While there's more than 80,000 going through the gates with their tickets tonight, it looks like a few of those who missed out in the ballot still haven't given up hopes of joining them.

Image source, Reuters

James Dawson
BBC North West, Social Media Lead

And we're off.

Cast have kicked off their set a few minutes early and are sounding as good as they did in the 90s, when they had seven top 10 singles.

Fair play to Oasis for asking a bunch of Scousers to be their support act.

The lineup tonight's actually a trip down the motorway, starting on Merseyside with Cast moving on to Wigan with Richard Ashcroft and culminating in Manchester.

Chris Long
Digital Editor, BBC North West

It seems Oasis fever has gripped not just Manchester, but the whole nation, as the band have shot back to the top of the album charts with not one, but three of their releases.

Time Flies, their greatest hits compilation, has returned to number one for the first time since it was released in 2010, while the band's second album (What's The Story) Morning Glory? has jumped 12 places to number two.

Completing the hat-trick for the Gallagher brothers is the return of their debut Definitely Maybe to the top five.

It has, as the Official Charts representative put it, vaulted 22 spots up to number four - nestled (and who knows how the Gallaghers would feel about this) between Sabrina Carpenter's Short N' Sweet and Ed Sheeran's +-=÷= Tour Collection.

Image source, Getty Images

And it's not just in the album chart where they have had a resurgence as three songs have also made it into the Official Singles Chart Top 20.

Dropping back in at number 19 is the 1994 Top 10 hit Live Forever, while a place above it is 1996 chart-topper - and firm Manchester favourite - Don't Look Back In Anger.

But their highest entry is a song which has never been released as an A-side, but has kind of topped the charts before.

Acquiesce - a firm fan's favourite and the opener (after a brief rendition of Hello) to their comeback show in Cardiff last week - was originally released as the B-side to their 1995 number one Some Might Say, but has finally got its own moment in the sunshiiiine with an entry at number 17.

And in case its name is unfamiliar, the dictionary definition of the word is 'to accept something, typically with some reluctance'...

We'll let you decide for yourselves how relevant that is to these reunion shows.

Read more here.

Oasis have told fans on social media they'll be on for their eagerly-awaited homecoming at 20:15.

Cast are due to take the stage in just under five minutes' time, followed by Richard Ashcroft at 19:00.

Image source, Instagram

And with a bit of luck, the temperature might have dropped a little by the time the 22:30 curfew rolls around.

Isabelle Tudor
BBC News

Now this is dedication. These four have also flown over from Toronto.

Paul, 30, outside The Vine in the city centre says: “I’m so excited, I feel like a little kid.”

He’s joined by Brandon 30, Jordan, 30 and Michael, 32 who all have tickets for tonight’s homecoming, plus the two Toronto shows.

Bucket hats aren’t a thing in Canada though it seems...

James Dawson
BBC North West, Social Media Lead

We have confirmation of £6.50 pints!

For those of you saying "how much?", you're paying at least that at most places in Manchester City centre nowadays.

I saw Pulp at the Co-op Live arena and they were £9. I’m on the Diet Cokes tonight, but will definitely take note of the prices for when I come back next weekend with my mum.

As for food, you're looking at £12-15 for a bit of scran.

It's no Digsy's Dinner - you probably can't find strawberries and cream - but it will get you through the night.

Jasmine DuFraisse
BBC News, Manchester

I’ve never met Liam Gallagher before.

But today, I thought I’d meet multiple versions of him — all in one place.

Armed with hope and a camera, I turned up to Manchester City Centre for the highly anticipated Liam Gallagher lookalike contest.

I was imagining a full-on Where’s Wally situation — but Wally wearing sunglasses, sideburns, and a bucket hat, obviously.

Instead, my anticipation slowly gave way to the crushing realisation: this contest might be a total flop.

• To be fair, there was a live band playing Oasis tunes, fans singing along with pints in hand and big smiles — but the contest itself?

Looking unlikely. Today, I will not be seeing either of the Gallagher brothers. Not the real ones. Nor the fake ones.

(Definitely) Maybe next time, eh?

Anna Jameson
BBC Manchester

It was an early start for some fans who arrived outside the park as early as 03:00, with many travelling from abroad.

Rex Cunningham, 60, came from Louisiana and said today might even overtake the emotion of the birth of his children.

He told how he met Jake Phillips, 20, from Brighton at a Liam Gallagher gig last year and they have been friends ever since.

James Dawson
BBC North West, Social Media Lead

I'm in the front standing area and it’s fair to say there is a scarcity of shade, but thankfully not water.

I heard someone describing the gig as Britain’s biggest beer garden earlier, but right now it’s more like Britain’s biggest sauna.

I’m going to need to wring out my bucket hat - it’s sweltering.

People are filling up their water bottles well - we're all in it for the long haul.

Now where are the lovely festival toilets?

Not long now before some music begins. Oasis' support later comes from Cast and Richard Ashcroft.

Fans will be hoping Ashcroft performs some of his biggest hits from his days in The Verve, such as Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don't Work and Lucky Man.

