Blur announce ‘Live At Wembley Stadium’ album
It really, really, really is happening - Blur's Wembley shows have been turned into a live album and concert film.
By Nick Reilly
Blur have announced details of a new live album that captures their celebrated comeback shows at Wembley Stadium last year.
The Live At Wembley Stadium album is set for release on July 26th via Parlophone and captures the Britpop icons in full flight during their shows at the huge London venue on July 8 and 9 last year.
To mark the occasion, a new feature length concert film – also titled Blur: Live at Wembley Stadium – is set for a UK and Ireland cinema release on 6th September this year.
For complete details of all formats, including various vinyls, fans can visit the Blur shop.
In what’s set to be a bumper year for Blur fans, they can also look forward to To The End, an upcoming documentary that showcases their reunion.
The new film, directed by Toby L, will come to UK and Irish cinemas from July 19, and tell the story of the Britpop icons getting back together for 2023 album The Ballad of Darren.
Discussing what to expect from the film, the director said: “To The End is an intimate glimpse into relationships, motivation and mortality, the sights and sounds of longterm friendship unearthing a fresh new conquest to overcome together. On the subject of capturing a band that has been so well documented, we sat down at the start of the project and agreed that the film had to tell a new story, be shot entirely on location, and crucially, be honest. In To The End, that’s what I hope people can see, and most importantly, feel.
Speaking in the film, Alex James said: “We’ve barely communicated for the last 10 years… I mean even when we really split up, it didn’t take this long to make a record, but what’s wonderful is as soon as the four of us get in a room together, it’s just exactly the same as it was when we were all 19….”
Damon Albarn added: “I don’t think any of us thought we’d make another record, especially not a record like this. I suppose that’s why I wanted to try and make it as good as possible.”
In a four-star review of The Ballad of Darren, Rolling Stone UK wrote: “This is an album where Blur return older and wiser, reflecting on the here and now while still managing to retain every ounce of the charm and musicality that made them such a brilliant prospect in the first place. It’s a joy to have them back.”