Oasis Assault Recap: Eyewitness Report

Firsthand account of Toronto incident where Noel Gallagher got assaulted.

By Kyle Gustafson

[Editor's note: Author Gustafson was at the Oasis show Sept. 7 in Toronto when guitarist Noel Gallagher was knocked over by an assailant. He reported back to BLURT on what he saw (and had the pictures to prove it). Since then the man who hit Gallagher, 47-year old Daniel Sullivan, has been charged with assault by Toronto police, and Oasis had to cancel their following show, originally scheduled for Sept. 9 in London, Ontario, while Gallagher recovers from his injuries.]

When I booked my trip to Canada to see Oasis play the Toronto Edition of the Virgin Mobile Festival, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.  I just wanted to hear my favorite band sprinkle in some new tunes while playing some of their classic stadium anthems to 20,000+ people and see how many times people actually said "Mad fer it" over the course of the day.

Sunday had actually been full of stress and intrigue for me.  Rumors were flying backstage as to what was going to happen during Oasis' set.  Among other things, Brad Pitt was supposedly going to come out and introduce the band to the crowd (he was in town for the Toronto International Film Festival) and Paul Weller was allegedly scheduled to make an appearance when the band played "Champagne Supernova" (The Modfather played lead guitar and sang backing vocals on the recorded version).  Sadly, neither ended up happening. All the photogs covering the festival were worried they weren't going to be allowed to shoot the band from the photo pit when the time came, and, as it turns out, most weren't. Including me.

A few of us decided to make our way into the crowd and hope to get a good spot from there to shoot the show, but after wading into the sea of fans, we quickly found out how pointless that was, so we headed back to the VIP/Media area-which was on an incline and therefore had a better view of the stage-to drown our sorrows at the backstage bar.

The band hit the stage shortly after their allotted 9:10 stage time and started in on the same set they've been playing on this tour.  They were in good but not great form, but for someone that hadn't seen them in over three years, they sounded heavenly. Liam was at his menacingly best, but the new drummer still has some kinks to work out. Liquor drinks were consumed, choruses were sung along to and every once in a while I would take out my zoom lens and take a photo or two, hoping to get something passable for my own personal collection, even though I was a few hundred feet away. I had flown all the way up to Canada to shoot the band and after being denied the opportunity by the band's management, I figured I would at least get something for my troubles.

The lighting was alternating between deep blue to bright white when they started "Morning Glory" so I raised my camera and took aim through the viewfinder, trying to get a few shots when the light turned white.  And then that's when I saw him.  Some crazed punter emerging from the back of the stage, heading straight towards Noel.  He had both of his arms extended and gave Noel a mighty push from behind.  I couldn't really believe what was happening as it was unfolding, but luckily I remembered to hit the shutter button while it played out.  Noel landed in the monitors in front of him with a loud thud as the punter turned attacker turned to go after Liam.  Liam didn't seem to be aware of what was going on, but security jumped on the assailant before he could cause any further chaos.

Needless to say, the crowd, at least those around me, were in complete and utter shock.  Noel got up, holding his back, and walked off under his own power.  Liam was chasing after the guards, trying to get a lick or two in I guess, and the rest of the band quickly left the stage. After a short time, someone affiliated with the festival came onstage and said the band would return in five minutes.  This turned out to be true, as Noel and company walked back on stage to huge, thundering applause. 

Strangely, neither Noel nor Liam mentioned anything about the event that just transpired in front of their fans.   I assume Noel was just putting his head down to try and get through the gig, which he and the band did, cutting two songs - "Ain't Got Nothing" and "Champagne Supernova."

Noel actually sang lead on three of the remaining six songs in the set, including the new tune "Falling Down" (oh, the irony) and the most memorable version of "Don't Look Back In Anger" (a song I don't much care for) that I have ever heard.  But sadly, the gig's momentum had been lost and everyone's mind was on the attack.  How did the intruder gain access to the stage?  What if he had had a knife? Was Noel alright? Did security beat the shit out of that guy or what?  How many people (both festival and band security) would lose their jobs over this? What about the last two gigs of the tour?

Noel left the stage quickly at the end of "I Am The Walrus," one can only wonder what went down backstage as the crowd slowly made their ways to the ferries that would take them back to Toronto proper.  All I can say for sure is that he has my eternal respect for finishing the gig. 

[Kyle Gustafson is a freelance photographer living in Washington, D.C. See his work on the web at the contacts below.]

Writer - http://www.informationleafblower.com/blog/
Editor - http://www.dcist.com/
Photographer - http://www.photokyle.com
Tumblr - http://leafblower.tumblr.com/