Oasis archives exhibition lands at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel
Oasis Fans - 1994-1997 will show music fans a world of pre-dynamic pricing and online ticket sales, co-curated by the British Culture Archive

As Manchester gears up to welcome Oasis home, the city’s iconic Kimpton Clocktower Hotel has today announced a new free exhibition, offering music fans a walk down memory lane.

Open to the public from 7pm on Wednesday 2nd July, Oasis Fans - 1994-1997 is set to show a series of never-before-seen photographs by renowned photographer Jon Shard, who opens the door to a world before online sales, dynamic pricing and frantically refreshing a website to get the hottest ticket in town.

The collection of photographs, curated by the British Culture Archive, shows scenes of fans excitedly queuing up in the cold winter of 1996, hoping to get their hands on tickets for the band’s sold out shows at Manchester City’s Maine Road stadium - for as little as £17.50 per ticket.

Renowned for his visually distinctive work across a number of fields, this was Shard’s first assignment for NME - the iconic music bible that shaped generations of music journalism and culture.

Speaking fondly of life pre-online ticket sales, Shard said: “Queuing in person had its charm - I felt privileged to capture the dedication of fans willing to stay out all night and brave the cold. Getting the ticket was an event itself, almost a rite of passage for fans.”

Giving visitors a deeper insight into the sold-out shows, as well as the magic of Oasis and their music, the exhibition will also feature a Fan Wonderwall - with archive images spanning from 1994-97 from fans attending gigs, spanning from pre-smart phone gig-videos, through to their latest performances.

One Oasis fan featured in the exhibition; Leah Walker, who was successful in securing her ticket and attended one of the two sold-out Maine Road stadium shows looked back: "I was one of those kids who camped out at Maine Road to secure a ticket, and when the day of the gig finally came, it didn't disappoint. The area around the stadium, Rusholme and Moss Side was buzzing. I'm in my mid-40s now, and we have never had anything like that in music since."

David Lockhart, general manager of Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, added: “It’s a privilege to play a part in the city welcoming the Gallagher brothers home. The photographs by Jon Shard offer a glimpse into a defining moment in Manchester’s music history, and we’re proud to share this with our guests and the city.”

Oasis Fans - 1994-1997 is open to the public from 7pm on Wednesday 2nd July on the walls of Refuge, Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, until 31st August 2025.
The first 50 visitors will also receive a free limited edition zine, so they can take a piece of Oasis history home. Please head to the pop up shop on launch night (from 7pm on 2nd July) to claim - first 50 people only.