It's a bit like 'pub rock', which is a term of abuse for bands who won't ever play outside of pubs and generally play the blues badly and drink a lot of beer. But not all groups that play in pubs are pub rock. We can play anywhere we want. It just happens that we have the magic wand to turn these large open spaces into something else. I think the media have a problem with mass appeal.
Oasis take the stage at dusk.
In their own country, the boys of Britpop have played to record-breaking crowds, but in America they are a sideshow rather than the main event. It is the first real gig they have played in 10 months, and they clearly revel in it. Liam's singing is impossibly balanced between passion and nonchalance, while Noel's incendiary lead guitar cuts through the crowd's indifference, bringing people to their feet for a cataclysmic Champagne Supernova. And, astonishingly, Oasis, so used to being revered on their own terms, play the part of understudies with grace, thanking U2 and the audience for the opportunity to perform. There's just so many people.