Blur cancel performance in France days ahead of Wembley Stadium shows
Blur have cancelled a performance at Festival Beauregard in France on July 6th due to an injury to drummer Dave Rowntree. The band are still set to play headline shows at London’s Wembley Stadium on July 8th and 9th.
“The bad news has just fallen: Blur will not be able to perform their concert in Beauregard,” the festival revealed on social media. “Dave Rowntree, the drummer, was injured this weekend and must rest for future shows.”
As of writing, Blur are yet to provide an official statement confirming their absence from the festival and whether their Wembley Stadium shows are unaffected. Royal Blood, who recently performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury ahead of Arctic Monkeys, have been confirmed as their replacement.
Meanwhile, ahead of the release of their new album The Ballad Of Darren on July 21st, Blur recently shouted out three new acts they are currently listening to. “I like bands that are smart,” frontman Damon Albarn said about the kind of act he tries to search out. He continued: “Bands like Yard Act or Wu-Lu,” Albarn continued. Meanwhile, guitarist Graham Coxon told the Spanish magazine Mondo Sonoro: “I like the Jockstrap album.”
Jockstrap, who Coxon mentioned, are also listed as one of the support acts for Blur’s planned Wembley Stadium shows. Other acts appearing across the two shows include Self Esteem, Paul Weller and Sleaford Mods.
The Wembley Stadium shows arrive after Blur released their new single ‘St. Charles Square’ last week. Speaking about the track with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Albarn said: “Well, I was just really relieved it went this way in the studio. I mean, I kind of in my demo, it sort of alluded to it, because of the chords that hold in the chorus. It’s got that chug to it. But Graham really went with that. And yeah, it’s got an amazing atmosphere.”
He added: “Everybody’s playing really well on that thing. Do you know what the whole thing has really felt like, we’re sort of somewhere in 1992, something like that, ’92, ’93. We’re just sort of back. I don’t know. And when we go on stage, that’s we’re where we start off really… I’ve always kind of felt like it’s not just about singing about yourself. You’ve got to kind of bring where you’re singing it and writing it with you.”
Listen to the track below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.