PHOTO ESSAY:Blur played a miraculous set list yesterday during the first full gig they did in 3 years on July 31st 2012.
Stage was lit up as the small crowd waited for Blur - most viewers, however, were streaming from online
Trimm Trabb guitar chords, taken from the set
Gorillaz - Coxon spares ?
In the two intimate BBC Maida Vale gigs (BBC 6 music: 6pm-7pm, BBC Radio 2: 8pm-9pm) the audience witnessed several moments that will completely rewrite Blur's musical history.
'Young and Lovely', a B-side of single 'Chemical World' (Modern Life is Rubbish, 1993) was also performed for the second and third time in Blur history, the first being the legendary B-sides gig in 1999.
New single 'Under the Westway' got two more plays. The accompanying 'The Puritan' was also performed once live, the second time since the premier on the roof a month ago.
'Caramel' (album '13') was played live for the first time ever. Although the song never made it to the live setlists for Blur's past gigs, the first (and perhaps the last) performance of 'Caramel' was absolutely stunning.
Damon crooned and the song shone out brilliantly, intense with emotion.
HIGHLIGHT- 'CARAMEL' LIVE:Uploaded by BlurBalls.com - enjoy this stunning debut, never played live before since the beginning of Blur.
Recorded by Blurballs.com - Caramel live debut in 13 years
VIDEO GALLERY:Watch the full Blur Maida Vale shows below. The broadcast is owned by BBC and uploaded by fans to Youtube. *Update: Videos no longer available - download the mp4 video below
First gig - 6pm to 7pm, for BBC 6 Music (Jul 31st 2012)
First gig - 8pm to 9pm, for BBC Radio 2 (Jul 31st 2012)
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!
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We're listening online at BBC 6 iPlayer (click to listen)and reporting on the 2 hour radio show, plus the one hour gig that follows.
4:00pm - Steve opened with talking about Blur, and from the way he talked, it seemed that he was really into the band and all.
4: 15pm - 'Fool (Demo)' played. Pity about not playing 'She's so High' (Seymour Version) which Steve Lamacq has a copy of. Yes, we've seen it.
4:30pm - Show is playing old interviews from 1994, between blur and the evening session team of Steve and Jo, about Blur's tours and now 'Delicious' by Sleeper is on because they supported Blur on tour during 1994.
4:40pm - 'For Tomorrow' is playing. Great to hear some early Blur memories, including some saying that Blur "weren't that great" and were "last on the set".
4:44pm - Graham Coxon talking about 'Parklife' - Steve is playing the archive BBC recordings (available via our new site section 'Blur Archive Project' !)
4:46pm - 'End of a century' ? It's gone now. Dave Rowntree up - "didn't have the lungs" to play the bagpipe. All old information from the Blur books ... if you've read them that is. Dave our man - it's great to finally hear him on radio since we rarely do. "What a cunt" - about Damon.
4:48pm - Dave says that people don't get annoyed at the Blur sound checks. How could they when everyone ontwitteris saying how amazing the sound checks for Maida Vale TONIGHT are ? #bluratthebeeb is trending!
4:51pm - Thanks BBC 6 Music for the retweet about this live blogging post! Support. 'London Loves' is on - one of my all time favourites. Mysteries of a speeding heart....
4:52pm - Ha - "Everyone's voice has changed except Graham". True or not ?
4:55pm - Idlewild! Support band of Blur. Damon talking about 'Parklife' - inspirations...Cardiacs, Chopin...music he loved when he was young. Damon's an "aspiring cook" - Fish and red peppers anyone ?
5:00pm - Wow, one hour's passed and I've heard more Blur on the radio than in many, many months. Great to hear archive interviews, it's so emotional. Alex James' mini space rant.
5:00pm - "As soon as I've got some money I'm going to start a space programme" - Alex James, why haven't you kept that promise ? Has cheese gotten in the way ? 'Far Out' playing - the rare song where Alex actually sings. 'Rednecks' next please. Request it!
5:03pm - Blur appeared on the BBC NEWS! They played a B-side in their sound check, which means only one thing - an amazing gig is coming.
5:04pm - Blur World Cup - my favourite show from the Blur Radio website (click to check it out) ... I used to listen to this show on loop. Amazing to hear it again on actual radio.
5:08pm - Snippets from the Blur World Cup. 'The Universal' vs. 'Girls and Boys' - the latter wins. More classic Blur singles fight against each other. In my opinion, all deserve to win because lets face it - they're all bloody brilliant. 'High' vs 'Low'.
5:09pm - Who said that Blur weren't focused on the charts ? Damon's obsessed! At least back then in the interviews. Blur forum drama re-lived ?
5:15pm - More Blur world cupping. 'M.O.R' is Damon's favourite song to play live. But I'm wondering - which B-side did Blur play in their warm up today ? I'm so curious. Maybe 'Inertia' or 'Young and Lovely' ?
