Blur at The Royal Hospital Kilmainham | Review

Blur at theIMMA, Dublin on Thursday 1st of August, 2013

“It really, really, really could happen,” sings Damon Albarn just before Blur end their set in at the IMMA. A decade ago you would have never thought it would happen. Graham Coxon left in 2002 and just a year later the band looked dead. It was resurrected in 2008 and on a dark, windy day in August they played a set no Blur fan present will soon forget.

Bat for Lashes took the stage earlier in the evening. Full of energy and enthusiasm she is a charming, endearing live presence, to say nothing of her terrific song composing and glorious voice. It’s just a shame that the time and place didn’t suit her. What would have been show to remember in more intimate venue, ended up underwhelming in the open IMMA air.

This is forgotten, and the incredibly long bar queues forgiven, when the main event arrives at nine. The foreboding sky had made some of the packed house nervous but as soon as the opening beats of Girls and Boys all tensions are relieved. The crowd bounce up and down shouting the lyrics back to the stage where the energy is reflected; by Damon Albarn at least.

Albarn may be 45 now, but he looks as good as ever. His double denim and cheeky grin are 90s throwbacks but his performance is timeless. Graham Coxon too is his usual shoe-gazing self while cheesemaker, and occasional bassist, Alex James seems like he has accidentally ended up on stage and doesn’t quite know what the fuss is about. There is a sense of ordinariness about the four piece.

There is nothing ordinary about the performance however. Not supporting an album, this show turns into a greatest hit collection. And not many other bands have a collection of hits greater than Blur.

The tempo goes up and down, but there is never a lull in the show. When the tempo is high, the crowd really moves. When it’s low, there is a mass sing along. Albarn’s energy – it’s a form of channelled anger that never becomes aggressive – also adds to it, but he’s not just acting up. His voice is perfect on the night, perhaps even better than it was 20 years ago, and he hits every note.

The crowd’s enthusiasm wanes slightly towards the latter part of the first half of the show. Trimm Trabb and Young and Lovely do not get the ovations of the bigger hits but are performed admirably and chatter develops in places. The same could be said for Caramel, but its performance is spectacular. The epic track is perhaps the best Blur have ever composed and its showing on the night sees four top performers at their peak.

But from Beetlebum to Tender to Parklife, with Phil Daniels turning up to perform it himself, and everything in between; it’s almost impossible to pick holes in the show. In the years ahead this Blur show could go down as one of those “I was there” events. For now, we can just marvel at an incredible performance from band at the peak of their powers. It really, really, really did happen.