'the most rock and roll thing to happen in burnage since the bins went on fire'

A LIAM GALLAGHER LOOKALIKE HAS BEEN SPOTTED CAUSING TROUBLE IN SOUTH MANCHESTER 16:48, 03 Jun 2025 When Oasis first sang about ‘Mister Sifter’, it was about the Burnage shop owner shaking

along at traffic lights with a 16-year-old Gallagher brother. But 31 years later, the Sifter’s record shop on Fog Lane is still going strong and has long become established as a spot of

pilgrimage for fans of the local band. This week it also became the location for a bizarre stunt featuring a double of Liam because, well, of course it did. Described by one passer-by as

‘the most rock and roll thing to happen in Burnage since the bins went on fire', fans in the south Manchester area were caught by surprise by a Liam Gallagher lookalike swaggering about

outside the now-iconic music shop. Not content with raising attention by swanning about in a dark green parka and sunglasses, the lookalike also took part in a mock ‘bust-up’ with author

Paul Carroll, who has just released a satirical novel about a chaotic Oasis reunion. It’s safe to say that Oasismania has well and truly taken over Manchester. The unruly bust-up was all

cleverly done to coincide with the one month countdown until Oasis kick off their huge 2025 reunion shows. The first date on the tour, at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, will kick off on

July 4. Article continues below The boys will then bring the shows to this side of the country with five huge dates at Manchester’s Heaton Park between July 11 and 20. The band will be

supported by fellow music legends Cast and Richard Ashcroft. Speaking about his satirical novel Be Here Now, which imagines the Oasis brothers reuniting in 2029 on a greenwashed eco-island,

author Paul Carroll insisted it isn’t really about the band themselves, but more about the fans and the ‘nature of modern nostalgia’. Joking about the Sifter’s stunt, he said: “If anyone was

going to kick off about it, it was going to be a bloke in a parka. The novel is about hype, fame, greenwashing, and what happens when you try to bring the past back with hashtags.” Paul,

who lives in Altrincham, added: “If you grew up in the nineties and ever queued overnight for tickets, wore Adidas poppers, or got into a blazing row about whether Heathen Chemistry was

genius or garbage, this book might feel uncomfortably familiar.” However, whilst the book is not about the boys, Paul can't help but speculate about what might be going on behind the

scenes of the world’s biggest reunion as the pair prepare for their huge summer of shows. “People are already arguing about setlists and whether Noel will smile,” he laughs. “We just wanted

to ask, what if the reunion wasn’t what anyone expected? And what if someone tried to spin it into the world’s biggest marketing opportunity?” It was recently announced that Oasis fans

heading to their gigs at Heaton Park will be able to use a dedicated shuttle bus and coach service that will get them nicely into the concert site and back to town after the show - but

people have been urged to act quick if they want a spot. Article continues below Those still trying everything they can to see the boys on tour have also been given a glimmer of hope after

it was announced that there is still a chance to get tickets at face value. However, people have been advised to be vigilant over a number of scams which have resulted in some fans losing

money. _Be Here Now by Paul Carroll is out now in paperback and ebook, and is published by DreamEngine._