We're listening online at BBC 6 iPlayer (click to listen) and reporting on the 2 hour radio show, plus the one hour gig that follows.
- 4:00pm - Steve opened with talking about Blur, and from the way he talked, it seemed that he was really into the band and all.
- 4: 15pm - 'Fool (Demo)' played. Pity about not playing 'She's so High' (Seymour Version) which Steve Lamacq has a copy of. Yes, we've seen it.
- 4:30pm - Show is playing old interviews from 1994, between blur and the evening session team of Steve and Jo, about Blur's tours and now 'Delicious' by Sleeper is on because they supported Blur on tour during 1994.
- 4:40pm - 'For Tomorrow' is playing. Great to hear some early Blur memories, including some saying that Blur "weren't that great" and were "last on the set".
- 4:44pm - Graham Coxon talking about 'Parklife' - Steve is playing the archive BBC recordings (available via our new site section 'Blur Archive Project' !)
- 4:46pm - 'End of a century' ? It's gone now. Dave Rowntree up - "didn't have the lungs" to play the bagpipe. All old information from the Blur books ... if you've read them that is. Dave our man - it's great to finally hear him on radio since we rarely do. "What a cunt" - about Damon.
- 4:48pm - Dave says that people don't get annoyed at the Blur sound checks. How could they when everyone on twitter is saying how amazing the sound checks for Maida Vale TONIGHT are ? #bluratthebeeb is trending!
- 4:51pm - Thanks BBC 6 Music for the retweet about this live blogging post! Support. 'London Loves' is on - one of my all time favourites. Mysteries of a speeding heart....
- 4:52pm - Ha - "Everyone's voice has changed except Graham". True or not ?
- 4:55pm - Idlewild! Support band of Blur. Damon talking about 'Parklife' - inspirations...Cardiacs, Chopin...music he loved when he was young. Damon's an "aspiring cook" - Fish and red peppers anyone ?
- 5:00pm - Wow, one hour's passed and I've heard more Blur on the radio than in many, many months. Great to hear archive interviews, it's so emotional. Alex James' mini space rant.
- 5:00pm - "As soon as I've got some money I'm going to start a space programme" - Alex James, why haven't you kept that promise ? Has cheese gotten in the way ? 'Far Out' playing - the rare song where Alex actually sings. 'Rednecks' next please. Request it!
- 5:02pm - Just realised Graham Coxon played Saxophone in Idlewild's gig. We've got proof!
- 5:03pm - Blur appeared on the BBC NEWS! They played a B-side in their sound check, which means only one thing - an amazing gig is coming.
- 5:04pm - Blur World Cup - my favourite show from the Blur Radio website (click to check it out) ... I used to listen to this show on loop. Amazing to hear it again on actual radio.
- 5:08pm - Snippets from the Blur World Cup. 'The Universal' vs. 'Girls and Boys' - the latter wins. More classic Blur singles fight against each other. In my opinion, all deserve to win because lets face it - they're all bloody brilliant. 'High' vs 'Low'.
- 5:09pm - Who said that Blur weren't focused on the charts ? Damon's obsessed! At least back then in the interviews. Blur forum drama re-lived ?
- 5:15pm - More Blur world cupping. 'M.O.R' is Damon's favourite song to play live. But I'm wondering - which B-side did Blur play in their warm up today ? I'm so curious. Maybe 'Inertia' or 'Young and Lovely' ?
- 5:18pm - Think Tank is amazing. 'Music is my Radar' - great great great. Side note: I just asked someone who went past Maida Vale Studios thrice this afternoon to try their luck and 'bump' into Blur. Turns out he only saw Smoggy... no Blur. Folks out there - you lucky people.
- 5:21pm - Graham - "When Streety was inventing Britpop". Quote of the week. Class. Remember this if anything. The world cup (not Olympics, the Blur one) is still continuing. Damon's calling a friend - using up his options ?
- 5:24pm - Of course 'Song 2' is going to win ! Me thinks. Blur just called themselves the "Woo hoo guys" - did you know that they actually whistled in the demo version ? And it was a lot slower too! The original 'Song 2' demo is more reggae style.
- 5:28pm - Dave will never go against 'Parklife' - die hard...yes! More 'World Cup' stuff, moving onto the finals now. Wonder what's next ?
- 5:30pm - Check out the picture above - We're drooling at the tickets (and wishing we could grab them off cyberspace)
- 5:36pm - The Kinks - Well Respected Man. Remember Damon's singing with Ray Davies - Waterloo Sunset ?
