The Ballard of Darren (and Blur)

“Fancy going to see Blur in Hammersmith next week?”

I’d had an email saying I had a pre-sale code for an album launch gig. The mind set in Floyd Towers was very much ‘Why the fuck not?!’ I had a feeling in my bones that I’d be seeing Blur on this outing - partly down to the album title - but the timings weren’t working out, so when the tickets went on sale I was practically sobbing as I tried to stuff the cash through my laptop down the internet, and Parklife! tickets bought! The thing is Blur and I have form. We go way back.

I first saw Blur on the ‘Leisure’ tour at Cardiff Uni in the year 19xxAD, so far so baggy. The only thing I can remember from the gig was Damon stoically putting up with my brother and I shouting “Wanker!” at him, cause we were drunken pricks.

Blur dropped off my radar for awhile, being one of many great bands knocking about, and ‘Modern Life is Rubbish’ just passed me by, but then when I was in art colleague doing some life drawing when ‘Girls & Boys’ came on the radio. “What the fuck is this?” I probably asked as the bass bounced along, it seemed a huge left turn from what they’d been. I loved it and was happy to be swept along by the giddy Britpop sugar rush.

I have a vague memory of seeing them in Cardiff international Arena in the mid(ish) 90s with Super Furries supporting and someone threw a plastic bottle at Damon, who laughed it off.

Just before I went off to South Africa for the End of the Century celebrations in ‘99 I saw them at Newport Centre on their Greatest Hits tour, which was huge fun and during ‘Country House’ when the line: ”Thinks he can get in anywhere for free.” Damon walked behind Alex and pointed at him. such larks! Bought a t-shit at the gig, of which more later… I think that might have been the last time I’d seen them, in between I did see Graham do a solo gig and a mad venue down Cardiff Bay which was literally closing down around his ears.

’Magic Whip’ was very much the soundtrack to organizing and putting the work together first solo art show in London, and when the album came out I remember cycling down to Spillers, and completely savored it.

Improbably it’s 24 years between my two Blur gigs. In that time there have been break ups, break downs, fallings out and Blur have had their troubles too.

So here we are, 2023 and ‘The Ballard of Darren’ an unexpected joy. On the train bumping up to London for the gig, I broke my own rule and wore my aforementioned t-shirt from the Greatest Hits gig back in ‘99. We’ve both been through the spin cycle a few times but are still presentable.

The gig was great, in the splendor of the Hammersmith Apollo on the dot at 9pm. It felt pretty emotional seeing the four of them back together again. I had wondered why there was a sofa on stage, and that was so that Alex - resplendent in black shorts- could be all louche and have a nice sit down during the gig. Graham was decked out in the same blazer and turn-ups that he’s worn since 1998, and Damon was Damon, as charismatic as ever, but with a bit more of a subdued energy, probably because the new album is Blur’s ‘Blood on the Tracks’ which doesn’t lead to ‘Oi oi gawd blimey!’ knockabout gigs from back in the , which improves on every listen and is flavored with the gravitas of the passing year. There was an encore of deep cuts including ‘Pyongyang’ which I never expected and was a thrill, some rarely heard B-sides we were ushered into the warm July night with ‘The Universal’.

I loved seeing a band again that I have history with and are still making great new music, they aren’t out of time yet.