170 replies to this topic

[Hewletts Daughter]

I cant see them getting a prime spot on a main stage at Lolla.

I disagree with this very much. If they were to play Lolla, I could very much see Blur headlining either Friday or Sunday. Especially if it's their first/only US show.

While they hadn't sold tremendously well, they're one of those bands that I think over time gained some notoriety. They're not as huge as a Kanye or NIN, no, but I could see them pulling a very large crowd if they headlined Lolla.


We'll agree to disagree on this one it would appear.


Maybe Blur will play all of Parklife at the Pitchfork Music Festival....

[spiritofeden]

Oasis sold out the Staples Center in LA. they are a constant sell out in Toronto and NYC. i agree that Blur dosnt have the same drawing power as Oasis at this point, but they could certainly play small arenas in A markets (Toronto, Chicago, NYC, LA etc......). they should likely steer clear of Minneapolis. But i think thats just a good rule in general.

[spiritofeden]

Maybe Blur will play all of 13 at the Pitchfork Music Festival....

[HandBanana]

I cant see them getting a prime spot on a main stage at Lolla.

I disagree with this very much. If they were to play Lolla, I could very much see Blur headlining either Friday or Sunday. Especially if it's their first/only US show.

While they hadn't sold tremendously well, they're one of those bands that I think over time gained some notoriety. They're not as huge as a Kanye or NIN, no, but I could see them pulling a very large crowd if they headlined Lolla.


We'll agree to disagree on this one it would appear.


Maybe Blur will play all of Parklife at the Pitchfork Music Festival....

Maybe an early evening headliner I could see them being.
I'd def fly out for a Parklife runthru

[spiritofeden]

if they want to headline anything in the US other then Coachella, they will need a massive single. which they are likely capable of.

[Hewletts Daughter]

blur will headline lolla this summer...

[Mitchell]

In the real world it looks like they are doing a warm-up in Wolverhampton. Can't wait until Glastonbury, will be epic.

[cerebralcaustic]

They're really not that big in the US. They played the Congress Theater (cap 4000) the last time they played Chicago in 2003. They had a mid-day slot in the shitty Field Day festival in New York that same year (Radiohead headlined). Granted, that tour was without Coxon, but I don't think that would make much of a difference in drawing a crowd. If they play Lolla (and we all hope they do), the best they could do would be a headlining slot on the north field.

[UselessRocker]

They're really not that big in the US. They played the Congress Theater (cap 4000) the last time they played Chicago in 2003. They had a mid-day slot in the shitty Field Day festival in New York that same year (Radiohead headlined). Granted, that tour was without Coxon, but I don't think that would make much of a difference in drawing a crowd. If they play Lolla (and we all hope they do), the best they could do would be a headlining slot on the north field.

I'm pretty sure that the Blur of 2008 will do better than the Blur of 2003 did. You're underestimating not only the special "Blur reunited!" factor, but the fact that Damon has become more appreciated in the states thanks to his post-Blur projects. The Gorillaz albums have sold really well here and even the Good, Bad, Queen album did fairly well and got some play on radio. Granted, plenty of those buyers are casual fans who don't even know "the guy from Blur" is the voice of Gorillaz but I'm pretty sure the name Damon Albarn means a lot more here than it did 8 years ago.

I'm not saying Blur are gonna sell out arenas in America. I think they know that and I doubt they'll do a full-on tour. But I imagine they'll get a headlining slot at Coachella, a headlining slot at Lolla and probably do a show in NYC and draw some pretty big crowds.

[Hans Christian Anderson]

it may be a great single, but honestly, do we really think people in the states are clammoring for this band to reunite any more than they were with portishead?

Yes. Blur aren't by any means "big" here, but they are a lot bigger/more popular in the US than Portishead and Portishead were a headlining act and treated as a big deal at Coachella.

I was listening to Think Tank earlier today. "Battery In Your Leg" might just be one of the greatest songs ever.

EDIT: This is ..... strange. Blur lyrics on Millenium Bridge

if you'll notice in my earlier posts the only US festival i think blur could pull off being a headliner is at coachella. just like portishead.

it may be a great single, but honestly, do we really think people in the states are clammoring for this band to reunite any more than they were with portishead?

Blur could easily fill small arenas in North America.

No they couldn't. Oasis just played in Minneapolis last night. Didn't even draw 5,000. And to the general public, Oasis >>>>>> Blur. Theatre tour at the most.

sam = OTM

For the majority of Americans, Blur = "WoooHoooo" song that maybe they still play at high school basketball games.
I just looked it up actually.
THey had one gold record here. Eleven years ago.
They will pull big crowds in the big cities, but yeah no more than theater-size.

Playing a festival with a couple satellite dates here would make the most sense and I cant see them getting a prime spot on a main stage at Lolla.

Cardgage even more OTM

I cant see them getting a prime spot on a main stage at Lolla.

