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HISTORICAL FACTS: 8 | History Defined

Blur: The Ballad of Darren review – mature melancholia spiked with adventure

Comparing it to a surprise baby, late-life Blur’s ninth album finds them on eloquent, emotional form, casting a wistful eye over past glories while pushing forward musically

The Guardian - UK

Blur - The Ballad of Darren album review: Mature sound suits the Blur of 2023

Blur’s first album in eight years has an unhurried, melancholy, sophisticated feel

Evening Standard

Blur's Graham Coxon: "The Coffee + TV chord shapes are just ridiculous"

"That’s another case of me making life very difficult for myself!”

MusicRadar

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Blur: The Ballad of Darren review – middle-age regrets voiced in gorgeous tunes

Nostalgic melancholy fills Blur’s ninth studio release, a courageous album that shows the band have something germane to say about getting old

The Guardian - UK

Blur review, The Ballad of Darren: The band’s best record since 1999

Songs that elevate Damon Albarn’s suburban tristesse into moments of sheer ecstasy

The Independent UK

A beginner’s guide to Britpop in five essential albums

It was an indie phenomenon that changed everything: here’s five classic records that defined Britpop

Louder

Don’t take the Mickey out of our arts degrees: Sunak invites National Theatre to No 10

Sunak said so-called ‘Mickey Mouse degrees’ are a “a waste of time and money” this week

Evening Standard

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‘Suddenly misfits became pop stars, and we were part of it’: How Jo Whiley and Steve Lamacq made Radio 1’s Evening Session

We were going to all these gigs and it was like all these bands – Suede, Blur, Oasis, the Verve – were our mates down the pub. There was no fakery or pretence

The Guardian - UK

Blur's Damon Albarn: "For me, the last great guitar band was Arctic Monkeys"

But he's optimistic about guitar music again

MusicRadar

The Guide #95: One-day festivals, week-long Wembley residences – have we reached peak big gig?

In this week’s newsletter: Wherever you look there’s a pricey new event – but the majority of the industry isn’t in such rude health

The Guardian - UK

"It’s the most shambolic performance by Blur possible": Watch Blur perform on Italian TV with a cardboard cut-out of guitarist Graham Coxon

No Graham Coxon? No Alex James? No problem for Blur

Louder

Are Arctic Monkeys “the last great guitar band”? Blur’s Damon Albarn sure thinks so

That said, the Blur frontman voiced his optimism for a new age of guitar bands – and name-dropped the artists that he thinks are rejuvenating the genre

Guitar World

Blur's Damon Albarn pins Arctic Monkeys as "the last great guitar band", says no band has been as good as them since

Blur frontman Damon Albarn thinks there's increasing "excitement" for guitar bands, but believes the sound grew "sterile" after Arctic Monkeys

Louder

London’s five star summer as more than 1 million attend concerts in a week

A million people attended 22 concerts in the capital in the last week – supercharging the economy to the tune of £320m

Evening Standard

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Wales Online

Blur star Alex James starts selling cheese in Morrisons

The musician says the blue cheese should be "smushed on a Frazzle for the ultimate canapé"

Daily Mirror

I saw Blur at Wembley and saw four 'ridiculous old men' put on the show of their lives

Blur are clearly hyped for their first London show since 2015 with guitarist Graham Coxon clenching his fists and screaming ‘come on’ as he walks on stage at Wembley

Evening Standard

Blur at Wembley Stadium review: fizzed with the vibrant energy of a band in their prime

It was a set full of twists and turns: big populist hits cut with strange idiosyncratic oddities and true emotional heft

The Guardian - UK

Blur review – glorious reunion buzzes with energy and ragged joy

The enduring friendship between Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree shines through in a set that veers from lairy capers to bittersweet ballads

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Evening Standard

Blur realise Wembley goal with triumphant performance

Blur frontman Damon Albarn said the band had been waiting all their lives to play Wembley at the first of two gigs at the stadium.

Daily Mirror

Blur frontman wants Britpop label ditched for Europop because he hates Brexit

This weekend Blur, famous for hits such as Girls and Boys, Song 2 and Parklife, will be playing to thousands at Wembley stadium but frontman Damon Albarn said he found the resurgence of Britpop 'irritating'

The Guardian - UK

‘There’s nothing like face to face’: Darlington reacts to ticket office closures

In Darlington, a town steeped in rail history, teenage and elderly rail passengers agree nothing beats talking to a human

The Independent UK

Roskilde 2023 review: A triumph for Rosalìa, Rina Sawayama and Lizzo at Denmark’s answer to Glastonbury

It was sultry, ultra-feminine pop music that pumped the strongest through the festival’s veins this year

Evening Standard

Injury throws Blur’s comeback Wembley shows into doubt

Blur’s Wembley Stadium comeback concerts have been thrown into question after drummer Dave Rowntree injured his knee.

MusicRadar

Blur pull out of France’s Beauregard festival after Dave Rowntree suffers leg injury

The announcement comes just days before the band’s planned return at Wembley Stadium

Evening Standard

OPINION - Sorry, Naomi, the truth is for a lot of women it can be too late for kids

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that in your 30s it’s all hen dos, weddings and babies and in your 40s it’s all rehab, divorce and failed IVF.

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