Blur: Live 1999:

Live in Cologne, Germany, February 24, 1999

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 70 Minutes

Set List:

Tender, Bugman, Coffee and TV, Swamp Song, 1992, B.L.U.R.E.M.I, Battle, Mellow Song, Trimm Trabb, No Distance Left to Run, Song 2

Comments: I have the first 4 tracks of this on an alternate soundboard source that's a little cleaner, as well as the complete show taped off of the TV. Not sure of the venue but this is a really good show. Tender has no choir and is simple and gorgeous. Swamp Song is killer live, as always, and Coffee and TV and Trimm Trabb are definite highlights of this promo show for 13. Trailerpark is left out and one encore, a rocking Song 2 is played to great effect! 

Live at the Hippodrome, London, England, March 15, 1999

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Tender, Bugman, Coffee and TV, Swamp Song, 1992, B.L.U.R.E.M.I., Battle, Mellow Song, Trailerpark, Trimm Trabb, No Distance Left to Run, Beetlebum, There's No Other Way, Popscene, Song 2

Comments: This was one of the first, if not the first, shows to promote the new album 13. In fact, I believe this was the day the album was released as well. It's a very good show, with a version of Tender that's just gorgeous. Bugman is a lot shorter than the album version and Coffee and TV is excellent. Swamp Song is much more powerful than its recorded counterpart, and Damon's demonic screams and wails at the end are chilling and unbelievable, as is Graham's slashing guitar, Alex's earthquake bass, and Dave's pounding drumbeat. The entire run through of 13 is great...the songs have a totally different life live. Damon's melodica solos on 1992 and Mellow Song are chilling, and Trailerpark has some amazing heavy drums by Dave. The encores include the best live version of There's No Other Way I have ever heard.

Live at Palais Royale, Toronto, Canada, April 6, 1999

Sound: Very good audience

Time: Approx. 80 Minutes

Set List:

Tender, Bugman, Coffee and TV, Swamp Song, 1992, B.L.U.R.E.M.I., Battle, Mellow Song, Trailerpark, Trimm Trabb, No Distance Left to Run, Beetlebum, There's No Other Way, Popscene, Song 2

Comments: This was the third of the three only North American shows Blur has done so far (as of 9/13/99). The set is typical for the period following the releases of 13 and is very good with great versions of the first three songs. Swamp Song is powerful and hard, and the slower songs come across really well, especially the brooding 1992. Nice encores, good show. I also have a roll of great pictures from this show that I will scan and put up here soon.

Live in Madrid, Spain, June 4, 1999

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Tender, Bugman, Coffee and TV, Swamp Song, 1992, B.L.U.R.E.M.I., Battle, Mellow Song, Trailerpark, Trimm Trabb, No Distance Left to Run, Blue Jeans, Song 2

Comments: I like this show a lot. The playing is ferocious and energetic and it really comes through in the great sound quality. The only thing I *don't* like about this show is the incredibly idiotic Spanish DJ talking through the first lines of every goddamn song! True, this was a radio broadcast but most normal DJ's never talk louder than the music and certainly not through the first verse of *every* song! Blue Jeans, which I don't think they ever played live, save a few times, sounds real nice. A very nice summer show from 1999. 

Live at the Point Depot, Dublin, Ireland, July 22, 1999

Sound: Very good audience

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Tender, Bugman, Coffee and TV, 1992, B.L.U.R.E.M.I., Chinese Bombs, Advert, Coping, Popscene, Trimm Trabb, Battle, No Distance Left to Run, Beetlebum, Country Sad Ballad Man, To the End, This Is a Low, Girls and Boys, There's No Other Way, Parklife, Song 2

Comments: This wasn't a festival show, but rather Blur's usual one-off gig at the Point. The setlist is a nice mix of old and new, although the first 5 songs are right in order off of 13. There are quite a few older songs, and songs I *never* thought they'd ever play again, such as Parklife and Girls and Boys. It's great to hear some songs from the self-titled album, as well as gorgeous standards like The Universal and This Is a Low.

Live at Bennacasim Festival, Spain, August 6, 1999

Sound: Very good soundboard

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Tender, Bugman, Coffee and TV, B.L.U.R.E.M.I., Battle, Trimm Trabb, No Distance Left to Run, Beetlebum, Popscene, This Is a Low, Girls and Boys, Parklife, Song 2

Comments: Except for the fact that idiotic Spanish DJ's yet again speak through song intros, this is also a very good show. The band forgoes its usual run through of the entire new album for the strongest tracks (although I enjoyed them all) and then offers up great versions of Beetlebum and This Is a Low. One of their festival shows from the summer of '99 and a solid one.

Live at the Reading Festival, Reading, England, August 28, 1999

Sound: Excellent soundboard

Time: Approx. 70 Minutes

Set List:

Bugman, Jubilee, B.L.U.R.E.M.I., Advert, Popscene, For Tomorrow, No Distance Left to Run, Beetlebum, The Universal, Girls and Boys, There's No Other Way, Parklife, Song 2

Comments: Wow.......that's my first impression of this show. This was, I believe, the first summer festival show they played where they played a mixture of material from all 6 albums rather than all of 13, and it's great. The first 5 songs are all hard rocking punk influenced blowouts, and they're great. For Tomorrow is gorgeous....one of the best versions. And the London Gospel Choir joins them for The Universal. On the whole, a great show with amazing sound to boot!

Live at The Electric Ballroom, Camden, London, England, September 6, 1999

Sound: Excellent audience (well, I taped it directly off the internet as it was webcast...does that count?)

Time: Approx. 90 Minutes

Set List:

Explain, Mace, Threadneedle Street, Peach, Bone Bag, I'm Fine, Uncle Love, My Sharona, Inertia, Luminous, Tame, Fried, I Love Her, Swallows In the Heatwave, No Monsters In Me, Down, Polished Stone, Supa Shopper, Young and Lovely, Day Upon Day

Comments: This gig was a one-off ALL b-sides show. What a great selection of songs....Blur has always been known for having b-sides the quality of album tracks, and the ones selected here justify that. Explain rocks and is a great opener, and the set has a great flow to it. Young and Lovely, one of the best Blur songs EVER sounds so good in the live setting...I do hope they add it to future shows. Not much to say... a GREAT show, I watched it live on the internet as I recorded it!

Live at Wembley Arena, London, England, December 11, 1999

Sound: Very good audience

Time: Approx. 2 Hours

Set List:

I Know, She's So High, There's No Other Way, Bang, Popscene, For Tomorrow, Chemical World, Sunday Sunday, Girls and Boys, To the End, Parklife, End of a Century, Country House, The Universal, Stereotypes, Charmless Man, Beetlebum, Song 2, On Your Own, M.O.R., Tender, Coffee and TV, No Distance Left to Run

Comments: This is the famous singles night gig, and to date the last concert Blur has performed. The show is really good and it's great to hear the great songs that were a staple of Blur's live set when they were current to their latest album. Even better is hearing Bang, which they dislike, and Country House, which hadn't been played since the one-off at Chelmsford '97 and before that, 1996...they disdain it! The show ends with their three most current singles including some great drumming from Dave on Coffee and TV. Legendary already, this is a great show.