UK TOUR

GLASGOW SECC - December 1

blur where in fine fettle. With a quick "Allo" from Damon they went straight into Beetlebum. "I'm in a great mood tonight" Damon declared as Graham began Popscene, which they played fantastically but was shockingly unrecognised. Alex ponced magnificently, and Dave did what he's best at - drumming funnily enough.
Graham...well, I wasn't sure about him until his cheeky grin appeared during For Tomorrow and I knew then he was enjoying himself.
Loads of things where thrown onstage, including trainers - "could you chuck the other one of these up?" Damon asked holding up a black Nike trainer, "coz I quiet like these." T-shirts were also thrown, and a calculator(!). "What does RAD mean" wondered the A-Level mathsless Damon looking at it closely. "Radians", the well educated Alex informed him. There was a classic moment when Damon forgot the words to Swallows In The Heatwave, but luckily Graham was there to bail him out. Graham wound the crowd up by playing the riff from Song 2, starting the crowd to chant "Song 2, Song 2" which Damon found rather amusing. "Thong Do!" he mimicked as Graham hurtled into coping. Funnily enough, hardly anyone seemed to recognise Song 2 when it was played. Come on people - there's more to song 2 than just "whoo-hoo"!!
The band where obviously on top form. There was no Movin' On, or Essex Dogs, but the inclusion of There's No Other Way, She's So High and the aforementioned Swallows... definitely made up for it.

Jenni Loudon, Glasgow.

NEWCASTLE ARENA - December 2

The confidence blur gained from their recent successful tours of the USA and Australia really came through in this concert. The camouflage-clad stage symbolised the atmosphere, the set list was mainly punky and back-to-basics. Damon was in really good form, even though he said Newcastle always made him so quiet.
Highlights where Swallows... because I was the only one nearby who new the words, and Country Sad... because it feels great to weep and wail along with Damon - I sometimes feel like a ballad man. M.O.R. worked really well live because it's such an interactive song. However, blur received some bad reviews from local press who criticised the band for playing Girls & Boys and Parklife (!?), and said that the band had no rhythm. I'm worried that blur will eventually stop coming here after getting such bad reviews. I'd just like blur to know that we all love them and the Arena gig was one of the best.

Helen Taylor, Stanley.

CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL ARENA - December 5

So what could I expect from my third excursion with blur this year? A worry that a year of touring equals terminal exhaustion? Would they have the strength to carry on? Would the show be tired and dull? ... NO! Not a chance! What I experienced was wonderfully cool and confident blur full of new "highs" and great "lows".
The pressure's off, blur can do their stuff at venues big and small, they're just "sorted", "know where they're coming from". It makes you feel relaxed that they're at one with themselves and it shows.
Cardiff was eased gently into Blurworld with Beetlebum, accelerated into M.O.R. and carried high through a fine array of oldies. Damon leapt wildly. Graham scissor jumped. Damon jumps down to the crowd during Advert and we're manically screeching the countdown. Bank Holiday, Popscene, Chinese Bombs - we'll all explode! Then phew, "a b-side" says Damon smiling, relaxing into Swallows In The Heatwave" - so cool! Theme From Retro was the first song of the encore. I'm Just A Killer... sees Graham ripping huge screeches from his guitar. The Universal was Cardiff's anthem tonight, and Coping was there, just anticipating the final climax we knew would be Song 2.

Geraldine Heard, Taunton.

BIRMINGHAM NEC - December 6

This is the first time I'd seen blur live. I missed the last tour as I was pregnant and my husband didn't think pogoing would do the baby much good - the product of what must be the youngest blur fan (she even took her first steps by getting up to song 2 and trying to dance before she could even walk!) I'd been looking forward sooo much to seeing them live, and was so overwhelmed by the whole occasion.
The atmosphere was electric, full of energy and pure happiness. I can't thank the lads enough for such a brilliant performance. I was especially pleased with such a varied set, including lots of my personal favourites, although as many other reviewers have said a lot of the audience were only there for the singles and the more 'commercially acceptable' songs.

The highlights for me were the songs that created the most audience participation such as Popscene, Advert, Chinese Bombs etc., the latter of which was even faster than the album version. I was pleased that I'd finally mastered Chinese Bombs lyrics, only to find that I could hardly keep up - or maybe it was something to do with the lack of oxygen intake whilst pogoing like a woman possessed!

I just hope that when Damon said that this is the last tour they will do, he meant it in the same way as saying "we'll never play There's No Other Way again" (and we all know the rest!)

Lisa Mantle, Walsall.

SHEFFIELD ARENA - December 7

It's 12.05pm in Sheffield and me and friends arrive, the place is a very small City with tram lines everywhere, the train stations a disaster and we don't know where the arena is. We also don't have any tickets yet.

