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Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
Entertainment
Rob Kennedy

Brilliant Blur rekindle hazy memories and create vivid new ones in amazing Newcastle show

Blurry 1990s music memories were brought into sharp focus and vivid new ones were created during an epic decade-hopping show by Britpop favourites Blur.

For the many of us in the audience of a certain age, it's hard to believe that 30 years have gone by since the band first came to prominence.

This was brought home to me with the thought that my gig-going companion - my son - is the same age now that I was then. But for a couple of hours, at least, we could all feel like teenagers again, in spirit if not body.

Blur at Newcastle City Hall (tmpllnt)

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Few thought we'd have the chance to see Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree on stage together again all these years after their heyday. But those of us Girls and Boys who were lucky enough to be at Newcastle City Hall on Sunday night for the last of their warm-up show before their Wembley reunion concerts were treated to a brilliant set.

Blur play Newcastle City Hall (tmpllnt)

Classics There's No Other Way, Song 2, Parklife and Girls & Boys had the largely middle-aged audience bouncing up and down like whippersnappers while more mellow classics like Tender and The Universal brought smiles all around.

The band was even treated to an impromptu rendition of the chorus to Tender being sung back at them by their dedicated fans.

Older songs like Coffee and TV, Beetlebum, Tracy Jacks and Bank Holiday - given an airing for obvious reasons - were interspersed with newer tracks, including The Narcissist, which was very well received, which the band looked delighted about.

The band seemed genuinely taken aback and pleased with the raucous reception they received - Damon at one point teasing the crowd and egging them on by saying they had "just edged" those who went to see them in Wolverhampton for atmosphere. I think, by the end, we had hammered them.

The set finished with a blissful performance of The Universal and, as the lyrics go, "it really really really could happen". Well, it just did and it was really really really special.

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