The connection between Ashcroft and the Gallagher brothers goes back decades as the band supported The Verve in 1993 during their early days. More recently, Ashcroft joined Liam on stage at Finsbury Park in 2018, and the two collaborated again in 2022.

And last year, he was playing his own huge homecoming at Robin Park in Wigan - and BBC News spoke to him about that and his time as "the mouthy lead singer" at the time.

Image source, Reuters

As for indie rockers Cast and their frontman John Power, who first rose to fame with The La's, they also have a long history with Oasis.

Cast shared the stage with the band at one of their legendary Knebworth Park shows in 1996, and more recently supported Liam on his Definitely Maybe 30th anniversary tour in 2024.

Image source, PA Media

Dan Wareing
BBC News, Manchester

We've been hearing reports of extended delays on the Bee Network, but Transport for Greater Manchester insists it "knew this would be a super busy weekend" and while there are queues they are "moving" well.

"With thousands of fans making their way to Heaton Park, we've laid on extra trams for the event, with double-trams leaving full from Victoria every six minutes," a spokesperson said.

“Due to the volume of demand, there's currently queues, but things are moving and we'll get people there."

James Dawson
BBC North West, Social Media Lead

I'm in!

I'm at the East Gate and got through for front standing queue in about 10 minutes which I'm happy with.

The security search was thorough - they even checked under my bucket hat.

Molly Brewer
BBC News, Manchester

May and Stella have travelled all the way from Toronto, Canada, to see tonight's show.

They say bucket hats are not only part of the "dress code" but handy when dealing with the blistering sun.

"We're keeping cool by drinking big bottles of water and thankfully there's plenty of water stations here," says May.

Stella says she "grew up listening to Oasis", and that she saw Noel perform when he visited Toronto, but that this was her first chance to see Liam perform live.

The biggest fear Oasis fans have had for the past year is that the fractious relationship between the Gallagher brothers might put paid to the reunion shows before they happened.

Thankfully, that has not been the case - but rumours of fallings out and splits have been commonplace throughout the band's history.

Back in 1996, there was a suggestion that the band might fall apart - though fans speaking to BBC North West Tonight took the rumour with more than a pinch of salt.

Richard Stead
BBC Radio Manchester reporter

Emily Foort, who lives on Bury Old Road opposite Heaton Park, has been enjoying the build up.

“It’s actually quite exciting. It’s different to Parklife. There’s definitely more of a buzz," she says.

"We can hear everything from our front bedroom," the 27-year-old adds, saying she will be listening to tonight's gig from there.

But she's also managed to bag tickets to one of the shows.

"We’ve got tickets for the fifth show so we might be sick of it by then,” she jokes.

Meanwhile Jade McCulloc, who lives on Whittaker Lane near Heaton Park, has had no such joy.

The 34-year-old says her road has been closed ahead of the gig.

"We can’t get any deliveries. I’m an Oasis fan and I can't even get a ticket," she says.

James Dawson
BBC North West, Social Media Lead

It's absolutely roasting, and much busier at the Heaton Park tram stop than it was when the gates opened more than an hour ago.

A busker is serenading the crowd with a rendition of Wicked Game and it's only a few hours until kick-off time.

Manchester's waited years for this and you can feel the anticipation building.

Charlotte Puckering
BBC News Social Media, Reporter

Admittedly, we may have left it a bit too late...

Our Uber is saying it’ll be another 40 minutes to Heaton Park, from where we are - four miles away on Quay Street in the city centre, just off Deansgate.

There’s a lot of taxis around us packed full of bucket hat-clad passengers, so it seems we aren’t the only ones who left booking the Uber to the last minute!

Kaya Black
BBC News, Manchester

This mother and daughter duo are kitted out in their finest Oasis glad rags for the show.

Gayle McPherson, 46, has been a fan of the band since they first started in the early 90s.

"I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” she said.

And Isla, 16, thanked her mum for getting her into the band, leading to her own passion blossoming.

She added: “Everyone’s grown up with their music, I’m really excited to see them."

Richard Stead
BBC Radio Manchester reporter

South American superfan Jorge Arredondo, from Argentina, said seeing Oasis perform will be "the single most important moment of his life".

The 33-year-old said he spent his lifesavings and caught a 17-hour flight from Buenos Aries for the privilege.

"I have been waiting for this moment since I was a teenager. I wasn't able to see them perform live before because I didn't have money," he said.

"There was a rumour they were going to play in Buenos Aires and maybe I could have seen them there but I couldn't risk it.

"I have always dreamed of this moment and as soon as I boarded a train I put my headphones on and Supersonic started playing and I started crying."

Kaya Black
BBC North West, Reporter

There’s no maybe about it, Oasis fever has definitely taken over Manchester city centre.

I’ve just bumped into a lookalike crowd on Market Street, with wannabe Liams shaking their tambourines and shouting, while the Noels watch on with very little expression on their faces.

Shoppers can choose their favourite brother as they enter the doors to Primark, under either Liam or Noel’s name.

The buzz and excitement around the streets is undeniable as fans stop for pictures and sing lyrics as they walk by.