I disagree with this very much. If they were to play Lolla, I could very much see Blur headlining either Friday or Sunday. Especially if it's their first/only US show.

While they hadn't sold tremendously well, they're one of those bands that I think over time gained some notoriety. They're not as huge as a Kanye or NIN, no, but I could see them pulling a very large crowd if they headlined Lolla.


We'll agree to disagree on this one it would appear.


Maybe Blur will play all of Parklife at the Pitchfork Music Festival....

that notoriety over time is a pipedream my friend. i wish blur was thought of better than they actually are in these united states. however, parklife at pitchfork would be rad.

if they want to headline anything in the US other then Coachella, they will need a massive single. which they are likely capable of.

i wish this were true, but unfortunately it's an even bigger pipe dream

[r.i.p.]

Blur won't play Parklife at P4K. Trust me on that one.

Also, Oasis drawing 5000 fans EACH NIGHT across the US is meaningless if Blur plays a handful of shows in North America. There would be enough Blur fans to come out and see them at 4 festivals (or whatever) for them to be one of the marquee names. Again, Love & Rockets. That band filled a main stage field in an evening slot at Lolla. And Damon Albarn has sold millions of records with the Gorillaz. It's not like there won't be press in the US for the reunion.

[spiritofeden]

if they want to headline anything in the US other then Coachella, they will need a massive single. which they are likely capable of.

i wish this were true, but unfortunately it's an even bigger pipe dream

Yeah, your right. Albarn hasnt had a hit in North America post Blur. How stupid to think that Blur are still capable of a giant single.......

I hope they record, and this isnt just a tour of the hits.

[Montana]

blur will headline lolla this summer...

Wow that sucks for Coachella.

i agree that Blur dosnt have the same drawing power as Oasis at this point, but they could certainly play small arenas in A markets (Toronto, Chicago, NYC, LA etc......). they should likely steer clear of Minneapolis. But i think thats just a good rule in general.

Minneapolis has good taste.

[Montana]

Blur could easily fill small arenas in North America.

hehehe

[spiritofeden]

Blur could easily fill small arenas in North America.

hehehe

I'll bet you a Dr.Pepper.

[Hans Christian Anderson]

if they want to headline anything in the US other then Coachella, they will need a massive single. which they are likely capable of.

i wish this were true, but unfortunately it's an even bigger pipe dream

Yeah, your right. Albarn hasnt had a hit in North America post Blur. How stupid to think that Blur are still capable of a giant single.......

I hope they record, and this isnt just a tour of the hits.

gorillaz have had a few hits, that's for sure. somehow i doubt clint eastwood and feel good inc will show up in the 09 blur sets though.

you're delusional homie. but whatever, more power to ya, and shit, i hope damn near everything you say becomes reality.

[Mitchell]

Friday sold out in 10 mins, Thursday tickets still on sale.

[Mitchell]

I got a Thursday ticket.

[spiritofeden]

if they want to headline anything in the US other then Coachella, they will need a massive single. which they are likely capable of.

i wish this were true, but unfortunately it's an even bigger pipe dream

Yeah, your right. Albarn hasnt had a hit in North America post Blur. How stupid to think that Blur are still capable of a giant single.......

I hope they record, and this isnt just a tour of the hits.

gorillaz have had a few hits, that's for sure. somehow i doubt clint eastwood and feel good inc will show up in the 09 blur sets though.

you're delusional homie. but whatever, more power to ya, and shit, i hope damn near everything you say becomes reality.

do you feel that Albarn/Coxon are not capable of releasing another hit single?

[M_Rots]

if they want to headline anything in the US other then Coachella, they will need a massive single. which they are likely capable of.

i wish this were true, but unfortunately it's an even bigger pipe dream

Yeah, your right. Albarn hasnt had a hit in North America post Blur. How stupid to think that Blur are still capable of a giant single.......

I hope they record, and this isnt just a tour of the hits.

gorillaz have had a few hits, that's for sure. somehow i doubt clint eastwood and feel good inc will show up in the 09 blur sets though.

you're delusional homie. but whatever, more power to ya, and shit, i hope damn near everything you say becomes reality.

do you feel that Albarn/Coxon are not capable of releasing another hit single?

Considering their one and only North American hit single was mistaken for a grunge song, thus fitting neatly into alt-rock radio formats at the time, I'd say it's not so much unlikely as impossible.

But the kind of crowds that go to Coachella and Lolla strike me as the kind of crowds that think a Blur reunion is manna from heaven - I think they can headline festivals catering to the alt/post-alt crowd regardless of hit singles. Don't know about arenas, but that only matters ofthey talk about a full scale NA tour, and if they were to launch one of them, they'd surely be smart enough to gauge whether it could be a profitable venture regardless of venue size. This isn't a band lookng to crack America by criss-crossing it in an Econoline; this is a band (presumably) looking for a payday, whatever artistic merit their reunion may/may not posess.