7.30pm

Weird set out, that is a summarised answer of the place. The standing section is split into two, the front section is miserably vacant and the back section is virtually jam packed with people bursting for oxygen.... it looks stupid. No early had we arrived and asked for front section standing we where told it was "full" and so we had to settle for the back section and use the screens to watch the action.
blur amble on stage in a totally unpretentious manner. Hello, Good Evening, Beetlebum. Alex has prepared a new trick - by strapping his guitar on a split second before he has to play a note. It's at the end of the first verse of BB when he drops his fag and picks up his guitar. It's a nonchalance that's supercool.
From his perspective, the show's an entertaining series of calamities, some of which are appearing on stage. It's only the second song in the set and Damon has completely forgotten a verse to MOR. It's a few ad - libs before he's back on track. So far, the security guards are untroubled. Occasionally they exert themselves by passing a cup of water to the crowd - Damon's doing most of the the water cooling after all. The photographers are in the pit also for the first three songs - each desperately trying to get a great shot, whilst dodging the burley security and Damon's torrents of water.
As soon as we're about six songs in, the bodies start to come over the barrier. They're all in pretty reasonable shape, and each person is given a drink, pat of the head and sent back into the thick of it.
Graham gestures over to Damon, who promptly saunters over and applies a reassuring hug to the worried guitarist. Damon tells us Graham's fingers are bleeding and we all give a concerned "aah". St. Johns Ambulance look unperturbed. Chinese Bombs is turned into Napalm Death. Popscene leads to another on - stage injury. Damon leaps around a bit too furiously, only to land badly on his foot. Again, an eyebrow St.Johns do not raise. Sadly, the gig is never quiet the same after this, as the foot s clearly effecting Damon's physical performance. He launches himself into the air, but even though the mind is willing, his body is not.
Back to the security pit. I've seen the same girl come over the barrier three times now, and I don't think it's the last time I'll see her. Each time there's nothing damaged apart from from pride when the security tell her she's got to go back into the crowd instead of putting her feet up in blurs dressing room.
Sadly, a more serious case comes over the barrier, St.Johns spring into action action and a limp, unconscious figure is carried over to the stretcher, and quickly whisked away. If you're reading, I hope you're okay. It's only a matter of minutes before the stretcher is empty again waiting for the next occupant. (thankfully it isn't necessary).
This Is A Low marks the beginning of the interval. Damon limps past, clearly in more discomfort than he was letting on. The crowd are left waiting, clapping and stamping feet awaiting the bands second entrance. I begin to shout a demand for song 2, but nobody joins in and so I slowly sink beneath the crowd so I don't feel a big an idiot. In the time it takes for a bandage to be applied, blur are back on stage. The encore is dished out with 100% efficiency. Blur say goodnight, grab a towel and drink and head for the bus for the journey back to London. I run for my life to pick up my ticket from the plastic bag as I leave for the outer world of Sheffield and search for posters of blur on sale outside......

Graham Coxon Shake It All The Way-Ay-Ay (Manchester) and Martin, blur FC.

WEMBLEY ARENA - December 9

A sudden blast of feedback signifies the arrival of the support acts. The Warm Jets receive enthusiastic cheers and the Super Furry Animals incite mass jumping throughout their short and energetic set. Once SFA have left the stage, we are kept waiting 20 minutes before the lights fade and the giant black curtain is released from the front of the stage. Cue the inevitable surge forward. Damon, Alex, Dave and Graham appear at last and take their unusual places. Alex is first in this unmistakable 'dapper-wear' as he demonstrates his skills in cigarette flicking - something that he has obviously been practising for some time. Damon sports a wonderful formed tuft of hair that sits magnificently on the back of his head, but it is Graham and Dave who prove that they are both T-shirt lords of the highest degree.
Damon reaches for his acoustic guitar as the band launch into Beetlebum, and everyone is immediately crushed to oblivion. Every song was greeted with huge cheers, but none more so than the return of There's No Other Way. Being in the middle of sheer heat and exhaustion prompted shouts of 'play something slow'. Blur ignored this and proceeded with Popscene. By now my oxygen supply was severely affected as I lose my sight of the band completely before passing-out in the middle of For Tomorrow - Bugger! I regain consciousness to a fantastic rendition of Swallows In The Heatwave - a song of define album track quality. "Laandaan! Laandaan!" chants Damon, but he is no way returning to the old Britpop incarnation, he is obviously just relieved to be home, and who can blame him? As blur are beckoned back for an encore, the magnificent Theme From Retro is played. Dave's forceful intro, the full brass section adding to the chorus along with Damon's haunting vocals made this one of the most out-standing songs of the night. We all go ballistic as the barking dogs are followed by Graham's unmistakable guitar intro. to Parklife. I'm Just A Killer..... works suprisingly well live, but we know we are almost at the end, half expecting the customary ballad finale such as Sing, so when Song 2 ends the gig abruptly we are left wanting more. The lights fade-up and everyone turfs out into the cold, after what must have been blurs best and most racous set to date.
Dave Tremaine, Brighton.

