Watch Blur play ‘Sing’ live for the first time in a decade

9 June, 2023

Damon Albarn of Blur performs on stage during day 2 of Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023

Blur performed ‘Sing’ for the first time in 10 years in Madrid last night, and added ‘Country Sad Ballad Man’ to the setlist for the first time since 2015. Check out footage of the show below.

The free gig took place at La Riviera in Madrid last night (June 8), and saw the newly-reformed Brit-pop legends perform fan-favourites, tracks from their upcoming album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ and rarities from throughout their discography.

Originally, the show was meant to be held during the opening night of Primavera Sound Madrid, but was relocated due to extreme weather conditions in the city which led to the opening night of the festival being cancelled.

Amid the 22-song setlist, Damon Albarn and co surprised fans with a rendition of ‘Sing’. The track is taken from their 1991 debut album ‘Leisure’ – and famously featured on the Trainspotting soundtrack – and hasn’t been performed live since 2013.

Another highlight featured in the first half of the performance, when the band played ‘Country Sad Ballad Man’ for the first time since their ‘Magic Whip’ tour. The song is taken from their eponymous 1997 album, and hasn’t been played live since 2015.

Blur also played two songs from their forthcoming LP — ‘St. Charles Square’ and ‘The Narcissist’ — as well as breaking out the fan-favourites including ‘Song 2’, ‘Girls & Boys’ and ‘Coffee & TV’. Check out the full setlist and fan-captured footage from the show below.

Blur’s setlist was:

1. ’St. Charles Square’
2. ‘There’s No Other Way’
3. ‘Popscene’
4. ‘Trouble in the Message Centre’
5. ‘Tracy Jacks’
6. ‘Chemical World’
7. ‘Beetlebum’
8. ‘Country Sad Ballad Man’ (First time live since 2015)
9. ‘Villa Rosie’
10. ‘Coffee & TV’
11. ‘End of a Century’
12. ‘Parklife’
13. ‘To the End’
14. ‘Sing’ (First time live since 2013)
15. ‘Intermission’
16. ‘Advert’
17. ‘Song 2’
18. ‘This Is a Low’
19. ‘Girls & Boys’
20. ‘Tender’
21. ‘The Narcissist’
22. ‘The Universal’

Other acts who had their sets cancelled for the opening day of Primavera Sound Madrid included Yard Act, Halsey, Ghost, Le Tigre, Turnstile and more. The remainder of the festival dates are set to continue as scheduled, and will feature performances from Depeche Mode, Kendrick Lamar, Måneskin, Pusha T, St Vincent, Skrillex, ROSALIA, Japanese Breakfast, and more.

This isn’t the first time that the Brit-pop veterans have broken out some rarities for their 2023 performances.

Last week, the band also played their long-awaited set at the Barcelona edition of Primavera Sound, and treated fans to their first live performance of ‘Country House’ in eight years.

They also played ‘Luminous’ for the first time in 24 years at the set —a lesser-known track which acts as a b-side for the single ‘Bang’, which first appeared on their debut album ‘Leisure’.

Damon Albarn of Blur performs in concert during the day 2 of Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 1
Damon Albarn of Blur performs in concert during the day 2 of Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 on June 1. CREDIT: Xavi Torrent/Getty Images

The rock veterans also played a series of warm-up shows in the UK last month, including a gig in their Colchester hometown (May 20) and a set in Eastbourne the following day (May 21).

Following a hiatus, their comeback was confirmed back in November with news of a huge Wembley Stadium show. A second date at the venue was later added, as were a run of European festival shows.

Last month (May 19), all four members opened up about the recording process of their ninth studio album during a press conference at Colchester Castle.

“There were moments of utter joy,” said bassist Alex James. “The fact that we all go off and go down our rabbit holes and come back up again and when we do get back together, we’ve all learnt something… There’s always been something very special about when we play together. It’s there right from the get go. I feel fulfilled and blessed.”

‘The Ballad Of Darren’ is set for release on July 21 via Parlophone and Warner. Pre-order the album here.

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