- 5:38pm - Steve has seen the setlist. Steve has seen it. When will we see it ? Dave Rowntree is talking about police stations. He said he got recognized by the police! "No one expects Blur to be wearing a suit. They'd expect us to be wearing a cheeky grin". Aw. Blur has "real self belief". Now Alex James thinks bands are too "polite" nowadays, less swagger and staring up.
- 5:48pm - Got distracted, chatting to a dear Blur fan. Now 'On Your Own' is playing, and yes, I do relate to the lyrics. Brimming with excitement. Wishing I was in London so badly!
- 5:52pm - John Peel Blur performance is featured now. Huge bin full of unopened demos in Peel's house, and Graham had the guts to say Blur's were probably in there! Remember Damon singing in Peel Acres ?
- 5:56pm - Blur live interview! Graham Coxon watched the men's gymnastics event. He got diving tickets. Damon is questioning about the Olympics swimming pool. Damon said he's going to "red button" the table tennis games. Well Damon, go ahead and play your mini-tennis games, I'm going to red button YOUR gig tonight.
- 5:58pm - "Silk trousers" - what it feels like being inside a Blur song. Graham Coxon quote of the MONTH!
- 5:59pm - I'm betting 'Young and Lovely' is being played tonight. Oh, so it's about a teenager going out alone at night ? The way Damon says "ironic" is so funny - it's all mono-tonal. Are they going to keep reforming every couple of years ?
- 6:01pm - No - Blur don't go! Even though we know you guys have to set up for the GIG NEXT HOUR! The Clash is amazing.
- 6:06pm - Watch the gig LIVE NOW! Here! Look at the crowd - all standing there looking excited. And in reply to Dominic: Yes dear, you should totally be in the crowd seeing as you live 15 minutes away from the Maida Vale Studios, but you know how the BBC only gave tickets to very very few lucky fans...(and some media people). Check out the Maida Vale set below.
- 6:14pm - It's always nice to hear Blur fans talking about being Blur fans. Nuff said. Just saw a sign - "Blur at Maida Vale will be followed shortly" pop up on the video. Excited!
- 6:17pm - Blur is finally up! Watch them move on the BBC 6 Music website.
- 6:19pm - Alex James looking sharp in blue. I see Smoggy - spot Smoggy.
- 6:24pm - Track 1: Jubilee ! Live and amazing! Damon looking SHARP.
- 6:26pm - Track 2: The Puritan. I lost the bet - thought it would be The Universal. Bloody. Brilliant song. This song just gets better and better for me. So Blur. Damon just looks like he just woke up - a little lost look. Foot stamping and funny LA-LA-LAs, what could be better? It was full of energy.
- 6:29pm - Break ? Is singing two songs that tiring ?
- 6:31pm - Fashion Update: Damon is in Fred Perrys, Alex James is crispy and sharp in blue, Graham Coxon looking Gorillaz-ish and very cool in blue and white stripes, and Dave Rowntree is um....Dave.
- 6:40pm - An extra long coffee break ? Alex James left outside speaking to fans. Where's Damon ? Alex James getting a picture and Damon's looking pissed off - jealous of the attention ? Earl Zinger - Song 2 playing - sounds like Song 2's early demo. Really great track.
- 6:45pm - Track 3: Caramel . Steve wearing a 'Modern Life is Rubbish' shirt - on my want list. They've NEVER played this live before. They've NEVER played this song live before. I repeat - They've NEVER played this live before. They've NEVER played this song live before!
- 6:52pm - Track 4: Trimm Trabb - Best song on 13 ? Along with Coffee and TV ?
- 6:57pm - Two more Blur songs before gig ends. 'The Universal' playing in the background as the boys take a well deserved break. Having an emotional breakdown due to 'Caramel' being played live. Oh wow. Will upload it to BlurBall's youtube channel now.
- 7:01pm -Track 5: Young and Lovely - B-side. Lovely song.
- 7:08pm - Last track - Track 6: Under the Westway. Pure epicness.
- 7:12pm - Track 7: Intermission (Bonus track) - a pleasant surprise and wow, never thought it would make such an amazing session wrapper. The band looked like they had so much fun playing... brings us back to the heydays of Britpop and Modern Life is Rubbish. Dave rocked the drums!
And that's it. For the 2nd Maida Vale Studios gig, check out our live blogging here (again with exclusive videos and rare footages). Download the audio (mp3) of both shows here. The full set list of the Blur Maida Vale 2012 - July 31st BBC 6 gig is the following:
- Jubilee
- The Puritan
- Caramel
- Trimm Trabb
- Young and Lovely
- Under The Westway
- Intermission
