Blur - Stockholm Cirkus - 13/10/03
4/5
By: Julian Sewell
For the elders, it will have been six or seven years since Blur were perceived amid their most quintessential career-embers - the good ole, Chas'n'Dave, cockney knees-up, 'roll out tha barrel' 'Parklife' period. They truly were the (pearly) kings of Britpop along with Oasis, and neither could do no wrong (so it first seemed).
Yet, fast-forward to 2003, and the sceptics are longing for a time when present Albarn-ditties could even stand up against modern-day Oasis b-sides, the latter even a mediocre shadow of yesteryear. Well, at least Blur have still kept trying to move onwards and not let the money, stardom and - most plaguing of all - living in London, or loss of a vital guitarist (Graham Coxon), dampen their peerless surges of creativity.
So it was with some curiosity that we turn up to tonight's show, wondering just what Blur 2003 had to offer. The first surprise is that it wasn't just the three boys onstage... Somewhere along the line, Blur live has morphed into a nine-piece outfit, inclusive of a keyboard player, three backing-singers and an additional percussionist (Adam & The Ants, anyone?). Yet, the extra members provide a uniquely fuller, almost orchestral quality... Though, even still, there lurks one nagging lack that they themselves cannot disguise this evening.
Opening with new track 'Ambulance', Damon's voice is suffering, lost in the mass of noise - a point which he apologises for... Testament to the performance and players, however, this fails to often mar - especially proven by a soulful 'Tender', aired early on, where the gospel-backing proves of mesmerising intensity; and what Damon's pipes are missing out on tonight in the way of gusto, he certainly makes up for in rapt enthusiasm. Their trademark 'Song 2' is displayed halfway through, and you begin to realise just how Albarn lost his voice in the first place... Add that to a pummelling, one-minute 'We've Got A File On You', it's astonishing he's got any vocal-chords left at all.
Yet, despite the evident joy and dominance of latter-day Blur, it's our golden 'Parklife' which contributes the most songs tonight, inclusive of the hits 'Girls & Boys', 'To The End' and an epic finale of 'This Is A Low' - serving as a true reminder of what power they've been capable of over the years, and - perhaps most importantly - their enduring relevance, which proves as timely as ever.
Artists in this article: Blur
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