The key facts

  • Liam Gallagher called Fontaines D.C. 'not good enough' to open the Oasis Live ’27 tour, saying they have 'no songs'
  • The conflict began after a 2024 interview in which Fontaines D.C. members spoke sceptically about the Oasis reunion
  • Euronews Culture considers Gallagher's statement unfounded and highly praises Fontaines D.C.'s new album 'Dopamine Chamber', released on 16 October

Gallagher's statement about the Oasis tour

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher has said that the Irish band Fontaines D.C. are 'not good enough' to support his band on the upcoming Live ’27 tour, adding that they 'have no songs'. The Live ’27 tour was announced last month after prolonged speculation and follows the successful Live ’25 tour. Due to high demand, the tour has been expanded to 42 shows, including dates in continental Europe, and all tickets have already sold out. So far, the only confirmed supporting act remains Richard Ashcroft.

Possible cause of the conflict

Euronews links Gallagher's comment to a 2024 interview for Studio Brussel, in which Fontaines D.C. guitarist Carlos O'Connell said he 'couldn't care less' about the Oasis reunion. Bassist Conor Deegan III added at the time: 'Me too, honestly, I'm not that excited. It seems we're stuck in a past era — like the 2010s — and in such nostalgia that we forget to create something new.' Gallagher responded with a sharp remark aimed at the band.

Euronews Culture's position

An Euronews Culture columnist calls Gallagher's statement deeply mistaken and presents arguments in favour of Fontaines D.C.: since their 2019 debut album 'Dogrel', the band has released five records, each of which, in the outlet's view, is stronger than the previous one. The outlet considered the 2022 album 'Skinty Fia' their peak, but 'Romance' from 2024 disproved that — it was included in the list of the best albums of the year, calling the band 'one of the most consistently exciting contemporary acts'.

The new album 'Dopamine Chamber'

On Friday, 16 October, Fontaines D.C. released their fifth album, 'Dopamine Chamber'. Euronews describes it as a dark, cinematic record with a more synth-driven sound: tracks like the single 'Marianne' and 'Mimesis' recall Depeche Mode, while the riffs in 'Happy For You' and 'You Miss Me' recall The Cure. In the author's opinion, the record does not rely on the past and sounds like the work of Fontaines, and vocalist Grian Chatten once again demonstrates strong lyricism. The outlet calls the album 'a stunning work, close to masterpiece status'.

Comparison with Oasis's legacy

Euronews emphasises that no one denies Oasis's role in the Britpop movement and their influence on the sound of the 90s, and that 'Definitely Maybe' and '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' are considered classics. At the same time, the outlet notes that Oasis have not released a cohesive album since the 1998 compilation 'The Masterplan', and their last studio effort, 'Dig Out Your Soul' (2008), left much to be desired; according to the outlet, there are no concrete plans to return to the studio — the band is limiting itself to a greatest-hits tour. The author concludes that Oasis would be 'lucky' to have a band of Fontaines D.C.'s calibre as their opening act.