Blur broke out a number of classic tracks at their Coachella warm-up gig last night (April 10). Check out footage and the complete setlist below.
The intimate live show took place at the Fox Theater in Pomona, California, yesterday evening, and came ahead of the huge set that the Britpop icons are set to break out at Coachella later this weekend (Saturday, April 13).
They first announced details of the set on social media back in February, when they shared an image of a flyer, and confirmed that support on the night would be from Mercury Prize-nominated duo Jockstrap.
On the night, Damon Albarn and co. treated the audience to a huge 20-song setlist, and broke out some of their biggest hits including âSong 2â and âParklifeâ.
Opening the set at the Fox Theater, the â90s icons launched into a live rendition of âSt Charles Squareâ â which was released as part of their latest studio offering, âThe Ballad Of Darrenâ. Following that, they made a nod to their earlier discography, playing both the 1993 track âPopsceneâ and 1994 classic âTrouble In The Message Centreâ.
Bassist Alex James also shared a teaser of the latter online ahead of the gig â posting footage of him playing the song on his balcony just hours before the show.
As well as the aforementioned fan-favourites, âSong 2â and âParklifeâ, Albarn and co. also broke out many more classics from their discography, including âBeetlebumâ, âGirls And Boysâ and âCoffee And TVâ.
Other highlights of the set include the live debut of their 2012 song âFoolâs Dayâ, the first live performance of âDeath Of A Partyâ in 10 years, and inviting a crowd member on stage to help perform âParklifeâ.
Check out fan-captured footage of the show and the complete setlist below.
St Charles Square! Blur is back! pic.twitter.com/I9136fxOSw
— âłĂ©mĂ©lina đ€ (@ashestomarss) April 11, 2024
DEATH IF A PARTYFHEBS pic.twitter.com/knDajpC29R
— Nai
đ
(@kidanaiah) April 11, 2024
Sing!@blurofficial at @foxtheater, video by Katie Otro pic.twitter.com/FN7uAQ5DlU
— Damon Albarn Unofficial (@DamonUnofficial) April 11, 2024
Fool's Day ! pic.twitter.com/boYsWWf806
— âłĂ©mĂ©lina đ€ (@ashestomarss) April 11, 2024
The Blur Coachella warm-up show setlist was:
âSt Charles Squareâ
âPopsceneâ
Trouble In The Message Centreâ
âBeetlebumâ
âGoodbye Albertâ
âTrimm Trabâ
âOut Of Timeâ
âBird Songâ
âDeath Of A Partyâ
âCoffee And TVâ
âParklifeâ
âGirls And Boysâ
âAdvertâ
âSong 2â
âThis Is A Lowâ
âSingâ
âFoolâs Dayâ
âTenderâ
âThe Narcissistâ
âThe Universalâ
The announcement that Blur would be performing at this yearâs edition of Coachella came as a surprise to some, as it came shortly after comments from Albarn, where he was pretty adamant that the band would be slowing down for 2024. âIt is time to wrap up this campaign,â he said back in December. âItâs too much for me. It was the right thing to do and an immense honour to play these songs again.â
Last nightâs intimate gig marked one of their first US shows in almost a decade, having last played in New York back in 2015. Saturdayâs show will also mark their return to Coachella after an 11-year absence.
It is currently their only date on the live calendar for 2024 after a year of heavy gigging in the UK, Europe, South America and beyond. No further US performances have been announced.
In other Blur news, it was recently revealed that the Britpop icons are set to release a new documentary and concert film charting their huge 2023 reunion. The projects will document the recording and release of their first album in eight years, âThe Ballad Of Darrenâ, as well as the huge shows that followed â including the two headline shows at Wembley Stadium in London last summer.
More recently, Albarn joined Thundercat on stage and performed a handful of solo tracks and a Gorillaz song during the latterâs sold-out shows at KOKO, London.
As for Coachella, this yearâs instalment is set to kick off tomorrow (April 12) and will see Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator and Doja Cat perform as headliners. Yesterday, Vampire Weekend were added to the bill, and other acts on the line-up include No Doubt (playing their first live show in nine years), Justice, Deftones, Grimes, Bleachers and Khruangbin.
The post Watch Blur roll out the classics at Coachella 2024 warm-up gig in California appeared first on NME.
