OASIS have announced two shows at the BIC on October 20 and 21 as part of an 18-date UK arena tour.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Wednesday. In a call to the Echo yesterday morning to confirm the dates, Oasis' stage manager Pete Bell - who owns the Pudding & Pye pub in Wimborne - told us: "I've been with them in rehearsal and they are sounding amazing.

"We had a couple of hundred competition winners in last night who were the first people to hear the new album and they were bowled over. It was an incredible reaction."

Oasis release a new single, The Shock of the Lightning, on September 29 ahead of their new album, Dig Out Your Soul, on October 6.

They last played the area in 2004 when they unveiled new material in a triumphant set at Poole's Lighthouse that pre-empted a critically-panned appearance at Glastonbury.

And it's 13 years since the notorious Battle of Britpop chart war was almost played out in Bournemouth.

In August 1995, Oasis and arch rivals Blur announced announced tour dates that brought Blur to the Pier Showbar and Oasis to the BIC on September 18.

But a real-life clash between the two bands was averted when Oasis postponed their tour until October.

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and Blur's Damon Albarn have both since admitted the whole affair was an overplayed press scam.

Noel Gallagher found himself facing the press again last month in a spat with Jay-Z over whether the hip-hop star should be appearing at Glastonbury.

But the American - who went down a storm in his post-festival slot at the BIC - has used his new single to tell Noel exactly what he thinks of him.

  • Will you be queuing for tickets or do you think the band's time has passed?

Let us know at bournemouthecho.co.uk