On Oasis' last album 'Don't Believe the Truth' the opening lyrics proclaimed "I carry madness everywhere I go". The lyrics are a pretty good microcosm of Oasis's career. Heavy drug use, fights, breakups, aborted tours, and a number of other off the stage antics have marred the band's career despite turning out some of the best music their generation has ever produced. I personally have witnessed the band nearly 20 times and have been canceled on twice. One was their fault with Liam Gallagher, the lead singer, ditching the tour at the last minute because of internal differences with his brother Noel. The other was not their fault as Noel Gallagher was in a car accident that forced a show cancellation. Along the way I have witnessed some of the best live music I have ever seen and now have seen what Oasis' energy can do in good and in bad ways. On the bands last stop in Cleveland, the crowd was so worked up that spectators made their way on stage to give well wishes through hugs and handshakes to both Gallagher brothers who have an enthusiastic, to say the least, core of fans. The eldest Gallagher in the band, Noel, didn't seem too comfortable with fans getting so close to him at the show in 2005. Maybe he envisioned what was to happen to him in his headlining spot in Toronto. During the middle of what was shaping up to be a successful show, a fan jumped on stage to attack the lead guitarist of the band during the song 'Morning Glory'. Noel didn't see the 47 year old assailant run up on stage, and was blindsided into a speaker and was in visible pain, which later proved to be because of a broken rib he sustained. Liam Gallagher was the next on the man's hit list but he was stopped by security as Liam, at first stunned by the occurrence on stage, was ready to have a go at him after getting his senses.

The show itself would have been a legendary one without the disturbance. Starting with the song that opened their first LP , 'Rock N Roll Star', along with hits from a number of their albums throughout their 14 year career, the band also included some tracks from their upcoming effort 'Dig Out Your Soul' which will be released early next month. Because of the attack on stage, the air seemed to come out of the balloon of the show and the band, understandably, couldn't get back into the form that they have become famous for. The crowd, with a heavy following that ventured all the way from England to see them in Toronto, did get treated to sing along anthems 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Wonderwall' after the 20 minute delay which was needed for the band to regroup to come on stage, but the whole mood, the crowd and band, had already been disturbed by what had happened. The band closed with Beatles cover 'I am the Walrus' but didn't come back for an encore and you have to wonder what would have been in store as one of the bands biggest influences, Paul Weller, sat back stage and may have been used to play the 1996 megahit 'Champaign Supernova', which he lent his guitar skills to on the original album track. All and all though, it was nice that the band even came back at all after the show and did provide a couple highlights after the incident which at least provided a bright spot to end the evening.

Opening the show were fellow British exports Stereophonics and Weller. The Phonics barreled through a number of well known songs to the crowd and had provided a great warm to the former member of 'The Jam'. Weller played a number of well-known and obscure songs of his 3 decade career in the music industry, closing with a resounding rendition of 'Eton Rifles'.

It would have been a Britpop fan's dream come true if the show hadn't been marred by a deranged concert goer. Liam Gallagher wrote that he was "Born on a Different Cloud" on 2002 album Heathen Chemistry. The band, with a penchant of writing catchy tunes, seems to be living that moniker whether they like it or not.

Here is video of Noel being attacked along with highlights from the show and a number of photos: