Blur introduced fan-favourite ‘Nation Home’ again to their setlist at Primavera Sound final night time (June 1), and performed the uncommon monitor ‘Luminous’. Try the setlist and photographs under.
The Brit-pop icons took to the stage for his or her headline set on the Barcelona pageant, performing a collection of classics, rarities and new tracks from their upcoming album, ‘The Ballad Of Darren’.
One of many essential highlights of the night time got here halfway by way of their set, with Damon Albarn and co. performing ‘Luminous’ for the primary time in 24 years. The lesser-known monitor is a b-side for the one ‘Bang’, which first appeared on their debut album ‘Leisure’.
Extra just lately, ‘Luminous’ appeared on Blur’s b-side assortment ‘Blur Current The Particular Collectors Version’, which was re-released for Report Retailer Day this April and featured a set of B-sides taken from ‘Leisure’ (1991), ‘Fashionable Life Is Garbage’ (1993) and ‘Parklife’ (1994).
One other spotlight from the set got here with the efficiency of fan-favourite ‘Nation Home’, which was preceded by a quick rendition of ‘I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside’. This was the primary time that the tune has been added to the setlist because the band launched into their ‘Magic Whip’ tour, again in 2015. Try fan-captured footage under.
“So the story begins…”:musical_note:@blurofficial‘s large headline present at Barcelona’s @Primavera_Sound final night time noticed the band play ‘Nation Home’ for the primary time in eight years. Roll on Wembley… pic.twitter.com/WfaJY4FSZL
— NME (@NME) June 2, 2023
“It’s so, so beautiful to be again with my previous buddies once more,” Albarn mentioned to the viewers through the first half of the set. “I’ve identified them since I used to be younger! I met Graham [Coxon] in class after I was 12. And right here we nonetheless are.”
Elsewhere, two songs from their upcoming album LP ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ had been additionally performed: ‘St. Charles Sq.’ — which opened the 20-song setlist — and lead single ‘The Narcissist’. The album is ready to reach subsequent month (July 21), and would be the band’s ninth studio album.
Blur included quite a lot of their most well-known hits through the present too, together with ‘Espresso & TV’, ‘Women & Boys’ and ‘Track 2’. Try the setlist under.
Blur’s setlist was:
1. ‘St. Charles Sq.’
2. ‘There’s No Different Method’
3. ‘Popscene’
4. ‘Tracy Jacks’
5. ‘Beetlebum’
6. ‘Trimm Trabb’
7. ‘Villa Rosie’
8. ‘Espresso & TV’
9. ‘Luminous’ (First time dwell since 1999)
10. ‘Finish of a Century’
11. ‘Nation Home’ (Tour debut)
12. ‘Parklife’
13. ‘To the Finish’
14. ‘Women & Boys’
15. ‘Track 2’
16. ‘Intermission’
17. ‘This Is a Low’
18. ‘Tender’
19. ‘The Narcissist’
20. ‘The Common’
Final month (Could 19), all 4 members opened up concerning the recording technique of their ninth studio album throughout a press convention at Colchester Fort.
“There have been moments of utter pleasure,” mentioned bassist Alex James. “The truth that all of us go off and go down our rabbit holes and are available again up once more and once we do get again collectively, we’ve all learnt one thing… There’s all the time been one thing very particular about once we play collectively. It’s there proper from the get go. I really feel fulfilled and blessed.”
The rock veterans additionally performed a collection of warm-up exhibits within the UK over the previous two weeks, together with a gig of their Colchester hometown (Could 20) and a set in Eastbourne the following day (Could 21).
Following a hiatus, their comeback was confirmed again in November with information of an enormous Wembley Stadium present. A second date on the venue was later added, as had been a run of European pageant exhibits.
