Blur – Caught Up in the Century’s Anxiety Review

A brutal opener is what Caught Up in the Century’s Anxiety provides. Girls & Boys remains the meanest song Blur ever wrote, even with their heroin speak on that self-titled effort and 13 to follow. No, nothing is worse, filthier, than the faux reminiscence caught in this Worthy Farm-based set. Yes, the Glastonbury recordings have made it to vinyl, and however unofficial it may be we would do right to listen in, again. Bootlegs are the way to access essential works of art which are, for one reason or another, unreleased. Those howls from Damon Albarn, like an ape with its fur pulled, are piercing. They are one of many reasons to get your hands on Caught Up in the Century’s Anxiety or at least some grainy, circulated copy of the performance. It is like nothing else Blur has done on the stage. They never had a shot of adrenalin like it anywhere else.  

Nice turnout, indeed. All those hits need an audience and the distracted chatter from Albarn, who dedicates On Your Own to “hippies, or something,” is a sweet, early indication of what the set will do. Beetlebum is startling. A higher tone from Albarn sees it through, the moans and groans of a man still playing around with the form of his most recent writings. Caught Up in the Century’s Anxiety is filled with those moments. Clarity comes to those who finally break through their fresh songs on stage. Blur it with the earliest songs, and see how well they fare when played out along the likes of There’s No Other Way. Very well, is the result. We know that with the sprinklings of hindsight now afforded to us by Live at Wembley and the reunions to come. Graham Coxon is a massive part of this with what is, frankly, incredible guitar work. Consistency like that graces very few, if any other, guitarists from this period.  

South Park album reject Trailerpark stands as a brilliant bit of experimental work from Blur. Such is the case for much of the 13 materials, and it kicks in all the better in a live environment. Popscene remains an intense bit of fun which the band still struggles to play in time. All part of the charm with that one, that’s for sure. Expected appearances from Parklife and The Universal show a lighter side to Blur, who were busy chasing the grunge scene Stateside with pieces like mock-up Song 2. But within is a fine line tread by Blur, who are keen to distance themselves from the hokum of Country House yet appreciate still the wider effects and charm of The Great Escape. They should be more ashamed of their Madchester-chasing debut and that gets rattled out in inevitable fashion with There’s No Other Way.  

Rattle is the right word for this audacious and loud performance, one which really gets to grips with the consistencies Blur always held themselves to. Worthy Farm is, well, worthy of hosting Blur. They certainly make the most of this time on stage and the hang-ups of whatever 13 and the later Think Tank would cause feel like a distant memory, something kept well away from the stage like the hideous beast it would soon become. Understandably so. Keep that wretched attitude off the stage. Read Verse, Chorus, Monster! if you need a harsh UV light on the fallouts and scrapes of Blur at the time. Caught Up in the Century’s Anxiety is a fine-quality bootleg pulled from a time when Blur was on top of the world.