In a poignant moment during their world tour, the iconic band Oasis paid an emotional on-stage tribute to their late friend, Stone Roses bassist Gary 'Mani' Mountfield.
A Sombre Moment in São Paulo
During their concert at the Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, on Saturday night, Oasis paused their performance to honour Mani, who died earlier last week at the age of 63. The tribute occurred as the band played their classic anthem, 'Live Forever'.
A single, powerful image of Mani filled the entire massive screen behind the stage. Frontman Liam Gallagher was visibly moved, turning to look at the photograph before leading the audience in a round of applause as the song concluded. The image remained displayed until the band launched into their next track, 'Rock 'N' Roll Star'.
Personal Tributes from the Gallaghers
The on-stage homage followed heartfelt social media posts from the band members. Liam Gallagher expressed his shock and devastation on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "In total shock and absolutely devastated on hearing the news about Mani. My hero RIP RKid. LG."
His brother, Noel Gallagher, shared a simpler but equally poignant message: "RIP Brother. It was a pleasure to have known you." Guitarists Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs and Gem Archer also posted their own tributes online.
The band's connection to Mani was deep and personal. The last time Mani was seen in public was alongside Liam Gallagher at Ricky Hatton's funeral in Manchester on October 10.
A History of Musical Homages
This is not the first time Oasis have honoured a fallen figure during their comeback tour. In their first reunion show in Cardiff, they paid a moving tribute to Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota, who was killed in a car crash. An image of Jota was displayed during the outro of 'Live Forever', prompting a massive reaction from the 75,000-strong crowd.
Similarly, at their Wembley gig, the band displayed a picture of the late Ozzy Osbourne during the same song, shortly after his death at age 76.
Tragically, Mani's death comes just after he had announced plans for an extensive UK speaking tour set to begin in September 2026. In a recent interview, he had expressed eagerness to return to the music scene, stating he was "in a great space at the moment" and "itching to get back."
Away from music, the Manchester-born star was a passionate, lifelong fan of Manchester United, with the club also paying tribute to the "Manchester music icon".
