Watch Blur Live at Hyde Park

Blur Live at Hyde Park is a concert film capturing one of the most significant moments in the history of British music. On Saturday 12 July 2009, Blur made their triumphant and emotional return to the stage after a five-year hiatus, playing a sold-out show in London's Hyde Park to more than 55,000 adoring fans. Directed by concert film veteran Mathew Amos, the film begins with a sweeping aerial shot of the vast crowd gathering in the park, before cutting backstage to the band as they prepare to take the stage. We see Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree getting ready and greeting each other with hugs and handshakes, clearly thrilled and nervous about what lies ahead.

The opening song, "She's So High", sees the band explode onto the stage, with flashing lights and pyrotechnics adding to the excitement. The crowd goes wild, singing along at the top of their lungs, with Albarn grinning widely as he looks out over the sea of people. The band quickly follows up with "Girls & Boys", a euphoric anthem that has the crowd jumping and dancing.

The setlist draws heavily from the band's hits from the 1990s, with classic tracks like "Popscene", "There's No Other Way" and "Parklife" sending the crowd into a frenzy. However, there are also several surprises and deep cuts for the hardcore fans, including "Caramel", a rarely performed b-side from the "Chemical World" single.

Throughout the show, the band members appear to be having the time of their lives. Albarn is constantly moving around the stage, pointing his microphone at the crowd to encourage them to sing along. Coxon, who had left the band during their previous tour in 2002, looks delighted to be back in the fold, ripping out glorious guitar solos and grinning from ear to ear. James, meanwhile, is his usual flamboyant self, twirling his bass guitar and throwing rockstar poses at every opportunity. Rowntree keeps the beat tight and driving, glancing around the stage with a contented smile.

Amos's direction is energetic and fast-paced, with quick cuts and sweeping camera movements capturing the excitement and energy of the show. He also takes time to zoom in on individual band members, showing their facial expressions and body language as they play, which helps to convey the emotion and passion of the performance.

One of the standout moments of the show is when the band performs "Tender", their soulful ballad that became an anthem for the 2002 anti-war protests. As Albarn starts to sing the opening lines, the crowd immediately starts to sing along, creating an incredibly moving and powerful moment. Albarn looks visibly moved, struggling to hold back tears as he sings, "Love's the greatest thing that we have". When the crowd takes over the singing on the chorus, it feels like a massive communal hug between the band and their fans.

Another highlight is when Coxon takes center stage to sing "Coffee & TV", his bittersweet ballad about loneliness and addiction. His performance is raw and emotional, with his voice cracking on the high notes and his guitar solo soaring into the sky. As he finishes the song, the crowd erupts into a massive ovation, clearly thrilled to see him back in the band.

The film's climax comes during the encore, when the band performs their most famous song, "Song 2". The crowd goes ballistic, jumping up and down and singing the "woo-hoo" chorus at the top of their lungs. As the band finishes the song and takes their final bows, Oxegenic fireworks light up the sky behind them, providing a spectacular visual finale to a truly unforgettable night.

Overall, Blur Live at Hyde Park is a fantastic concert film that captures this historic moment in British music. The band's energy, passion and musicianship are all on display, and it's clear that they were thrilled to be back performing together. For any Blur fan, this film is an absolute must-watch, and for anyone looking to understand the cultural impact of Britpop, it's an essential document of a defining moment in music history.

Blur Live at Hyde Park is a 2021 musical with a runtime of 2 hours and 4 minutes.