Damon Albarn of Blur announces to disappointing Coachella audience that this may be their last performance | Entertainment and Arts Update
During a Coachella performance, Blur frontman Damon Albarn started with a gentle request for audience participation in a singalong, but was met with near-silence. Frustrated, Albarn eventually remarked, “You’ll never see us again.” The English band, formed in 1988, have released nine albums, seven of which reached No 1 in the charts, including their latest record, The Ballad of Darren, produced after an eight-year break. However, some of their hits did not seem to resonate with Coachella audiences.
At Coachella, Blur performed hits like Song 2, Beetlebum, and Tender. Albarn, in an attempt to engage the crowd, encouraged them to sing along to Girls & Boys, but was met with a lackluster response.
Damon Albarn of British band Blur performs during the Coachella Music Festival in Indio, California in 2013. Pic: Reuters
Albarn seemed increasingly frustrated until he exclaimed to the audience, “You’ll never see us again so you may as well f****** sing it.” The band, which includes guitarist Graham Coxon, bass guitarist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree, have released nine albums in total, with several reaching number one in the charts.
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Blur, a pioneer of the Britpop genre, have fiercely competed with bands like Oasis in the charts. After their 2015 tour, they went on hiatus but returned with The Ballad Of Darren last year, which also reached number one.
Other British acts, including Raye and Jungle, also performed at Coachella. Raye teased her next music project, following her award-winning debut album My 21st Century Blues. She recently surpassed Blur, Harry Styles, and Adele by winning the most Brit awards in one year during the 2024 ceremony.
