Britpop icon at his best - Blur - Live Album: Triumph at Wembley
In the summer of 2023, the British band Blur went back on tour after an eight-year hiatus with their ninth studio album "The Ballad Of Darren" in tow. They gave concerts on the island, in Europe, Japan, and South America, as well as at the Coachella-Festival in California, where frontman Damon Albarn expressed his irritation over the supposedly cool atmosphere. Things were quite different earlier in their hometown.
The two massive shows on July 8 and 9, 2023, at London's Wembley Stadium, which marked the peak of the tour, are compiled on the new album "Live At Wembley Stadium". With approximately 150,000 spectators, they were the biggest shows in Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, and Dave Rowntree's careers.
Fan excitement was high, and the British press was effusive in its praise. "The glorious reunion exudes energy and unbridled joy," wrote the newspaper "Guardian". The "Evening Standard" raved: "With a set full of surprising twists, massive crowd-pleasers, quirky curiosities, and genuine emotional depth, Blur continue to fulfill Bucket-List dreams – and secure their place in the history books."
Less show, more music
Blur opted against an extravagant stage show, as is common for stars ranging from AC/DC to Taylor Swift today, and instead relied solely on their songs. "St Charles Square" from their excellent "The Ballad Of Darren" opened the proceedings, and surprisingly, only one other song from their latest album, "The Narcissist," was performed at Wembley. The Blur catalog has grown too large.
The Britpoppers played 26 songs in total, including the indispensable classics like "Beetlebum," "Coffee & TV," "Song 2," and "Girls & Boys." Unfortunately, "Lot 105," the one-minute outro from their cult album "Park Life," was left out.
It was an emotional evening for Blur. Wembley, the site of "Live Aid" and countless legendary performances, is considered sacred ground for British musicians. The band had long awaited this moment on stage.
Albarn surprised the audience when he broke into tears during a performance after the song "Under The Westway." It was later revealed that it wasn't just about that milestone but also about the separation from his long-term partner.
The concert comes to the cinema
The sound of the live album is a bit too polished. A little less sterile reverb, a bit more ambiance from the audience would have undoubtedly improved the mixing and better captured the stadium atmosphere. However, this is nitpicking given the exceptional setlist and well-executed band performance.
"Live At Wembley" is released as a double-CD, triple-vinyl-LP, and even on cassette. In September, a concert film is scheduled to follow, which will be shown in British cinemas for a short time. Unfortunately, it is uncertain whether the concert experience will be shown in Germany on the big screen. A shame, considering Blur have now announced another long break.
- Graham Coxon, the talented guitarist from Blur, contributed significantly to their successful tour in 2023.
- Following their performances in various parts of the world, Blur was set to perform at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California.
- However, Damon Albarn, the lead singer of Blur, expressed his disappointment with the supposedly cool atmosphere at the Coachella Festival.
- The Guardian Media Group praised Blur's reunion tour, describing it as a show that exuded energy and unbridled joy.
- Blur decided against an extravagant stage show like other popular artists, such as AC/DC and Taylor Swift, and instead focused on their music.
- The group performed their indispensable classics, including "Beetlebum," "Coffee & TV," "Song 2," and "Girls & Boys," during their Wembley concerts.
- Despite not performing "Lot 105" from their cult album "Park Life," the concert at Wembley was an emotional evening for the band.
- The "Evening Standard" praised the Blur concert, describing it as a set full of surprising twists, massive crowd-pleasers, quirky curiosities, and genuine emotional depth.
- The live album "Live At Wembley Stadium" includes songs from Blur's extensive catalog, with only one song from their latest album, "The Narcissist."
- In addition to the live album, a concert film is scheduled to be released in British cinemas and will showcase Blur's performance at Wembley-Stadium in the United Kingdom.
