Blur: Live 1996:

Live at La Luna, Portland, Oregon, January 27, 1996

Sound: Very good audience

Time: Approx. 1 Hour

Soundcheck:

Ernold Same, Badhead, Colin Zeal

Set List:

The Great Escape, Stereotypes, Popscene, Tracy Jacks, It Could Be You, End of a Century, Charmless Man, Oily Water

Comments: How frustrating! We have a killer Blur show that's incomplete! The soundcheck is pretty cool, but the show is HOT! My personal highlight is a brutal and beautiful version of Oily Water. Charmless Man sounds great too. I was so shocked when the tape ended....I want it all! 

Live at the Orpheum, Boston, Massachusetts, February 11, 1996

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Intermission, Popscene, It Could Be You, Charmless Man, Tracy Jacks, End of a Century, Coping, To the End, She's So High, Mr. Robinson's Quango, Globe Alone, Advert, Bank Holiday, Supa Shopper, Country House, My Sharona, Girls and Boys, He Thought of Cars, Stereotypes, This Is a Low, There's No Other Way, Parklife, The Universal

Comments: This is a very good and high-energy show, although Damon does mess up the lyrics to Popscene (accidentally) and Country House (purposely). The band sounds good and strong, and they rock through the newer material from The Great Escape...great versions of It Could Be You, Stereotypes, Charmless Man, He Thought of Cars (WOW!). A really good and fun version of My Sharnoa leads into a majestic ending with a great version of The Universal. Though not as special as some gigs, this one is very good!

Live at Brielport, Deinze, Belgium, March 20, 1996

Sound: Excellent audience

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Intermission, Popscene, It Could Be You, Charmless Man, Tracy Jacks, End of a Century, Coping, To the End, Entertain Me, Jubilee, Mr. Robinson's Quango, Globe Alone, Advert, Bank Holiday, Supa Shopper, Country House, Girls and Boys, He Thought of Cars, Stereotypes, This Is a Low, My Sharona, Parklife, The Universal

Comments: This is a great, LONG show from The Great Escape tour. The songs form that album are great, including the not-to-often performed Entertain Me and He Thought of Cars. Charmless Man crackles with energy and Mr. Robinson's Quango sounds good and strong. The ending with This Is a Low and The Universal brings this show to majestic close. Although there isn't anything super special about this show, its overall effect is as a really good night for Blur.

Live at the Paradiso, Amsterdam, Holland, March 22, 1996

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 45 Minutes

Set List:

It Could Be You, Coping, End of a Century, Tracy Jacks, Charmless Man, Girls and Boys, To the End, He Thought of Cars, Stereotypes, There's No Other Way

Comments: This is the last half segment of a show. The show is very good, with some excellent bass from Alex in Tracy Jacks. He Thought of Cars is one of the best versions I have ever heard, and although Damon gets rather silly in Stereotypes, this is a good fragment. I hope the entire show surfaces someday.

Live on Taratata, French TV, Paris, France, May 26, 1996

Sound: Very good soundboard

Time: Approx. 30 Minutes

Set List:

Charmless Man, Nightclub (w/Terry Hall), The Friends of P., Stereotypes, Girls and Boys, Country House

Comments: Blur live on French TV. A very good show with the new songs from The Great Escape sounding great, especially Charmless Man. Girls and Boys has some great bass guitar from Alex, and Nightclub is great! Extra skanky with great bass guitar, and Terry Hall from The Specials (who originally did the song) and Damon do the vocals. Friends of P. is a cover that they do a great job of. This is a nice little set from Blur.

Live at Hultsfred Festival, Sweden, June 15, 1996

Sound: Very good soundboard

Time: Approx. 75 Hour

Set List:

Jubilee, Chinese Bombs, She's So High, To the End, Mr. Robinson's Quango, Globe Alone, Advert, This Is a Low, Song 2, Girls and Boys, Country House, Stereotypes, Parklife, The Universal

Comments: An excellent show, and very legendary. Blur previewed two brand new songs that are both very different in structure and lyrical content. Song 2 is very different than the eventual version, and Chinese Bombs has different lyrics. Globe Alone is amazing, and overall this show is typical or Blur's peak during the 1995-1996 period.

Live at Royal Dublin Showgrounds, Dublin, Ireland, June 22, 1996

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Stereotypes, Tracy Jacks, Charmless Man, It Could Be You, End of a Century, Jubilee, Chinese Bombs, Mr. Robinson's Quango, Nightclub (w/Terry Hall), Popscene, Globe Alone, Bank Holiday, This Is a Low, Song 2, Girls and Boys, Country House, He Thought of Cars, For Tomorrow, There's No Other Way, My Sharona, To the End, Parklife, The Universal

Comments: This is a very famous show, where Blur debuted Chinese Bombs and Song 2. Both sound slightly different, and Song 2 has totally different lyrics. The rest of the show is quite good, and Nightclub makes a surprise appearance. They play fast and skanky, just like it should be! The newer material sounds really good in a live setting.