Blur drops out of Big Day Out Festival Australia

Here is a disappointing piece of news for Blur fans- Blur announced that they have pulled out of the Big Day Out Festival 2014 in Australia two months before it was scheduled to begin, citing “shifting goalposts and challenging conditions” from the festival organisers. 

Announced on their official Facebook page, the message alludes to behind-the-scenes conflict between Blur and the festival's management. Many fans were angry at the news, stating they only bought tickets to the festival to see the headlining act Blur.

The organisers for Big Day Out issued a statement which said: “Devastated to report that Blur won't be performing at BDO in 2014. It’s a shock that it has come to this,”. The statement continues that the band “feels that with the constantly shifting goalposts and challenging conditions of the organizers, they can't let it drag on any longer and want to make this announcement, to be clear to Blur fans that they won't be there. We've done our very best to work with the organisers and considered every option to make it happen, but they’ve let us down and let everyone else down too.”

Blur were set to head the festival alongside with heavyweights Pearl Jam, Snoop Dogg, Primus, Major Lazer, Lumineer and Arcade Fire. Ticket sales for the festival, however, were reported to be slow. The band has not set foot 'down under' since their last tour in 1997.

“Devastated to report that Blur won't be performing at BDO in 2014. It’s a shock that it has come to this,” stated the band on their official announcement.

The six day music festival begins on 17th January 2014 in Auckland, New Zealand, before touring around major Australian cities.

Blur confirms Tokyo for 2014 - Live in Budokan

The organizers for one of Japan's biggest music arenas, the Nippon Budokan known as simply Budokan have confirmed that Blur are back on the list for a show in 2014. Blur fans nearby can rejoice, as the chance to see Blur in Tokyo is here again despite a cancelled gig earlier in 2013.

Blur will head over to the other side of the world and visit Tokyo following the cancelled Tokyo Rocks show scheduled for earlier this year. Official confirmation came from Blur's Facebook page and the gig's organizers in Japan.

The Budokan arena is where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded, including those by musicians Bob Dylan, Blur and Ozzy Osborne. The stadium was originally used for judo competitions in the Olympics of 1964. The first rock group to perform in the stadium was The Beatles, who played a series of shows there in 1966.

The last time Blur played in Japan was ten years ago in 2003 at the Summer Sonic event and have since been waited upon by fans from all across the world who will be travelling to see them play live.

Date: Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Time: 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Location: Budokan, Tokyo, 2-3 Kitanomarukoen

Venue opens: 18:00

Ticket price: A seat ¥9,000,  S seat ¥10,500

Full show guide release date: October 5 (Sun) 10:00 am

Organizer: Creative Man

Blur also released a two-disc live album in 1996 titled "Live at the Budokan" which comprised of recordings from a live show in Japan during their The Great Escape Tour of 1995. Up until 2009, "Live at the Budokan" was the only official live Blur album. Listen to the whole album (including Damon speaking broken Japanese) for free below.



Blur have extended their 2013 tour to the early months of 2014. Will more venues in Asia follow? What will be next for Blur in 2014? All that is known for now is that Japan will be the second venue confirmed and will precede the recently announced Blur concert in Australia, set for January next year.

For more information: www.creativeman.co.jp/artist/2014/01blur/

Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE
Blur @ Coachella- video and image gallery HERE 

Blur confirmed for Mexico HERE

Blur Europe Tour News  HERE

Order the new Blur: Parklife (Live at Hyde Park CD / DVD) HERE

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Blur dates for Australia concerts confirmed - Big Day Out 2014

It's official - Blur will be playing in one of Australia's biggest music festivals, the Big Day Out festival from January 17th - February 2nd 2014. That's right, Blur will be extending their World Tour and head to Australia right from the start of the new year.

In several recent interviews, Blur Bassist Alex James says: "We had a great time in Australia last time, so I think it's going to be crazy. I'm having my mind blown by travelling all over the world again with the band, it's fantastic, and we're playing better than we ever have before."

“It’s hugely exciting and there’s something for everybody there,” Alex also said of the Big Day Out. “It’s a while since we’ve played festivals, but everything about festivals has got better … the only thing you can’t guarantee is the weather.”

"I didn't think it was going to happen, because [frontman] Damon Albarn wanted to focus on his solo album next year and we were still negotiating with Arcade Fire," said festival promoter Ken West said in an interview with News.com.au. "Then, both bands said yes, and there was no way I was going to knock back Blur."

Blur will be the last band to perform at the event, taking to the stage as Pearl Jam wrap up. Blur will playing on a new main stage, dubbed The Love Stage

Other leading artists lined up for Big Day Out include Snoop Lion, Mudhoney, Pez, Diiv, The 1975,  Major Lazer, Steve Angello, The Naked and Famous, Dillon Francis, Toro Y Moi, Portugal The Man, Northlane, Flume, The Lumineers, Tame Impala, Mac Miller, Cosmic Psychos, The Algorithm, Peking Duk and Ben Morris.

The festival starts in Auckland, New Zealand on the 17th January. Blur will then head over to Australia's Gold Coast on 19th January and ends in Perth on 2nd February. Tickets for Big Day Out will be on sale from August 9th and the Sydney shows on August 8th.

Big Day Out 2014 dates

Friday, January 17 – Western Springs, Auckland

Sunday, January 19 – Metricon Stadium & Carrara Parklands, Gold Coast

Friday, January 24 – Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne

Sunday, January 26 – Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney

Monday, January 27 – Sydney Showgrounds, Sydney

Friday, January 31 – Bonython Park, Adelaide*

Sunday, February 2 – Claremont Showgrounds, Perth*

Will Blur head over to any other countries after the show? Will the setlist be different this time? Will there be any more Blur-related stage antics like the previous shows? Who knows- what is for sure is that Blur will be pleasing thousands of fans in Australia this year - especially since their last visit 'Down Under' was sixteen years ago in 1997.

For Australian dates and ticket info click here

Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE