You had to be there. Live at Wembley may capture the sound of the incredible Blur shows at Wembley Stadium, but it had no chance of capturing the element of surprise and joy. A year has passed. Bottling that up would require logistics too big for any musician not wanting to ban phones. Go. Off you head to the nearest record store to pick up the triple vinyl of Live at Wembley. You do want the whole show, don’t you? Blur headlining the stage at Wembley two days in a row is a great triumph for band and fan alike, but it is also a confirmation of a new generation feeling the move and charm of tracks penned by Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon. After the exceptional Toby L documentary on this show, To the End, a listen through of the show is a solid chaser.
St Charles Square remains an exceptional opener – a harsh and biting guitar riff from Coxon to kick things off on a two-hour live powerhouse. Blur is no stranger to the joy of live recordings with their Live at Budokan an acceptable time. How time flies by. Live at Wembley is an album filled with longing for a summer where heading to Wembley was sandwiched between seeing Pulp. It pulls at the fabric of your memories and with the context of the Toby L documentary there is a heartbreak to this Blur performance. A pride runs through this, from Albarn who sounds well-scrubbed on vocals here to the anxieties of playing with injury. Unnoticed by the quality Rowntree brings but certainly playing on his mind. This is a big occasion, yet Blur manages to fill the arena. They stand tall and bring their memorable numbers, an early rendition of There’s No Other Way, to a high bar of quality.
READ OUR REVIEW OF BLUR’S WEMBLEY PERFORMANCE.
This Sunday set has no claim to being better than the day before, but it would not make sense to release both. The setlist is all the same, the build and cry of Beetlebum still wail away with the heartbreaking brilliance it has held since it was released all those years ago. What Live at Wembley maintains is the relevance of the songs. Blur is not content with just playing the hits and does well to rip a few of them apart, rebuilding with new instrumental works. Trimm Trabb feels like a nice spot for it and makes for a wonderful pull-through Villa Rosie and Stereotypes. There is a quality to Out of Time and Coffee & TV, irrespective of live version or studio recording, which holds firm to an emotional clarity. There is a simplicity to the lyrical form here yet complex ideas roam underneath. A beautiful balance is struck before Blur wades through their bigger, danceable hits.
Live records have the chance to elevate materials which were otherwise unconvincing or overlooked on the studio releases. Under the Westway may be a wonderful Blur track for some but it comes into its own during Live at Wembley. One of many reminders throughout for the band and audience of the sharp lyrical qualities they provided. Country House suffers the quiet crowd treatment, with a whole chorus missing. No fault of the band but part of the risk taken when recording a live effort. Ultimately it captures the experience and how this experience turns out is not for us listening a year later to dictate. Coxon on backing vocals is given a better showcase here which is always a treat. But the pop Phil Daniels gets and the Parklife version here is a bit of good fun.
The wheels of consistency soon come off and the bridge between songs is non-existent. Such is the joy of those sweat and tears pulling away at the foundations of good planning. Lot 105 into a euphoric Girls & Boys remains one of the finest examples of Blur live recordings available. Ultimately the greatest hits of the band with little room for much else. Certainly, your money’s worth, whether it was attending in person, picking up a copy of the record, or those lucky few who can say they did both. It may be the end of the road for Blur but they depart, for now, with a fantastic live record.
