Oasis gig at Norwich Arts Centre in 1994 marked with tribute show

They were the iconic band who led the Britpop revolution, achieving number one hits and selling out stadiums and arenas across the country.

But just two months before Oasis’ era-defining debut Definitely Maybe became the fastest ever selling debut album, the Manchester rockers played the tiny Norwich Arts Centre.

And now 30 years on, some of the 200 or so people lucky enough to be in the crowd on 6 June,1994, have recalled the emotions of the night.

Lesley Hardy, then 15, was blown away by what she saw – inspiring her lifelong love of the band.

She had been encouraged to go to the gig by her father, local gig promoter Steve Smith, with him and friends.

The teenager was lucky enough to get a poster signed by the five-piece band at the end of the night.

“I became a solid indie kid after that,” recalled the office manager.

“Everything about them I loved – the swagger, the personality, the ‘not giving a damn’ – it was so refreshing after so many boy bands and dance acts in the early ’90s.

“It’s the sound of my generation.”

For Ms Hardy, what she witnessed that night sparked a lifelong adoration of the band, and her son was even born as the guitar riffs of Live Forever played in the background.

Fellow Norwich music lover Ivan Adcock, 62, was struck by what he had seen on that balmy Monday night.

He was attending dozens of gigs a year and gave the performance 7.5 stars in his diary.

He wrote, prophetically, “Oasis are going to be big – mark my wordz.”

Despite the band’s eventual downfall, lead singer Liam Gallagher has continued to pack out arenas in recent days marking the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe and singing rarely performed Oasis B-sides.

Oasis were booked to play in Norwich by independent promoter Wilde Club, which was scouting for the latest rising talents.

It brought Nirvana to the city twice – first at Norwich Arts Centre in 1989 and then The Waterfront in 1990 – before the band went global.

In the audience both times – and at the Oasis gig – was Eye Sore You fanzine co-editor Fraser McKay, who felt the Manchester act had some way to go before matching the energy and musicality of the Seattle trio.

“The music press buzz about Oasis meant when they played the Arts Centre it was packed with indie music fans wanting to catch them,” he said.

“Those attending heard many of the songs that later appeared on their debut album.

“Such was its success, unlike many other bands of that time, they never returned to Norwich, so the next time I saw them was at one of their sold-out nights at Knebworth Park.”

Now, 30 years on from when brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher took to the stage the venue, on St Benedict’s Street, will host a tribute band and an indie-dance-pop DJ set from Common People to commemorate the occasion.

“It is the only time they played Norwich, so we’re proud we caught them at our venue and that’s something to celebrate,” said the centre’s Kelly Robb.

“[It] has always been a venue known for bringing new acts to Norwich and catching bands just before they get big.”

Oasis were playing gigs up and down the country almost every night of the week then, but three decades later many of the small venues they appeared in, including The Boat Race in Cambridge and the Army & Navy pub in Chelmsford, have closed.

The Arts Centre said it was “testament to us, our staff and audiences” that it was in a position to host an anniversary show on Thursday night.