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Back to: Archive · 1998 Heaven on earth My review of Blur at Glastonbury, Saturday 27th June 1998 Although I had wanted to go to the Glastonbury Festival for years, Blur's appearance in 1998 settled it - this year I wasn't going to miss out! A repeat of 1997's rain and mud didn't put anyone off, and the crowd (for Blur alone) was an estimated 60,000 out of a total official audience of 100,500 (although there were thousands more who had jumped the fence to get in)! Riding high on the worldwide success of 1997's Blur album, Damon & co were relishing their headlining spot at, arguably, the greatest festival in the world today. People expecting a mass-singalong, mass-celebration, a la Pulp's much-adored substitute appearance in 1995 after the Stone Roses pulled out, were not disappointed! Blur began with the pogotastic Girls & Boys, which saw yours truly dancing (well, okay, jumping up and down) in public for the first time! It was a brilliant way to start the set, but when everyone's bouncing up and down, you soon end up about thirty yards further back and a lot more to the right of the stage than where you started! Next up was a rip-roaring rendition of On Your Own, one of the standout tracks from the previous year's album, and well received by the crowd. Then it was on to Beetlebum, an outstanding song on record, but so much better live, with an extended guitar workout at the end sending the crowd wild with delight! Imagine The Who being bred with The Pixies, this song would be the result of that! Damon dedicated End Of A Century to Judy Finnegan (the co-presenter of UK daytime TV show 'This Morning'), who apparently hadn't been very well on TV recently. This dedication went over the heads of most of those present, but the song (one of my favourites from Parklife) was performed beautifully. Blur are, undoubtedly, one of the finest live acts in the world today (take your pick from over a decade's worth of fantastic performances), so this gig was never going to be anything less than great, but the band care too! During Country Sad Ballad Man, a stagehand ran on, to Damon's initial annoyance. However, once the singer realised what was going on, he told Alex, Dave and Graham to stop playing - with all the jumping around, people were getting crushed at the front. Damon asked the crowd to move back until we'd all retreated a fair distance. Steam rose off the heads of the now-not-crushed people at the front! Couple this with all the mud, and add the pure insanity that a triumphant gig induces, and it was just like a scene from Apocalypse Now! After he was sure that everyone was alright, Damon asked us if we wanted that song again, or if they should go on to the next song. After several indecisive murmurs from the crowd, the band elected to play the ending to the current song! A cool moment, much appreciated by everyone present! Next it was time for a brand new song! It eventually appeared as Trailerpark on 13, but Damon just announced that it was written for the South Park album and that it had been rejected (South Park people claim Blur withdrew it. Whatever, it's a fine tune). It was, at that point, one of the weirdest songs I'd ever heard Blur do, and the "I lost my girl to the Rolling Stones" line bemused many a person! Then Damon announced that they would do the next song properly, because they normally thrash through it. Then he said, rather confusingly, "Because if we play it too fast they just get really thin and they just disappear, you know". That song was Popscene, and they did a near-perfect rendition, complete with live brass accompaniment, making me a very happy person indeed! Next was a forgettable M.O.R., followed by a romp through There's No Other Way. I love hearing live versions of this - it always takes on a totally different character to the recorded version, and it went down really well! Blur then attempted Repetition (and not Slow Down, as most reports stated!), from their first album Leisure. This has been one of my favourite tunes from the start because of the blissed-out rhythm track, but they couldn't quite pull it off live. Graham had trouble with his guitar and couldn't replicate the lush tones of the studio version. Still, it's a beautiful song, and it was brave of them to do it live! After good, if not remarkable, versions of I'm Just A Killer For Your Love, Coping and the extended version of For Tomorrow came the track many people had waited for - This Is A Low. Anybody who was there to see Blur's 1994 NME Stage performance (or who saw it on TV afterwards (like me!)), when they played This Is A Low as the sun set, will remember what a heavenly spectacle it was. Damon shed a tear afterwards; no doubt many in the crowd did too. Well, the sun had already set this time, sadly, but it was another fantastic rendition, and a perfect way to end their set! Except, of course, there would be an encore! Yes, Blur were to return for five more songs, starting with Parklife, followed by an astonishingly-pretty The Universal. Then it was Death Of A Party and Essex Dogs, before they tore through Song 2 and left us ecstatic, radiant, and blessed that we had been able to witness such a magnificent show! Blur, I love you! You've given me more joy than any other band. Long may you reign! |