Morning glory for Oasis as Point tickets sell out

IT was another day of morning glory for Oasis yesterday as the 8,500 tickets for their first Irish gig at the Point Theatre, Dublin on March 5 sold out in minutes.

And all remaining tickets for the second gig on March 6 are expected to be sold over the weekend, according to concert promoters MCD.

"Oasis are one of the most popular bands in the world and Ireland is one of their biggest territories. That's reflected in the ticket sales," spokesperson Justin Green said.

This will be Oasis's fourth appearance in Ireland in less than a year. Last June, the British band fronted by Noel and Liam Gallagher played to 18,000 people in Belfast and to 20,000 three months later in Derry.

They headlined the Witness music festival in Leopardstown last summer for a further 40,000 fans.

The Manchester band's popularity peaked at the height of the 'Britpop' in 1996, with sales of 18 million albums, and two million fans chasing tickets for two gigs in Knebworth, England.

There have been many bust ups, walkouts and broken teeth but the band have managed to stick together.

"At 35, now, to leave Oasis would be like getting a new girlfriend it's like I couldn't be arsed, dating. Another band rehearsals would be like going out for dinner, getting to know people. I can't be bothered to do that," said Noel Gallagher told the Daily Telegraph yesterday.

Oasis' latest album, Heathen Chemistry, has sold three million copies. Irish fans who bought Oasis tickets yesterday did not have to spend hours queuing outside record shops.

Most of the tickets were sold either over the phone or online, according to MCD. MCD expect to sell every ticket next Saturday for Eminem's concert in the Punchestown Racecourse.

Ticketmaster have already had 20,000 calls from people looking for tickets.