Two days ago Blur announced The Ballad Of Darren, their first album since previous reunion effort The Magic Whip in 2015, and shared its lead single "The Narcissist." Tonight they're playing their first full concert in eight years in a location meaningful to the band's history. Way back when they were university students, Blur frontman Damon Albarn met Blur guitarist Graham Coxon in Colchester. They've returned to the English town to play the Colchester Arts Centre tonight.
Even before the show was over, the full setlist had appeared on setlist.fm. They started the show with the debut of The Ballad Of Darren track "St. Charles Square." Other live debuts on the setlist include "The Narcissist" during the encore and, during the main set, Modern Life Is Rubbish track "Villa Rosie." Below, watch some footage from the show, including snippets of "St. Charles Square."
#Blur #Colchester #awwww ??????????????????????????? pic.twitter.com/tYrmHbGvTo
— Antonello Guerrera (@antoguerrera) May 19, 2023
St Charles Square!
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
?: kinkpuntnl via Instagram pic.twitter.com/9xVpsVzI9W
there's no other way! pic.twitter.com/a2uC6RjRot
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
Beetlebum
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
?antoguerrera
pic.twitter.com/bTWDGAMTCx
Chemical world
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
?:blurfanclub via Instagram pic.twitter.com/7LTku0XAJ0
Coffee and TV
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
? jasperleijdens pic.twitter.com/gkYLMmigE7
14. To The End
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
15. Oily Water
16. Advert
17. Song 2
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
18. This Is A Low
[ENCORE]
19. Girls & Boys
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
20. The Narcissist
21. Tender
— Blur Argentina (@BlurArg) May 19, 2023
22. For Tomorrow
23. The Universal
Also, here's an interview with Blur about the Colchester gig on the UK's Channel 4:
And the setlist from the gig:
SETLIST:
"St. Charles Square"
"There's No Other Way"
"Popscene"
"Trouble In The Message Centre"
"Chemical World"
"Badhead"
"Beetlebum"
"Trimm Trabb"
"Villa Rosie"
"Coffee & TV"
"Out Of Time"
"End Of A Century"
"Parklife"
"To The End"
"Oily Water"
"Advert"
"Song 2"
"This Is A Low"
ENCORE:
"Girls & Boys"
"The Narcissist"
"Tender"
"For Tomorrow"
"The Universal"






