Oasis are to release a feature film to mark the 25th anniversary of the band's legendary performances at Knebworth, which were watched by 250,000 fans over two nights in August 1996.
One of the largest rock concerts to be held in the UK, the Oasis two-nighter could have been sold out 20 times over, with more than 2.5 million people applying for tickets.
It’s a story driven entirely by the music, a rock and roll experience, told in the moment
Jake Scott
The concert film, directed by Jake Scott, will eschew talking heads in favour of an on-the-ground view of the day and the events leading up to it. Pulling together archive footage to capture the atmosphere and cultural relevance of the show, it looks to do for the 90s what D. A. Pennebaker's Monterey Pop and Rollin Binzer's Ladies And Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones did for the 60s.
“It’s a story driven entirely by the music, a rock and roll experience, told in the moment, like a visual stream of consciousness that is built around the extensive archive footage from the event,“ says Scott.
There is no title or release date for the film, but it will be produced by RSA Films, with both Liam and Noel Gallagher acting as executive producers. Finance and distribution is being handled by Sony Entertainment Music, with Trafalgar Releasing handling the theatrical distribution.
After a year and more of no live shows, perhaps this cinematic experience of a mega-show in a field is just the thing to nurse the gig-going public back into the wild, with Covid restrictions being lifted across the UK and – finger's crossed – the full return of live music to follow.
Also commemorating the 25th anniversary of Oasis at Knebworth is Jill Furmanovsky and Daniel Rachel's hardcover photobook, Oasis Knebworth: Two Nights That Will Live Forever. It is released on 7 September through Cassell and is available to preorder now.
