Oasis fans who have been looking back in anger after being caught out by dynamic pricing for tickets to their upcoming reunion tour may delight in the sight of an effigy of Ticketmaster being burned for Bonfire Night.
Liam and Noel Gallagher were depicted as puppets on the 11m-tall effigy of the ticket-selling platform at Edenbridge Bonfire Society in Kent.
The town’s Bonfire Night celebrations have previously poked fun at politicians.
The Ticketmaster and Oasis brothers effigy before it was set on fire
An effigy of London mayor Sadiq Khan was burned last year over his decision to extend the capital’s charge for polluting vehicles, and models of Liz Truss (and a lettuce), Boris Johnson and Donald Trump have also faced the flames.
“We wanted to remind people that it doesn’t always have to be politicians who we create for our annual event,” said Andrea Deans, one of the creators of the giant effigy.
“The Ticketmaster ticket fiasco has affected a lot of different age groups, such is the appeal of Oasis, and I know many fans were very unhappy… when they discovered the price of the tickets.”
She said “no one likes being taken advantage of”.
Fans were outraged after spending hours queueing for tickets only to find some had more than doubled in price from around £148 to £355 in August.
An explanation about the “in-demand standing ticket” price on the Ticketmaster website said: “The event organiser has priced these tickets according to their market value.
“Tickets do not include VIP packages. Availability and pricing are subject to change.”
Read more:
Special guest announced for Oasis reunion shows
Liam Gallagher brands sketch about brothers ‘excruciating’
Gallagher brothers ‘not our target’ – ‘it is the corporate giant of Ticketmaster’
Reece Hook, another creator of the effigy, said: “Although our effigy includes Liam and Noel Gallagher, they are not our target, it is the corporate giant of Ticketmaster we have gone with this year.
“We are all big Oasis fans and wish them a very successful tour.”
It comes after promoters warned thousands of Oasis tickets listed on unauthorised sites would start to be cancelled “in the coming weeks”.
The fallout from the ticket-buying debacle has led to a proposed new law to improve pricing transparency and prevent fans from being ripped off.
The UK competition watchdog has said it is looking at the use of the dynamic pricing system.
