Oasis’ 2009 Edinburgh Concert Still Shakes the Records
As Oasis fans gear up for the band’s much-anticipated return to Edinburgh’s iconic Murrayfield Stadium, a trip down memory lane reveals just how legendary their last performance there truly was.
According to official seismic data, the Gallagher brothers’ 2009 show remains the most earth-shaking concert ever recorded at the venue — outshining even Taylor Swift’s recent much-hyped performance.
The Most Seismic Concert in Murrayfield History
The British Geological Survey (BGS), the UK’s national geology research body, recently released a ranking of the most “seismic” concerts held at Murrayfield over the past 20 years. At the very top — by a wide margin — stands Oasis’ June 2009 performance.
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Oasis (2009): 215.06 kilowatts (kW) of seismic energy
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Red Hot Chili Peppers (2004): 106.87 kW
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Taylor Swift (2024): 82.56 kW (4th place)
These measurements, taken from a seismic station about four kilometers from the stadium, don’t measure the loudness of the music, but rather the physical energy generated by thousands of fans dancing, jumping, and moving in sync.
How Music Makes the Ground Shake
Seismologists explain that this “concert earthquake” is very different from a natural earthquake. The energy source comes from human movement, not tectonic shifts, and cannot be directly converted into a Richter scale reading.
At the 2009 show, the seismic activity peaked at 8:30 p.m. — the exact moment Oasis kicked off with their anthemic opener “Rock ‘N’ Roll Star.”
Could the Record Be Broken?
With the band reuniting for a new run of shows at Murrayfield this coming weekend, BGS seismologist Callum Harrison says it’s possible they could surpass their own record — but it all depends on the crowd’s energy.
If history is anything to go by, Oasis fans might just be ready to make the earth move once again.
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