Blur - Maida Vale 2nd Gig (BBC2) Live Blog

Second Maida Vale gig - Live blogging from Blurballs.com - check it out.

• 8:05pm - Track 1: Tracy Jacks . Blur added cowbells. Cowbells! Lovely song from Parklife - including my favourite lyrics and chorus. Damon looked agressive for a moment there - scary. Love Steve's "Blur" football shirt - Damon wore it for the Brits 1995. 
• 8:09pm - Track 2: Beetlebum. Alex James swingin' it there, looking as cool as ever. Seems like this gig is full of singles, at least for the first half! Blur's drug-inspired hit single, and probably many's favourite track. Amazing stage lights - orange, yellow, not too bright, not too mellow. We rhyme. Beetlebum goes on, and it is a fantastic track, gets better and better.... 
• 8:14pm - Graham Coxon on his knees... doing the Beetlebum epic middle section. Blur are looking tops and energetic and absolutely radiating pure music. 
• 8:15pm - Track 3: Out of Time - Think Tank Single - Reminds me of long walks in the park, and sad music videos. Damon's solo - good to hear his voice in top form again. Is this Damon or Graham on guitar ? Can't tell, can't tell, but I can only hear the music. And wait a minute - Graham Coxon has NO GLASSES today.
• 8:18pm - Track 4: Young and Lovely - Again ? Who wouldn't mind listening to this classic b-side again ? Damon spoke of parenthood and being old. Friday's child... Awfully real tonight - isn't the lyrics "Far too real tonight" ? Still, we're singing along to this right now. La la la. 
• 8:24pm - Track 5: End of a Century - This song's sounding better and better. Damon - "As we get closer to 50". FIFTY! Not 40, not 30, not 20... now he's reaching 50! Cheeky lyrics - we like. Damon sings them with ease. Rehearsals paying off at last. Fashion update - Damon isn't wearing his red boots today... white shoes ? Air cushioned soles ? Trimm Trabs ? 

• 8:27pm - Damon tells a story - "I was talking to somebody... going on holiday in Windowsill. Starts Track 6: Mr Briggs (B-side). Damon looked young and energetic as usual. Great little track. Recorded it for you all !
• 8:32pm - Track 7: Tender. Beatlesque. As usual - 7 minutes of joy. 
• 8:38pm - Track 8 : This is a Low - The song that deserves to be a single from 'Parklife' but did not make it. Let's see if Damon can hit the high note - This is a LOOOOW. He did it - Damon's singing is superb, and very chilling. Eyes closed, both hands on mic, can this get better ? The crowd seems to be very still tonight... wonder whether it's the weather or the brilliant music getting through their hearts. Dave banging on the drums all right!
• 8:43pm - Track 9: Under the Westway - Wow, the introduction is stunning. I can see why Orbit's version sounded a bit too much like something out of '13' and not enough of a 'hymn' to Damon Albarn. And guess what - they added Orbit's synth to the track! Perhaps they should have performed Orbit's version too - that would be funny. Every time I listen to this, I remember - Blur are BACK and better than ever. Graham's backing vocals are chilling, stunning and awesome. 
• 8:47pm - Track 10: Popscene - Damon blasts a siren! Loudspeaker siren object alert! Just like in 1991, the Leisure era! We thought he'd sing into the microphone, just like 21 years ago, but sadly he chucked it away before grabbing the mic. Wait - will Damon sing into the loudspeaker ? 

• 8:50pm - Track 11: For Tomorrow - A dear Blur fan of mine thinks Damon will sing "under the Westway" now - yes or no ? No - still "lost on the Westway". Damon should have sang "Now we're under the westway" ! The bass sounds superb on our speakers. We'd recommend listening to this full with high quality bass amps. Always loved the trumpets and wind instruments on 'Modern Life is Rubbish'. Modern music sometimes seem rubbish compared to Blur. 
• 8:58pm - Track 12: The Universal - Last track of the evening and the track on British Gas adverts for the past 3 years. Damon messed the lyrics! Yes, Damon, "the words are wrong" and you stumbled a bit (or was it Graham) but in the end, Blur "really really could happen". Damon just put his head on the mic - in frustration ? It really really could happen. Indeed. Will Song 2 be played next as a bonus ? Woo hoo song? 

Damon ends by saying "I know I made a mistake". Steve asks the audience whether they missed Blur and were met with a huge "YES". Yes, we missed Blur, but we got an evening of wonderful nostalgia, and b-sides!

And that's it. For the 1st Maida Vale Studios gig (6pm-7pm, Jul 31st) click here to read our live blog plus watch exclusie footage, including Caramel (Live). Download the audio (mp3) of both shows here. The full set list of the Blur Maida Vale 8:00pm-9:00pm show 2012 - July 31st at BBC 2 is the following:

1. Tracy Jacks
2. Beetlebum
3. Out of Time
4. Young and Lovely
5. End of a Century
6. Mr Briggs
7. Tender
8. This is a Low
9. Under the Westway
10. Popscene
11. For Tomorrow
12. The Universal 

Check out the video we recorded of Blur's 'Mr. Briggs' below. 

Damon Albarn says Blur will continue after 2012- HERE

The Puritan- new track HERE

Damon Albarn says it's the End of Blur! Read HERE

Top 7 Blur Updates of 2012 HERE

Check out Blur's rumoured new album HERE. 

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