BRIXTON ACADEMY - December 12

Blur opened the set with Beetlebum, but from then on blur decided to change the set list a tad because, as Damon said "We're not on the radio tonight". Also this was their first small venue of the country so they had to make it special for the cosy atmosphere.
Somebody held up a sign which said "Don't play Girls & Boys!" which Damon replied "Who wants Girls & Boys?" The crowd roared and Damon replied to the individual "Looks like you're outvoted!" The highlight of the show for me would just have to be when Damon came down in front of the barrier. The crowd tugged on his lovely Nike shirt, almost ripping it (sorry Damon - for I was not to blame). He clambered back on stage and was forced to take it off as it was in such a bad state, chucking it into the crowd.
The most memorable part of the show had to be song 2, basically because of the bruises I received, and the fact that nobody wanted it to end. As long as the bruises last a little longer, then I know the memories will last just as long, and forever more.
Rachel Purdy, Hemel Hempstead.

BRIXTON ACADEMY - December 13

What a triumph! Perfectly executed guitar pop in what can only be called a perfect set. The best songs from Blur, Modern Life and Parklife and the near total absence of The Great Escape.
Girls & Boys sounded fresher than it has for a long time, whilst Badhead saw Damon unforgettably changing the melody of the lyrics to make it sound very, very beautiful indeed. The newer material has achieved a wonderful maturity on stage, whilst the older stuff just seems to get better and better. Damon seemed in high spirits, if a little agitated at times (he did manage to forget the words to a few songs!) On stage we all know and love Graham's genius with the guitar, Damon's exuberance and the louche figure of Alex, but what about Dave? The unsung hero of blur. For the first time (and very guiltily) I found myself noticing what a great musician Mr Rowntree really is. His timing was perfect, his rhythm impeccable. What a star.
They performed a wonderful encore, with a suprise appearance from Phil Daniel's, who promptly forgot all the words to Parklife. There was a rare performance of Strange News.... and they finally ended with the glorious Song 2. Woo-hoo!
Fiona McBride, Basingstoke.

I felt quiet comfortable in the idea that 4 blur dates in a row would have made me feel completely sick of the band. Instead I feel as enthusiastic about them as I did five years ago after a London residency the capital hasn't witnessed for ages. Not just the Academy, but Wembley was conquered easily. Their freshness and enthusiasm on stage reminded me of why I fell in love with blur in the first place.
Sylvia Faccioli, London

BRIGHTON CENTRE - December 17

I am very pleased that despite blurs worldwide popularity, they are down to earth enough to play the smaller venues, such as Brighton.
Despite the size, the atmosphere was electric, and blur played with the ferocious energy and explosive enthusiasm that is blur, therefore delivering what was by far the greatest show I have ever seen.
Trudy Greenwood, Worthing

blur played a raucous and relatively uncommercial set lasting over two hours and virtually ignoring The Great Escape. Graham was at his best, thrashing his guitar and leaping around enthusiastically. You're So Great was the most poignant moment of the evening.
Damon said, "It's probably evident that we've been drinking, but not because we're depressed but because it's an occasion." Due to this it was like the old days, but less shambolic and they were enjoying themselves in a big way.
Damon gave Parklife to Brighton and said he associated the town with it. Before the final song, he said, "this is our last show and this is our last song". They smashed into Song 2 and Damon found it hard to sing above the fans, who knew it might be the last chance to see blur in action so they made it a night to remember.
Linda Russell, Hassocks.

After the band's adamant statement that they would never tour again, I think most people were expecting this to be one of their best gigs. We were not disappointed. The band stumble on stage as Damon approaches the microphone. "We're not f***ing about tonight" he says. "At least half the songs we're playing we'll never play again." I don't think anyone really knew how to react to that, but then he admits he's probably had a few too many.
Jubilee provokes mass bouncing. Unfortunately She's So High has vanished from the set, but a rare airing of the gorgeously brassy Badhead made up for it. But, not even a bass-driven Death Of A Party could beat what was to be an incredible encore....
Graham appears...on his own! He takes his usual position but there is no sign of the others. "I thought I'd sing you my little song..." says Graham launching into a tear jerking You're So Great. Damon is the next to appear as he picks up his acoustic guitar to play Strange News...Dave and Alex join in on the epic crash of the songs conclusion. But it is the intensity of the new version of Theme From Retro that makes me feel shivery. With the blast of the magnificent Coping and Song 2 finale, the time went incredibly quickly for such a long set.
Dave Tremaine, Brighton.

Thanks go out to Martin at blur FC, eveybody who wrote up their memories of the UK tour and of course blur for providing the bloody tour!! Thanks. If you like what you see here, you can get it through your letter box with much much more with four issues per year from the greatest organisation every created.....blur FC.