanbase has changed a lot - there's a new generation of young fans for a start, and parents are wanting to introduce their kids to Oasis for the first time.
"If reports of Edinburgh councillors' drunken parties are anything to go by, then they'd be better keeping their opinions to themselves. The return of Oasis will be hugely exciting for the city - everyone just needs to roll with it."
Edinburgh culture convener Margaret Graham said: “We’re very proud to host the biggest and best events in Edinburgh throughout the year, which bring in hundreds of millions of pounds to the local economy and provide unparalleled entertainment for our residents and visitors.
“As with any major event which takes place in the city, we prepare extensively alongside our partners to ensure the safety and best possible experience of everyone involved – and Oasis are no different. No two events are the same in terms of requirements or planning and our multi-agency approach reflects this appropriately.
“We’re also working closely with residents in the local area to make sure these concerts pass off as smoothly as possible. Over the past few years, we’ve hosted many similar events and managed to strike the right balance between communicating well with residents and fulfilling the needs of major events and I have no doubt we can do so once again. We always look to learn lessons from previous years to update and improve on our plans.
“We’re all looking forward to seeing Oasis take to the stage this August and I’m sure that they’ll ‘live forever’ as some of the most memorable concerts ever performed at Murrayfield.”