Whoooo- hooooo!!! Blur live in Gothenburg for an Amazing Pre-Olympic Warm up

Last Sunday, Blur headlined the Hyde Park concert that close down the London Olympics. This might very well be their last concert. Two days before, I saw them live on an incredible 21-song warm up concert at the Way Out West Festival in Gothenburg.

Several months ago, when I heard that Blur was set to play at Hyde Park, I knew this could be my last chance to see my favorite band, the one that defined my teen years, in concert. I had already missed their 2009 reunion but I was determined to see them live this time around. I knew that going to Hyde Park would not be easy, but Blur had to warm up, so they planned a couple of pre-olympic gigs. It was then that I discovered the Way Out West Festival in Gothenburg and Blur’s top billed gig set for Friday August 10th.

I knew I would enjoy the show because I would be happy even with an OK concert and I would just try to see them close enough. But we arrived to the Festival site early and it was raining so there where still two great places at the center, first row, just in front of the stage. What I saw from there was not an OK concert, but an AMAZING show from a band that I genuinely love.

Blur opened the concert in full energy mood with no other than Girls and Boys. The audience went literally crazy but I didn’t even feel all the pushing on my own craziness. I was blown away and I continued to be so as one classic came after the other: Parklife, Beetlebum, Song 2, Out of Time, Tender, This is a Low, End of a Century... the Universal!

I can’t even choose the highlights of the show because for me all of it was just incredible. But I’ll always remember the amazing shared rush of Parklife, the sweetness of Out of Time, Damon Albarn coming into the audience and stepping almost in front of me (I even touched him!… yes I admit, I behaved like a crazy teenager) in the middle of “Young & Lovely”, and two of my favorites: End of a Century and the amazing The Universal, a perfect end for a perfect concert.

I was really surprised by the cheerful attitude of the band and the honest enthusiasm and showmanship of Damon Albarn. I read in some articles that they seemed uptight and that they didn’t share with each other. I honestly didn’t see that, Damon and Graham seemed happy and joked around. I only found Alex less connected with the others, but they all seemed relaxed and happy to be there. Damon even seemed nostalgic.

I’m a big Blur fan, I might not be objective; but when you have the expectations of a 20 year wait and these expectations are met and exceeded then you can talk of a great concert from a great band.

Setlist:

1. Girls & Boys
2. Tracy Jacks
3. Jubilee
4. Beetlebum
5. Coffee & TV
6. Out of Time
7. Young & Lovely
8. Trimm Trabb
9. Caramel
10. Parklife
11. The Puritan
12. Popscene
13. Song 2
14. Tender
15. This Is a Low
16. Sing
17. Under The Westway
18. Intermission
19. End of a Century
20. For Tomorrow
21. The Universal

See the Photos

Watch the Videos:

• Tender (partial)
• This is a Low
• End of a Century
• The Universal

• blur
• Concert
• concert photography
• Gothenburg
• hyde park
• way out west festival