A long-time Oasis fan has said he was mistakenly removed from the band’s show at Heaton Park on Wednesday
Lewis and his friend Tom at the Oasis show on Wednesday night (Image: Supplied)
An Oasis superfan who had waited years to see the band reunite has said he was wrongfully “dragged” out of one of their Heaton Park shows earlier this week and missed the show as a result.
Lewis Burnage, 26, travelled from Wakefield with a group of friends for the Wednesday night (July 16) show, and was in front standing when says he was removed from the gig by security staff just a four songs into Oasis’ set as he says they mistook him for a group of men behind him who were letting off flares.
A huge fan of the band, Lewis has been listening to their songs since he was 13 and paid around £135 for his ticket when they went on general sale last year.
He had travelled with a group of five, however, he and his friend Tom were the only ones with front standing and went into their section separately from the others.
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After watching support acts Cast and Richard Ashcroft perform ahead of Oasis, they were excited to see the band take to the stage, but Lewis says it all turned just as Cigarettes & Alcohol started to play due to some other fans letting off flares behind him.
Speaking to the M.E.N., Lewis, who works in retail back home in Wakefield, said: “Oasis came on it started to get very busy, I was having the best time of my life.
Lewis at the Oasis show on Wednesday night (Image: Supplied)
“I was in front of the people letting off flares. We couldn’t move, and security didn’t seem to bothered at first, but then those guys let off more off flares, the security came over, picked me up, and took me out.
“My friend was asking security staff where they were taking me and they said they were moving me onto a different place.
“They didn’t tell me why they had removed me, they just said they had to and dragged me from the crowd, and I was carried over the barrier.
“Video shows about three of them carrying my arms and another my legs. Once they told me I was being removed, I started crying and some of the footage shows me becoming quite emotional.”
Video circulated on social media platforms reportedly shows Lewis being removed by security and dragged away from front standing.
Video circulated online reportedly shows Lewis being removed from the concert(Image: Supplied)
“They took me left, through the gate, through the exit wall, and then the exit gate and dropped me at the barrier.
“I asked for a supervisor multiple times but they said I had to leave. A man just said I had been removed for a reason, but didn’t give a reason to me.
“After that I just stayed at the gate and tried getting hold of a supervisor but they didn’t listen so I tried to get hold of friend, I was alone in a place I didn’t know, couldn’t get hold of him and had to wait on the street and listen to the show from there.
“One of my mates rang me at the end and they come picked me up because it was too far to walk.”
Lewis says he also went back to the gate he had originally entered through earlier that day, but the staff couldn’t help him. He says they told him he couldn’t go back in because he hadn’t come out that gate and shouldn’t still have had his wristband on either because he has been removed.
“It still hurts now to be honest, I was in shock and disbelief, and after all these years of waiting,” he added.
“They should not get these flares into gigs, It’s dangerous and ruining peoples lives. It could have been far worse than a flare.
The crowd watching on as Oasis take to the stage at Heaton Park(Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)
“I’ve got all the evidence I could to find out as to why, and made a couple of posts on social media so people could see, I won’t be the first that this happened to.
I know others get removed for being drunk or disorderly, and I do get it, but I just can’t believe it happened to me, I didn’t do anything.
“When I got home, I took both days off. I’ve been distraught, I didn’t want to deal with it, I just wasn’t in the mindset.
“I sent an email to Showsec and SJM, Showsec said they asked for more evidence, such as date and time, and SJM also replied asking for details and they’re going to launch an investigation within 28 days, but Oasis will be long gone then.”
In his emails to both Showsec, the security company, and SJM, the organisers of the Oasis shows, an email chain seen by the M.E.N., Lewis outlines where and what time the alleged incident took place, and explains that men behind him set off smoke flares.
Lewis has spoken about the upset cause because of the incident at the show(Image: Supplied)
A representative for the Showsec customer service team responded to Lewis’ complaint on Friday (July 18) stating they they were “sorry to hear” about the complaint and would like to investigate the matter before asking for more details including information on the time, place, and members of staff that he dealt with.
Similarly, a representative from SJM Concerts responded to Lewis’ complaint on Friday and Saturday and stated that they would be investigating further and would come back with a response within a maximum of 28 days.
“It’s still an open wound, it’s hard to say, speaking about it gets me quite upset, I’ve just tried to keep positive.
“But I have bruises and skin burns along my arms and body from the security. I waited a lifetime to see Oasis and they have taken my dream away from me.”
The Manchester Evening News has approached both Showsec and SJM for comment.