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home » festivals » Leeds Festival » Leeds Festival 2003
BlurLeeds Festival 2003 reviewWednesday 1st October 2003 Blur aren't really the sort of band that you would expect to see Headline a festival of this nature especially this year with the predominant acts involving long hair and manly riffs, in fact where have they been? After the turmoil of the last year, it was still a bit surprising to see Damon, Alex and Dave and an extended lineup of fill in guitarist, keyboards, and backing vocals wander onstage. Looking suitably sharply attired Damon looked a little unsure and nervous. He needn't have worried – the audience was looking for a happy ending to the weekend and with the wealth of familiarity in the back catalogue available, Blur were able to deliver in spades, rattling through tracks from across the spectrum of their history.  Damon seemed to be in confessional mood saying how it was "the first time in ages it's been fun playing" and seeking communion with the audience by repeatedly jumping off stage and wandering around the edge of the pit. To be honest what you expect to be played was – 'Beetlebum', 'The Universal', 'For Tomorrow', 'Girls and Boys', 'Song 2' ... the list goes on and on. The entire set covered some 25 songs in all. Highlights included the appearance of Phil Daniels to join in on 'My White Noise' from 'Thinktank' and a passable crack at 'Parklife' – something I thought we'd never be seeing again. The inevitable closer 'This is a Low' seemed to show a Damon who was welling up with the love of it all, and a still thoroughly unimpressed rest of the band who had remained almost completely static for the entire performance.  You are reminded that for a while Blur were the soundtrack of your lives by turns with knees-up anthems but also with the bittersweet slower tunes. And it is on these slower numbers that Blur seem to still have their magic hold. The recent single 'Out of Time' revealing the voice and emotion that Damon is capable of with matching haunting lyrical structure and phrasing. While it was plain to see that some of the old songs still remain seeming Albatrosses round their necks and they can barely get through them quick enough, there is still a force driving the boys, and when the crowd joins in, either voluntarily – 'To the End' or at the exhortation of Damon – 'Tender', the reaction of Damon at least seems to be one of surprise and delight. Sadly no Graham Coxon appeared out of the wings to join the band onstage [not as mad as you think given that he and the band have recently been spotted burying hatchets], however Blur were welcomed like a long lost favourite uncle – who knows what lies in store for the future? review by Tim Fellows aka 'salt' photos by Luke Seagrave
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