5:18pm - Think Tank is amazing. 'Music is my Radar' - great great great. Side note: I just asked someone who went past Maida Vale Studios thrice this afternoon to try their luck and 'bump' into Blur. Turns out he only saw Smoggy... no Blur. Folks out there - you lucky people.
5:21pm - Graham - "When Streety was inventing Britpop". Quote of the week. Class. Remember this if anything. The world cup (not Olympics, the Blur one) is still continuing. Damon's calling a friend - using up his options ?
5:24pm - Of course 'Song 2' is going to win ! Me thinks. Blur just called themselves the "Woo hoo guys" - did you know that they actually whistled in the demo version ? And it was a lot slower too! The original 'Song 2' demo is more reggae style.
5:28pm - Dave will never go against 'Parklife' - die hard...yes! More 'World Cup' stuff, moving onto the finals now. Wonder what's next ?
5:30pm - Check out the picture above - We're drooling at the tickets (and wishing we could grab them off cyberspace)
5:38pm - Steve has seen the setlist. Steve has seen it. When will we see it ? Dave Rowntree is talking about police stations. He said he got recognized by the police! "No one expects Blur to be wearing a suit. They'd expect us to be wearing a cheeky grin". Aw. Blur has "real self belief". Now Alex James thinks bands are too "polite" nowadays, less swagger and staring up.
5:48pm - Got distracted, chatting to a dear Blur fan. Now 'On Your Own' is playing, and yes, I do relate to the lyrics. Brimming with excitement. Wishing I was in London so badly!
5:52pm - John Peel Blur performance is featured now. Huge bin full of unopened demos in Peel's house, and Graham had the guts to say Blur's were probably in there! Remember Damon singing in Peel Acres?
5:56pm - Blur live interview! Graham Coxon watched the men's gymnastics event. He got diving tickets. Damon is questioning about the Olympics swimming pool. Damon said he's going to "red button" the table tennis games. Well Damon, go ahead and play your mini-tennis games, I'm going to red button YOUR gig tonight.
5:58pm - "Silk trousers" - what it feels like being inside a Blur song. Graham Coxon quote of the MONTH!
5:59pm - I'm betting 'Young and Lovely' is being played tonight. Oh, so it's about a teenager going out alone at night ? The way Damon says "ironic" is so funny - it's all mono-tonal. Are they going to keep reforming every couple of years ?
6:01pm - No - Blur don't go! Even though we know you guys have to set up for the GIG NEXT HOUR! The Clash is amazing.
6:06pm - Watch the gig LIVE NOW! Here! Look at the crowd - all standing there looking excited. And in reply to Dominic: Yes dear, you should totally be in the crowd seeing as you live 15 minutes away from the Maida Vale Studios, but you know how the BBC only gave tickets to very very few lucky fans...(and some media people). Check out the Maida Vale set below.
6:14pm - It's always nice to hear Blur fans talking about being Blur fans. Nuff said. Just saw a sign - "Blur at Maida Vale will be followed shortly" pop up on the video. Excited!
6:19pm - Alex James looking sharp in blue. I see Smoggy - spot Smoggy.
6:24pm - Track 1: Jubilee ! Live and amazing! Damon looking SHARP.
6:26pm - Track 2: The Puritan. I lost the bet - thought it would be The Universal. Bloody. Brilliant song. This song just gets better and better for me. So Blur. Damon just looks like he just woke up - a little lost look. Foot stamping and funny LA-LA-LAs, what could be better? It was full of energy.
6:29pm - Break ? Is singing two songs that tiring ?
6:31pm - Fashion Update: Damon is in Fred Perrys, Alex James is crispy and sharp in blue, Graham Coxon looking Gorillaz-ish and very cool in blue and white stripes, and Dave Rowntree is um....Dave.
6:40pm - An extra long coffee break ? Alex James left outside speaking to fans. Where's Damon ? Alex James getting a picture and Damon's looking pissed off - jealous of the attention ? Earl Zinger - Song 2 playing - sounds like Song 2's early demo. Really great track.
6:45pm - Track 3: Caramel. Steve wearing a 'Modern Life is Rubbish' shirt - on my want list. They've NEVER played this live before. They've NEVER played this song live before. I repeat - They've NEVER played this live before. They've NEVER played this song live before!
6:52pm - Track 4: Trimm Trabb- Best song on 13 ? Along with Coffee and TV ?
6:57pm - Two more Blur songs before gig ends. 'The Universal' playing in the background as the boys take a well deserved break. Having an emotional breakdown due to 'Caramel' being played live. Oh wow. Will upload it to BlurBall's youtube channel now.
7:01pm -Track 5: Young and Lovely- B-side. Lovely song.
7:08pm - Last track - Track 6: Under the Westway. Pure epicness.
7:12pm - Track 7: Intermission (Bonus track) - a pleasant surprise and wow, never thought it would make such an amazing session wrapper. The band looked like they had so much fun playing... brings us back to the heydays of Britpop and Modern Life is Rubbish. Dave rocked the drums!
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