Blur fans want Damon Albarn, a local Colchester schoolboy, to perform in his hometown before Blur makes a homecoming appearance, the Colchester Gazette reports. The legendary band has planned a rare live engagement at Wembley Stadium in July of next year, their first performance together since 2015.
Blur’s origins is heavily anchored in Colchester, with vocalist Damon Albarn meeting guitarist Graham Coxon at The Stanway School. Albarn, 54, was up in Aldham and credits his success to his experiences as an outcast as a youngster and teenager.
Pam Cox, a culture director at Colchester Council, told the Gazette that she will do all she can to convince Blur to do a warm-up show in the city. “I’m a huge Blur fan,” she remarked. Albarn performed at the Latitude Festival a few years back and it was incredible. It would be fantastic if they could play here before next year’s show.”
Ms Cox, a lecturer at the University of Essex, stated that she has started asking questions to get the plan moving and will continue to do so. Albarn remarked in a statement following the announcement of the event, “We truly love playing these songs and thought it was about time we did them again.”
Graham Coxon, another ex-Stanway student and guitarist, stated, “I’m definitely looking forward to performing with my Blur brothers again and reliving all those fantastic tunes.” For me, Blur live gigs are always incredible. A great guitar, an amp turned up, and a lot of happy smiles.” Darius Laws, Rural North councillor and self-confessed Blur fan, said Colchester would welcome the band back “with wide arms.”
“I’d be one of the first to buy a ticket,” Mr Laws said. “The stadium would be a fantastic alternative, or if they wanted to give spectators a more intimate performance, why not return to the East Anglian Railway Museum in Chappel?”
What do you think of this possibility? Sound off in the comments.