Oasis’ 2009 gig at Murrayfield Stadium has officially gone down in history as the most ground-shaking concert at the venue in two decades, according to new research from the British Geological Survey (BGS).
The now-legendary performance, which was among the band’s last before splitting later that year, generated a seismic surge equivalent to 215 kilowatts of energy as fans jumped and danced to tracks like Rock ‘N’ Roll Star. That’s enough power to keep 30 mopeds running, according to BGS seismologist Callum Harrison.
“Seismic signals generated by Oasis fans were consistent with a crowd energy of 215kW at its peak – enough to power around 30 of the scooters featured on the iconic Be Here Now album cover,” Harrison said.
“The peak reading came in at around 8.30pm, which matches the moment they hit the stage with Rock ‘N’ Roll Star – a perfect start to what became the loudest gig on record at Murrayfield.”
The seismic data places Oasis above recent stadium-fillers including Taylor Swift and Kings of Leon, making it clear that the Britpop icons are still unrivalled when it comes to shaking the ground beneath their fans’ feet.
The data drop couldn’t be better timed. From 8 to 12 August, Liam and Noel Gallagher return to Murrayfield as part of the Oasis Live ’25 tour, marking what could be the closest thing to a full band reunion in years.
Fans hoping for a repeat of that seismic energy might just get it.
“It all depends on the crowd,” Harrison added. “If they’re jumping to the music, how high or how fast are they jumping?”
The science behind the noise
BGS uses a network of sensors across the UK to monitor seismic activity. Most of the time, they’re used to detect earthquakes and underground tremors. But when 50,000 fans start moving in unison, those sensors light up.
“Our system can register movement from miles away that isn’t even detectable to people nearby,” said Harrison. “It also gives us precise timestamps, so we know exactly when each surge of energy hits.”
Although the study focused on concerts over the last 20 years, Harrison said the broader aim is to understand how seismic activity has shaped Britain over centuries.
“Studying historical earthquakes helps us better understand seismic risk across the country,” he said. “But now and then, it also shows us what happens when a band like Oasis comes along and shakes the place up.”
