Blur - The Countdown to the Hyde Park 2012 Olympics Gig

Last night's Olympics Opening Ceremony was epic - Blur's 'Song 2' came on for about 10 seconds. And the crowds went wild. "WOO HOO" was heard all over the stadium and the crowds chanted along, much unlike that Brit Award performance we all know about. Blur was on - short and sweet. 

Promotional Poster

But have you ever wondered about the design process of Blur's album arts, merchandise or art work in general? Who makes the posters, ads, videos, chooses the colours and picks the designs?

For the Hyde Park Olympics gig, which is considered to be Blur's biggest event in the last decade, there are many talented graphic designers and artists working hard to produce and develop on every detail for the upcoming shows.

The following fabulous poster was originally designed for Blur's Eleven Management to promote Blur's Hyde Park summer gigs. As it is not in use right now, designer Sharon Chai of eyeflyhigh.com kindly contacted us to share her interesting and beautiful poster. 

Alternative Hyde Park Poster - can you spot the Girls and Boys cover ?

It contains many references to Blur's album artwork in an Olympic context, including the greyhound standing at third place, the signature man from Think Tank standing at second place and the leisure swimsuit model on the very top. 

The Big Ben and other iconic structures of London feature in the background. There's even a milky present in the foreground.

After witnessing 4 billion people tune into Blur's 'Song 2' during the Olympics opening ceremony last night, it all seems very close to the Blur gig. 

Less than 1 month now!

There's less than 1 month till the Hyde Park concerts (beginning on August 12th 2012) - anticipation is building up in the Blur camp. Will they play the new Blur songs again ? What will the setlist be like? 

Damon Albarn wowed by Magician Impossible

A new Damon Albarn clip where he and his daughter, Missy Albarn, watches Dynamo the magician perform a coin and hand trick. Damon invited the magician back to his London studio after meeting him at a New York Gorillaz concert during one of his tours.

Obviously, Damon was impressed and stunned by this performance. We are too - the hand trick was just amazing!



Damon Albarn says Blur will continue after 2012- HERE

The Puritan- new track HERE

Damon Albarn says it's the End of Blur! Read HERE

Top 7 Blur Updates of 2012 HERE

Check out Blur's rumoured new album HERE. 

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Damon Albarn - Blur Will Still Be Playing live after the Olympics

Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon appeared on a brand new interview for BBC Two's Culture Show on July 25th 2012. Apart from the funny Leisure-era introduction clip at the beginning (note the floppy hair), the interview was serious, reflective and hinted at Blur's bright future. 

The interview's focus was on whether the band's comeback for the massive Hyde Park gig marks the 'end-of-Blur' or a new beginning. There's some interesting talk on 'Under the Westway' being Blur's "response to the London 2012 Olympics". There are even some clues as to what the band are going to do in the future.

The clip was recorded on the rooftop where the band played their hymn 'Under the Westway' live on July 2nd. The background features the very highway that inspired the song's theme. Damon and Graham, the key songwriters for the band, looked fresh and cheerful against the backdrop of a cloudy sky.

Damon also said that Muse's Olympics song may not be something they will "play in a few years time". He added - "We will still be playing Under the Westway".

"We will still be playing Under the Westway" 

- Damon Albarn on BBC July 2nd 

Hold on a second - could this mean Blur WILL be playing new shows with their brand new single in a few year's time ? This seems to imply Blur will be continuing to perform after the summer!



It is a very nice interview and generally what the boys said were very positive - they even said that the box set did not represent a 'goodbye present' to hardcore Blur fans, and that fans should "take it as they come" without assuming the end of Blur. Certainly, this is very ,very reassuring. 

But of course, one thing continues to remain unknown - will Blur truly continue to play after their summer shows ?

Could we take this Damon comment seriously ?

Order the new Blur vinyl HERE

The Puritan- new track HERE

Damon Albarn says it's the End of Blur! Read HERE

Is Damon and Graham Coxon recording together? Find out HERE

Check out Blur's rumoured new album HERE. 

Liked this article? Share it to everyone and leave us a comment. 

If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!

Remember to subscribe now to RSS to stay tuned for the Latest Blur News, delivered straight to you- BlurBalls is the most updated Blur fan site on the internet!  "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook.

Top 7 Updates from the Blurosphere - Blur

While Blur have been rehearsing feverishly (we hope!) for their Hyde Park Olympics gig, the Blur graphics design and PR team have been also working hard behind the scenes. 

There has been many changes on the http://blur.co.uk, the band's official site, and we bring you the 5 must-visit updates and pages this week. 

1. Blur iPad / iPhone App
is now out - download it from iTunes (free, compatible with iPhone and iPod Touch) for an awesome interactive experience to celebrate the Blur21 box set and the band's musical  contribution. Lots of rare new pictures and cool features to be explored. Definitely worth getting immediately - be prepared for many hours of Blur nostalgia! 
2. Official Blur Shop - this merchandise shop is now open, selling tees that were printed even from the 90s (Blur McNormal Vintage Red T-shirt and others). CDs, beer mat sets, Hyde Park lithograph, Blur's new 7 inch vinyl, box set and the new 'Under the Westway' single and even a Blur track jacket are in stock. 
3. Blur Timeline - well-designed little London tube map imitation widget for all to explore Blur's history, videos, cultural information, film, art, international, music and even all the Blur locations featured in their music videos and work. This new feature is Blur's discography and live history at it's best. What's more - YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE to the timeline by selecting "Add a Memory" on any stop, and following the instructions to submit your Blur note to the official site. 




4. Watch the BBC Maida Vale Gig - live on July 31st - to be broadcasted LIVE on the blur.co.uk official site. Great news for those who can't make it to the gig, or did not win the BBC Blur ticket lucky draw to the rare intimate show. 
5. Blur 21 Remastered tracks available - via iTunes. All the Stephen Street remastered albums including extra tracks and previously unheard demos, live versions and extra tidbits can be previewed for 90 seconds / downloaded on the music store. The tracks are in excellent quality and are much clearer than the album tracks currently available. 

Just two more interesting 'non-official site' related links: -  

1. Blurry Picture Game - There's huge support for Blur's comeback from BBC and BBC 6 Music - the latter is holding a game where fans have to guess the blurry Blur memorabilia or item posted each day leading up to the BBC 6 Maida Vale gig. Join in the fun and guess today's picture - we have to admit that today's picture is a tough one to guess. 
2. Blur21 Box Set Review - Read all about the Blur21 Box set that BBC reviewed positively. They even went so far as suggesting that "the absence of new single Under the Westway/The Puritan suggests that 21 is not a full-stop". Could this be true ? Could this mean there could be more Blur after the 'end' of 2012? 

With Blur back for the summer, it seems everything's in full swing. There's a new Blur exhibition, Blur game, Blur review, a new Blur CD and vinyl, a new Blur21 Box Set and some new gigs and shows.

Blur, Blur, Blur ... could this get any better ?

Liked this article? Share it to everyone and leave us a comment. 

If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!

Remember to subscribe now to RSS to stay tuned for the Latest Blur News, delivered straight to you- BlurBalls is the most updated Blur fan site on the internet!  "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook.