Who
Blur
Support
Wu-Lu
Where
Wolverhampton The Civic At The Halls
When
26th May 2023
Price
£55.00
Who with
No-one
Position
Towards the back
Comments
Here I am on Bank Holiday Monday just two days after the show, keen to write this review up. I do suspect that I've remembered far less details than I should have done after going to bed quickly after returning from the show to be rested for my morning swim. But this was my seventh time watching Blur, in addition to twice seeing Gorillaz, watching The Good, The Bad & The Queen at my landmark 100th concert in 2007 and viewing Damon's Wonder.land and Monkey musicals too. I certainly wasn't going to miss them playing Wembley Stadium so snapped up tickets for that, being surprised that the Sunday night second show was slow to sell out. That lack of taste made it similarly infuriating that I couldn't get anyone to join me here, but one friend did attempt to get tickets half-heartedly, and another was attending but in the balcony so we didn't coincide unfortunately. I got two devices in the ticket purchasing queue and both got through, but my phone was "randomly allocated a place in the queue" earlier and I bagged my standing ticket through there. Obviously supply could never meet demand, but my PC also got through later so it felt like anyone who tried hard enough could easily get their tickets? I'm fortunate that this lack of effort by others allowed me to secure my ticket, but I don't like this random queue allocation system. There should be some priority for those who've been queueing longer or made more effort with the refreshing, but then again as I usually get the tickets I want maybe I shouldn't complain? It feels wrong but yet it seems to have worked out for me so far.

The Civic Hall had been closed since 2015 and my last music show there had been the Status Quo reunion with their classic line-up in March 2013. Although I'd seen Frank Skinner play in 2014 and Greg Davies in 2017, I think during that brief period when they temporarily reopened the half-finished venue before really getting into the works. The process had been an absolute shambles and whoever decided to throw away the organ because it "might" have asbestos without even bothering to check should be fired at the minimum and in my view arrested for cultural vandalism. Fuck the council for destroying a priceless asset dating back to 1938, who do they actually work for because it doesn't seem to be the people? So it's astonishing after all that to see that the end result of the refurbishment was so good, retaining all that was good about the venue and bumping up the capacity to 3400 from (I think) 3000. But so it should be given the cost, the real credit is that after so long away due to incompetence that the organisers ATG were able to secure so many top quality acts for its return, including Blur being bagged for the opening night. I'm looking forward to watching Sparks there soon although quite miffed that this was a seated show and so I can't ask others now, and this end result to a shambolic process may be the catalyst that restores Wolverhampton to its place as a home of great live music. Surprisingly Birmingham has considerably raised its game thanks to the Institute replacing the Academy and its shit overhanging balcony as the venue of choice, and the crowds seem to have repented and made up for their appalling reception for The Supernaturals playing one of the greatest shows I've ever seen in 2001 to a bunch of indifferent fuckwits.

With the huge improvements to Brum it's miraculous that Wolves can even be resurrected as a viable alternative, but thanks to ATG and (I suspect) the decades of goodwill towards the Civic and Wulfrun Halls as outstanding venues, they seem to have pulled off the impossible. I've always felt that if you make the investment that the people will come, and I hope that this endeavour sees the resurrection of the city. I neglected to listen to Blur's music to warm up, mainly catching up after watching HMHB and from my two week holiday in Scotland. Rather than just giving me a lovely paper ticket or a simple PDF, I saw that I needed an app to access the venue, which is unfair on those who don't have smartphones and doesn't seem to have deterred the touts outside anyway. It appears to be a QR code that refreshes every minute so it's hardly a solution to ticket touting as you just need access to the online account to get in? Very silly, but in the end surprisingly simple to use. After a good day of work and knowing I had a three day bank holiday weekend ahead of me I headed into Wolves by car. I got the cheap petrol - astonishingly 13p cheaper than in Stafford the following day! - then parked in my usual spot. I won't give away my secret but it's mindblowing that I returned after the concert and no one else was parked there. I seem to have found a safe, free and deserted place to park within easy walking distance of the venue that no-one else knows at all! It was a gorgeous evening of sunshine yet not being too hot, and I'd been enticed to head into the city early after seeing on Facebook that the Art Gallery were doing a late night opening. It was sad that I was about the only person in there, and feels like they missed a trick not asking the concert organisers to promote it for them with a simple shout-out on the pre-concert email?

That lack of joined-up thinking aside, the very fact that the Art Gallery was open was wonderful and saved me a visit another day, as well as encouraging me to head into town and spend much more money than I would have done eating in. Seeing the beautiful sunshine made me feel really positive that this reopening could kickstart the recovery of the city. They'd even finally completed the pedestrianisation scheme that had been beset by delays, even though some of the roads were still coned off without any sign of work being done. But the real glory was a last second decision to revisit the (kind of) Lithuanian restaurant North Sun, which was deserted when I arrived but I'm pleased that some European customers showed up later. I enjoyed a glorious garlic bread with cheese dipping starter (and I say this as someone who hates bread, so it must be fucking amazing!) followed by chicken steak with cheese and stuffed with more meat. It was delicious and it's so sad that not a single Blur fan seemed to be aware of this glorious food. It was tragic to find everyone crowded outside North Street (the new name for The Little Civic) having drinks, although at least the punters were spending money. With the Grand Theatre it sometimes feels like they come for the show and immediately bugger off afterwards without spending a penny, so it was very notable that an event at the Civic Hall had a much stronger effect on the surrounding businesses. The only issue seems to be letting the people know where best to go, but it worked out nicely for me. After two glorious courses and two Lithuanian beers (sadly not served in a proper Švyturys glass) I headed to the venue, arriving there a little before 8pm. Doors had opened at 7pm and I'd hardly planned to spend so much time in the city, but it was totally worth it, and given that I didn't want to be sucked into a crazed moshpit and was confident that views at the back of the Civic are excellent, I wasn't at all worried.

I'd been concerned at the prospect of harassment for entering with a camera (not believing the very clear instruction on their website that they were ok would be respected) but was pleasantly surprised by the organised queueing area outside, a security guard even being assigned to say hello to everyone, the new logo for the venue gracing above the doors and quick and efficient access to the venue. Apart from sensibly tuned metal detectors there was no hassle at all, and after popping to the newly refurbished loos and seeing the pretty lobby area and Blur merchandise (crazily over-priced sadly) I had no issues accessing the hall via the side door. I messaged my friend with seated tickets to say he could easily get into the standing area by following my method but he didn't read the message in time. I thought I spied him to the left in the upper balcony but I was mistaken as it turned out that he was at the back of the room. The main change was that they'd introduced a second balcony tier, which looked very high and it would be interesting to know if the view up there was any good. It felt like the legendary spring floor had been lost but I've read it was still there, and all the positive features of the venue had been retained except for the organ they'd chucked. The stage was also pretty much set up for Blur already, but the support band Wu-Lu appeared pretty fast. At least I think it was Wu-Lu, they seemed to be a band whereas Wu-Lu looks to be a solo star? I think I missed the first support Sounds Mint entirely, but I had next to no hope that Blur would arrange a decent support band for us. Even for Wembley we were going to get Slowthai, Self Esteem and Jockstrap, none of whom I really knew. The other night were getting Paul Weller and The Selecter and it seems a total piss-take that the real fans who'd rushed to get the first night tickets were getting a notably less stellar supporting line-up?

By my count there were five members in Wu-Lu, and the singer was wearing a Wolves shirt, which he annoyingly decided to take off just seconds before I was going to shoot a close-up pic of him! I was fairly near the back and to the right, but I had a good view and my main concern was being far enough back to avoid any moshpit. For now I'm genuinely retired from moshing, and intend to stay that way! Three of the band went topless in the end and they goaded us to interact more but this was fairly non descript rap music and just wasn't of interest to anyone here. To be honest they should be happy they received polite indifference and some applause, if the mood was less positive the crowd could have been annoyed that Blur weren't bringing a big-name support star with them. I feel that this is exactly the kind of situation that The Supernaturals would utterly smash? As Wu-Lu finished it was clear that the standing area was getting pretty full and it was unlikely I'd be meeting up with anyone in here. But there were plenty seated upstairs so it seems like few had sneaked downstairs, and part of me does yearn for the comfort of a seat now and then. Everyone was sporting hard plastic mugs with large handles that were stackable, but I was driving and had enjoyed two beers already so was hardly going to waste time at the bar. The occasional person pushing past with beers is always a rude annoyance, but the frustration of those leaving their position often feels worse. Focus on the show, you don't need shit beer to enjoy good music! Even though many places have greatly improved the quality of beers on tap, for me a plastic cup always negates the experience, plus it's quite unnecessary and a distraction from the main event.

Some joker was showing off the Blur setlist on his phone so I tried hard to look away, having carefully avoided this information so far. This was the third date after very low-key dates at Colchester Arts Centre and Eastbourne Winter Gardens and I wanted to retain the surprise. After a while the lights went down and Blur came onstage to what I'm told is the theme tune from Tales Of The Unexpected. I feel I should know it, but I don't! Damon declared the Wolverhampton Civic Centre open, which was greeted by cheers but was a bit of a cock up as it was the Civic Hall, and technically had been renamed The Civic At The Halls Wolverhampton. The new name will never catch on but at least it doesn't include some shoddy product placement. I'd be even less inclined to call it the Poundland Halls or some shit like that! Blur started with a misstep of opening with unknown new song St. Charles Square which didn't register with anyone (nor did it seem particularly exciting), but quickly followed this with There's No Other Way! The crowd perked up and Blur upped the ante further with Popscene. I shot my first video and by now had realised that I should have been on the left side nearer Graham. The tune featured green and white strobes and Damon prowling the left of the stage. He seemed energised and fit as always, paying his usual visits into the crowd at the front too. Next up was Coping, which was the first pleasing newbie and surprise for me, followed by Jubilee which I read they haven't played since 2013. It was overall a good start but I had mixed feelings about the crowd reaction. Everyone just seemed a bit muted, but I'm torn whether that's a good thing when it suits me to not have to try and avoid being pulled into a moshpit!

Damon seemed on form but announced that his buttocks were playing up. My friend later commented that he'd been drunk, but either way it seemed his performance was everything you'd hope for. Even if he was smashed or sick, it didn't translate into a poor show by any definition! Next up was Chemical World as I shot a video of the purple lights. The crowd had their arms in the air and were swaying. The sound quality was great and over the course of the night I'd taken 200 photos, almost none of which turned out well. So I think that justifies my taking so many, as I was close enough to enjoy but just far enough away to be out of decent picture range. This interesting start to the show continued with Young And Lovely, which had returned to the live show in 2012 and it was nice to hear it again. A bit mind blowing that the 14 years since the 2009 reformation shows was equal to the 14 years between then and The Great Escape in 1995, but there you go. It certainly helped that Blur always seem to look like they're enjoying themselves now, with Graham in particular smiling. I think as they ration themselves and don't play too many shows, it helps them enjoy the moment when they do get back together. Damon broke his glasses and someone tossed him white-rimmed sunglasses. He said they had Kurt Cobain vibes and it was a bit of a treat for the band to then tease the intro to Smells Like Teen Spirit! Short sighted or not, Damon seemed to survive without his prescription lenses, and as usual was flicking water onto all the front rows. I was singing myself a bit hoarse and could have done with some of that water myself!

I shot my 3rd video for Beetlebum, and this was the first number one hit that the reopened Civic Hall got to enjoy live. It's difficult to think of a better band they could have got for the occasion, as Blur's longstanding love for the venue makes them a perfect match for the event. Beetlebum featured blue lights, the crowd singing and lots of phones out. It's kind of strange to think this was ever seen as a difficult song, as in retrospect it feels like pop but just of a different nature. The fans love it for sure. Well anyway, all except the silly girl to my right who looked younger than Think Tank and who seemed to think that the brilliant air conditioning and circulation and very gentle and reasonably spread out crowd was some massive drama. After trying to sit down briefly she eventually was persuaded to leave, and it's crazy that a ticket could be wasted by a non-fan who can't cope with such gentle conditions. Maybe I should refrain from criticism in case they were having a heart attack or something, but I feel pretty confident that this was just lame behaviour and some people shouldn't waste everyone's time at a standing gig. Damon remembered them doing an early show in Leeds and the silence that greeted them when they announced that they were from London before someone said they should fuck off back there! It would be quite amusing if Blur had taken him up on that offer and boycotted Leeds since, which given that city gets more than their fair share of live bands (while many still snub the Midlands entirely) I can hardly be unhappy about. I was infuriated by the presence of Trimm Trabb, which had made its way onto every single Blur setlist I've ever experienced. Why?? It's so far down the list of songs I want to hear it's just so frustrating!

Much better was Villa Rosie, which was a contender for the best surprise of the evening. This is more like it, resurrect an old and obscure classic that enough fans know and appreciate for it to be enjoyed by all. I shot another video and Damon was doing hand gestures and seeming to really enjoy it. I zoomed in on him too and think he had some tattoos on his arm? Also the "woo hoos" in the song were easily in the top two woo hoos of the evening and it was moments like this that would live in the memory. Damon and Graham teased us that we were a bit quiet for a Wolves crowd, and it did feel that the audience weren't as enthusiastic as would be expected. It's difficult to judge why, but I would suspect an ageing fanbase and the misstep of opening with a new tune can't have helped. As I've said before, some people may whine about phones but they encourage fans to behave a bit less like wild chimpanzees, and for me that's a wonderful thing. I shot another video for Coffee & TV as the lights started blue and turned to red. Even if the crowd weren't as crazed as they could be, everyone was clearly still enjoying it and it worked out for me to consider the opportunity for Wembley Stadium to beat this! Graham offered some lovely backing vocals during Out Of Time that I'd never noticed before, and End Of A Century went down a treat. Parklife lacked Phil Daniels but I shot a video of green lights, Graham rocking out and the crowd enjoying themselves. Okay, it wasn't quite as frenetic as it had been at London in 2015, but it's still a moment. To The End wasn't accompanied by the crystal ball but lights were projected onto the ceiling from the backdrop of the stage. Things were a bit more predictable now, but we wouldn't have been happy to have been denied these classics.

Oily Water was an anomaly. In 2009 it had worked brilliantly as a stepping stone through their early career, but here it felt like wasted set time. But it was enjoyable nevertheless, with Damon using a loudspeaker which he retained for Advert. I shot a video of the introduction and Damon was jumping around, and encouraging us to join in. Advert's a great tune, but that moshpit retirement stands, and most of those near me seemed to agree with that principle! My video got blurry as I zoomed out, which was a shame as otherwise it was a brilliant recording of a lovely moment. I don't know why Blur are warming up for Wembley five weeks in advance, but it suits me! I hope they use some of the downtime rehearsing some other tunes to optimise the setlist for the big night, although in reality I think they're touring outside the country instead? I immediately recognised the drum-led intro for Song 2 and shot a video of its very end as the band then launched into This Is A Low. This represented the end of the main set and I think by now that I was starting to work out how to refocus my camera whenever I zoom in or out. Much like To The End, I've never loved This Is A Low as much as other moments, but I'd be mightily furious if it was ever left out! The band left the stage, but I don't think anyone doubted for a second that they'd be back. And they were, kicking off the encore in the best possible way with Girls & Boys! I shot my ninth video and it turned out to be the moment I shared on Facebook. Damon had changed from a pink top to a long-sleeved white/red/blue "chav" top. The tune sounded great and I zoomed in on Damon and Graham, although plenty of arms were blocking my view.

In a surprise, Damon introduced the actual Darren that had inspired their new album The Ballad Of Darren. I'd ordered the signed CD/cassette version from the website but never got a confirmation email, although the same happened to my friend so I assume all is well. With just ten tracks it does feel like a low-key effort and not a "proper" Blur album, but I hope very much to be proved wrong when I hear it in full. Next up was second newbie The Narcissist, which apparently is the new single. I'd yet to hear it, which feels like a fail on my part, but compared to the opener it felt like it deserved its place in the set. Don't open with new songs guys, and if you really had to, this would have been a much stronger choice! I'd been trying to work out what the band still had to play and had almost forgotten about the existence of Tender. Although I do feel some annoyance at how it is seen to overshadow the poppier classics, it certainly remains a set highlight. I shot a video and Graham was smiling, and the band always seem to genuinely love playing this and experiencing the reaction. Damon told a story of how he'd been splatted in the face with a custard pie by one of the crew in their Britpop days, and how disgusting it was as it had been left out in the sun all day. I think that happened earlier though, as he pretty much shushed us from singing "oh my baby" so that they could follow Tender. Blur were clearly working to the 11pm curfew, and time was starting to run out. They had time for two more songs, and made the obvious (and correct) choices that we all wanted to hear.

For Tomorrow was quite slow but always is a lovely moment, as I shot a very blurry video. To everyone's surprise they then squeezed in Intermission, which may have been improvised as it wasn't on the printed setlist I hear. Played for the first time since 2012 apparently! It's a lovely little moment and the band seem to enjoy rocking out to it. I shot a final video capturing the intro to The Universal, as Graham and Damon exchanged looks and smiles. Their relationship seems to have defined the reunion, leaving the excellent contributions of Alex and Dave in the background, but they are exceptionally reliable performers and can be trusted to never let the side down. The Universal featured green lights and I shot up to the chorus, and it's definitely the only way anyone would want a Blur concert to end. I exited quickly after applauding the band offstage, being impressed by the blindingly obvious solution of just opening the doors so everyone could get out quickly. I absolutely dashed back from my secret parking spot, drinking unwise volumes of water and feeling very sweaty and smelly too. My ears were whistling and despite my lack of moshing, I did feel like a teenager coming out of a moshpit-heavy show. I made just a few notes on my phone and texted my mate to confirm I'd got back and didn't need a lift.

It turned out that Colchester had enjoyed Badhead and Trouble In The Message Centre, Eastbourne had got Phil Daniels involved (he seems to only show up for the southern gigs) as well as playing Sunday Sunday, and the Newcastle show after this one had included Tracy Jacks and Bank Holiday! So I really hope Sunday Sunday and Tracy Jacks are dusted off for Wembley. In omissions, I'm sad that Country House was left out but feel very fortunate to have heard it before, and there's still no sign of Charmless Man or On Your Own. But the real shocker was that not a single moment from The Magic Whip had been played! It's most strange as there was a lot to love on that album, and I find it hard to believe that Blur have disowned it. Also Under The Westway was sadly missed and there are many other mid-tier tunes such as She's So High, London Loves, Sing, Battle or We've Got A File On You that would go down a treat. I know that Blur face an impossible challenge trying to satisfy everyone, but I doubt anyone would care if Oily Water and Trimm Trabb were cast aside and St. Charles Square was dumped as the opening number in favour of something more crowd pleasing. Why not surprise us all by commencing with On Your Own? I had thought about seeing Blur in Dublin but it became clear that every hotel room in the city was booked out by the time I looked. I'm very much looking forward to watching Kraftwerk at Limerick Castle though, and it feels extraordinary that I get to enjoy that entire Ireland trip before seeing Blur again. The stage set was pretty low key and I'm sure they'll try a lot harder for Wembley, and I'm pleased with myself for staying inside on a sunny bank holiday Monday to write up this review straight after my HMHB one. After two weeks on holiday I need that catch up time, and it puts me in a good position ahead of witnessing The Supernaturals the next weekend and Sparks soon too, before I hope Blur pull off a triumphant Wembley show. It's almost impossible that they won't succeed, but it needs some smart setlist decisions to truly go into legend!
Setlist
St. Charles Square
There's No Other Way
Popscene
Coping
Jubilee
Chemical World
Young And Lovely
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
Girls & Boys
The Narcissist
Tender
For Tomorrow
Intermission
The Universal

Mark: 9.0/10