Rival Schools Cover Oasis at Reading Festival

With the news of Oasis' split breaking overnight, Saturday was the day the Reading Festival woke up to the news Oasis were now minus Noel Gallagher.

Much like the Michael Jackson death the day before Glastonbury, there was speculation as to which acts would choose to mark the passing at the festival. It was, essentially, the death of one of the UK's biggest bands of the last 20 years. One tribute came from an unexpected direction -- Walter Schreifels' newly-reformed melodic hardcore band Rival Schools.

Rival Schools, a quasi-supergroup formed around ex-Youth of Today and Gorilla Biscuits main man Schreifels, aren't the kind of band you'd usually have down as Oasis fans. But playing the Lock Up stage, they made sure they didn't let Noel Gallagher's departure go unnoticed.

Schreifels said, "I don't know if you've heard, but Oasis. Are you sad?" The comment was met by a chorus of boos.

Possibly with tongue inserted in cheek, he proceeded to ask, "What do you say we do a kind of 'Wonderwall' groove?" He led the band and crowd through a singalong of the Oasis hit before deadpanning, "Don't you all feel better? I know I do."

Having split before they could make a second album (their 2001 album 'United by Fate' is regarded as a hardcore classic), Schreifels and band are making up for lost time with a soon-to-be-released new album. They tore through 'United by Fate' highlights 'Travel by Telephone,' the lurching, slow-burning 'Undercovers On,' and a brace of new tracks, which included '69 Guns' and 'Chose Your Adventure.' Oasis tribute or not, it's good to have them back.