Blur announce intimate UK warm-up shows ahead of Wembley reunion

25 April, 2023

Damon Albarn of Blur performs live

Blur have announced a run of intimate UK warm-up shows for this spring – find all the details below.

The Britpop icons are due to play two huge concerts at Wembley Stadium in London this July as part of their 2023 live reunion.

Additionally, Damon Albarn and co. will perform an outdoor gig at Malahide Castle in Dublin and make appearances at Primavera Sound, Roskilde, Lucca Summer Festival, Flow Festival and Japan’s Summer Sonic.

Today (April 25), Blur have confirmed that they’ll warm up for the comeback shows with four small dates next month.

The stint will kick off with a performance at the 300-capacity Colchester Arts Centre on Friday, May 19. It comes after Colchester Council’s culture boss called for Blur to stage a reunion gig in the city last year.

Albarn grew up in Colchester and met guitarist Graham Coxon when they were both studying at The Stanway School (known then as Stanway Comprehensive).

Following that date, Blur will head to the Winter Garden in Eastbourne (May 21) and the newly-opened The Halls in Wolverhampton (May 26) before wrapping up at the O2 City Hall in Newcastle (May 28).

Tickets go on general sale at 10am BST this Friday (April 28) – you’ll be able to buy yours here. Alternatively, fans can sign-up for an exclusive pre-sale that will go live at the same time tomorrow (April 26).

The upcoming concerts will mark Blur’s first headline performances since 2015 when they toured in support of their eighth and most recent album, ‘The Magic Whip’.

At the first London date, the group will be joined by special guests Slowthai, Self Esteem and Jockstrap. The second Wembley stop-off is set to be opened by Paul Weller, The Selector, and a DJ set from six-time world snooker champion Steve Davis.

During an interview last November, Blur drummer Dave Rowntree said the Wembley dates were a “bucket list” dream: “We’re a band that’s done almost everything it’s possible to do… what an iconic place [Wembley Stadium is], what an iconic venue. It’s just incredibly exciting.

“It’s one of these iconic places that are secretly up on your bucket list, even though you pretend they’re not. I sincerely hope we are a band that can fill a stadium like that. I don’t want there to be four people and a dog.”

NME listed Blur’s upcoming comeback in its round-up of the biggest gigs and tours to look forward to in 2023.

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