Blur stormed their two-night residency at Wembley almost a year ago today. What better way to celebrate than an inevitable live mix? The stellar experiences of hearing those 1990s classics live, the new generation who get to hear them up in the heavens while shouting into the ear of their brother. Those are the memories which last a lifetime and the suddenness of this concerning revival of nostalgia comes with an extra layer. New material and fresh ideas were offered up by Blur and their Wembley set will go down in history as one of the finest expressions of adoration between an audience and artist. Parklife (Live from Wembley) serves as a remote example and an excellent tease of what is to come. Phil Daniels’ return to the Blur troupe gifts those in attendance with the best, and likely last great Blur performance of their massive hit.
Parklife (Live from Wembley) is an exercise in capitalising on your memory. Blur was wonderful to hear live and the energy they presented last year is captured well by this version. Frenetic energies like this are only captured when a band is glad to be back. Even with the fear Damon Albarn expressed before the Wembley gig the wonderful version captured here is a treat for fans who were there. Those who missed out can get a slice of the action too and this live release, while doing well to capture the passion from Daniels and Albarn, fails to favour the noise of the crowd. They sound almost absent. The minute of chatter after the song makes little sense without the context of the visuals either.
Such are the shortcomings of a live album which feels out of the blue. A nice way to pay tribute to a truly great musical event but like most live showcases, something is lost. Credit to Blur for getting these versions out there, the scrubbed-up and slicker versions of their live work do well. They are no strangers to offering alternates, deep cuts and pieces of new work as Live at Budokan shows. Live at Wembley is likely to head down the same route – and Parklife (Live from Wembley) is evidence enough. Brief flutters of new instrumentation, references to Mike Leigh films and a sudden Graham Coxon backing vocal which pairs nicely with what little can be heard of the crowd.
Maybe the crowd is there after all. Some ears are still ringing almost a year on from a gig which proved to be a genuine turning point. A real change of pace in the life of someone who now lives on trains and planes. Daniels clambers back into his little hut and so too do we, our little campsite of memories. Blur is as relaxed and in form as expected of their outstanding turn, A bit more volume for the crowd wouldn’t go amiss given it makes up the live part of the album but there is a firmness to the performance itself which cannot be ignored. Immediately recognisable and a song which has stood the test of pop culture, Parklife (Live from Wembley) is another version of a truly great track. No qualms here. Relive the moment.
