en http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/ Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 Thu, 1 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 60 http://www.audioscrobbler.net/data/webservices http://www.last.fm/user/Mushu_/journal The Last.fm journal for Mushu_. Last.fm journals are a place to talk about all things music. http://www.last.fm/user/Mushu_/journal/2012/08/13/5knaz7_bt_london_live_closing_ceremony:_blur Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:51:47 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Mushu_/journal/2012/08/13/5knaz7_bt_london_live_closing_ceremony:_blur Sun 12 Aug – BT London Live: Closing Ceremony Celebration Concert

Having missed out on their reunion dates at Hyde Park three years ago, I knew this would probably be the last chance I'd get to see one of my favourite bands live. And it doesn't seem that long ago that I was on my laptop at 9 in the morning, clutching my coffee and neurotically refreshing the ticketmaster page, awaiting the release of tickets.

But anyway, 12th August arrived along with the sun, which was a relief because despite what most people say I do find that rain during outdoor gigs kinda drags the atmosphere down a little bit.

First up were Bombay Bicycle Club, who are one of those bands I don't really pay any attention to but somehow know most of the songs when I'm forced to listen to them play. They weren't terrible, they have that sort of folky-pop sound a lot of bands have at the moment and their songs were twee and pretty and easy to listen to. I quite liked their upbeat performance of Ivy & Gold which got everyone dancing around and put a smile on my face.

New Order were up next, but were disappointingly average. The setlist was well-balanced and included a couple of Joy Division songs, and Blue Monday obviously. Stage presence was fairly minimal, not helped by Sumner's failure to get the crowd going and series of crap jokes. But... other than that they were alright!

The Specials stole the show, however. My sister and I wanted to get stuck in for this, so we made our way pretty close to the front. I was surprised to see how many devoted Specials fans there were, sporting trilbies and polo shirts and the odd 2 tone tattoo. Neville Staple entertained with his distinctive Jamaican toasting and interaction with the crowd, joking with a girl in the front row "This one's dedicated to you babes." They were a proper laugh, and it was impossible not to dance along... will have to work on my skanking though. There was a sense of confusion/disappointment at the end of their set though when they hadn't played Ghost Town, the song everyone was waiting for...

So now we had to wait 50 minutes for Blur to come on, and we'd made it just a few rows behind where Alex would be standing (omg). But about 15 minutes before they were due to come on my sister inconveniently passed out (it wasn't that cramped, she had some sort of virus) and we had to abandon our spot and be lifted over the barrier. While I waited with her in the paramedic tent, I heard the countdown on Big Ben and thought I was gonna miss the beginning. She had to have a few tests done then we were good to go, but said she didn't wanna go back in with me. So just as Blur came on stage and the instantly recognisable intro of Girls & Boys blasted out, (and with my sister's permission) I legged it down into the crowd and followed a group of large men who led me further in. After about an hour I was almost in my original place and spent most of the time gazing at Alex who is just so effortlessly cool playing bass, shaking his floppy hair around with a fag hanging out of his mouth.

The setlist was pretty much perfect in my opinion - favourites included Beetlebum which was flawless, and Coffee & TV sung by lovely Graham, Trimm Trabb when Damon came to the barrier near where I was standing, and sang "That's just the way it is..." into the crowd. It was followed by the beautifully haunting Caramel, ruined by the annoyingly loud people having conversations at the tops of their voices around me.

The mood changed with some more energetic songs, starting with Sunday Sunday (released in 1993... I feel old), Country House, and Parklife which I was really excited to see Phil Daniels come on for, as well as Harry Enfield the tea-lady, and everyone proceeded to go bladdy mental. OI!!!
Popscene was another brilliant one although not as much of a crowd pleaser as Song 2.
I actually squealed when I heard the opening riff of No Distance Left To Run which I didn't even consider them playing, and I fucking love that song. And again being a fairly quiet song, when fuckers talk through the whole thing it spoils it for me slightly. EVERYONE SHUT UP WHEN BLUR ARE ON. I still loved it anyway.

Things got rather emotional when Blur closed the set with Tender and This Is A Low, which left Damon (and me) all teary-eyed as he surveyed Hyde Park from the stage wondering what to make of it all, as the crowd roared an echo of the chorus well after the song had finished.

The first song of the encore was Sing, the only one played from their first album, which was a nice surprise. New single Under The Westway came next, which Damon revealed was written especially for us. Aww. They rounded it off with End Of A Century and For Tomorrow, which meant they'd saved The Universal for last. I was feeling pretty emotional by this point, it really is the perfect ending song. For the first time I felt the lyrics bury into my soul. When the days they seem to fall through you, well just let them go...

Full Setlist]]> http://www.last.fm/user/Mushu_/journal/2010/03/14/3hkz1b_fing Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:22:13 +0000 http://www.last.fm/user/Mushu_/journal/2010/03/14/3hkz1b_fing Name your top 10 most played bands on Last.fm:

1. muse
2. radiohead
3. the strokes
4. kings of leon
5. foo fighters
6. led zeppelin
7. nirvana
8. bloc party
9. system of a down
10. pixies

*what was the first song you ever heard by 6?
i can't remember, it would've been yeaaars ago but going to california comes to mind


*what is your favourite lyric that 5 has sung?
i dont knoww so i'm gonna say 'tonight i'm tangled in my blanket of clouds, dreaming aloud'


*how many times have you seen 4 live?
once


*what is your favourite song by 7?
pennyroyal tea probably


*what is a good memory you have considering the music of 10?
listening to 'hey' over and over again and thinking it was just really good


*is there a song of 3 that makes you sad?
no not really... maybe 'you only live once' but in a good way :P


*what is your favourite song by 2?
i don't really have a set one.. maybe the bends, or lucky but i dont listen to it as much as i used to


*how did you get in to 3?
don't know really.. it just sort of happened. i liked you only live once


*what was the first song you heard by 1?
oh god i don't know. probably unintended


*how many time have you seen 9 live?
never


*is there a song of 8 that makes you sad?
so here we are, a tiny bit but i love it


*what is your favourite album of 5?
the colour and the shape


*what is your favourite song of 1?
citizen erased


*what is your favourite song of 10?
oof. that changes a lot too. possibly 'hey' or 'vamos'


*how many times have you seen 8 live?
never


*what is your favourite album of 1?
showbiz/origin of symmetry


*how many bands/artists in your top 10 have you seen live?
3 - muse, foo fighters, kings of leon. seen muse three times though ;D]]>