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Blur at Wembley Arena 2023: Concert Review

Soph Johnson

Sophie Johnson

Britpop legends Blur reunited this year for their first tour since 2015, with two sold-out concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium. Believe it or not, this was the band’s first time headlining this esteemed venue.

In late 2022, Blur announced their 2023 reunion tour which would span across Europe, including large arenas and festivals. Infamous for their Brit-pop battle against Manchester’s Oasis, at their peak, the band attracted a massive audience of all ages. Everyone in the crowd was dancing and singing along, which built an incredible atmosphere in the venue. During the slower songs, audience members took out their phone torches, uniting to show their support for the band.

“Having been together for so long, and despite two hiatuses, the band still played incredibly well and were clearly able to bounce off one another.”

Instead of a pint, Damon Albarn requested a mid-set cup of tea to enjoy on stage — a subtle nod to the age and quintessential British-ness of the group. Having been together for so long, and despite two hiatuses, the band still played incredibly well and were able to bounce off one another. According to the Evening Standard, Blur “still fizzed with the energy of a band in their prime”.

THE SETLIST

Narrowing down Blur’s extensive discography into a set fit to satisfy all their fans must have been a challenge, but they did not disappoint. The ensemble played an impressive 25 tracks, including the encore, some of which had not been performed live for years.

The song ‘Lot 105’ had not been performed since 1994, and featured a Wembley sing-a-long to lead into the encore. The band also hadn’t performed ‘Under the Westway’ since 2014. There were also some performative elements to the show including applause for Freddie Mercury and a surprise appearance by Phil Daniels, to feature on ‘Parklife’.

“I’ll have to admit, it did make me tear up!”

Of the songs performed, I particularly liked Beetlebum, Advert and their first-ever number one, Country House. But, if I had to choose one that stood out from the rest, it would have to be Tender, from the 1999 album 13. For this song, Albarn brought out the London Community Gospel Choir for an incredibly emotional rendition. I’ll have to admit, it did make me tear up!

“The atmosphere was amazing with everyone jumping, dancing and singing along.”

Other stand-out songs had to include Song 2, Girls and Boys and There’s No Other Way. Of course, fans were excited to hear the popular hits. The atmosphere was amazing with everyone jumping, dancing and singing along. Ending the show with The Universal felt so appropriate as a beautiful conclusion to a fantastic performance, and helped cool down the buzzing energy before people made their way home.

SO, WHAT’S NEXT FOR BLUR?

After their Wembley shows, Blur jetted off to perform in France, Italy, and Belgium. Hopefully, this concert has created some hype for the band’s comeback album, The Ballad of Darren. A mere few hours after its release, The Line of Best Fit has deemed Blur’s ninth studio album a “triumph” for the Britpop legends.

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Featured image courtesy of Sophie Johnson. No changes were made to this image.

Soph is a self-proclaimed musicophile, hot chocolate connoisseur, and a sort-of polyglot. She is also an avid lover of film photography, movies, and books.

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