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BLUR Live at the Budokan
30th anniversary 2xLP( Warner Bros.)
Live at the Budokan is a Record Store Day release to entice Blur diehards and vinyl junkies alike. This is the first vinyl pressing of a set that originally appeared in 1996 as a Japanese exclusive CD package. Budokan follows 2024 ' s Live at Wembley Stadium, which documented a stadium sellout in support of 2023 ' s The Ballad of Darren. The current offering features a markedly different tone and set list, captured on November 8, 1995, prior to the band ' s North American breakout with its self-titled fifth album. " Country
House," " The Universal," and seven others were fresh material from the fourth album, The Great Escape. The stadium anthem " Song 2 " was yet to be dreamed up by Damon Albarn and brought to life by guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree. All were still in their 20s except for Rowntree. Budokan features 24 of the 27 songs performed on the band ' s first of two nights in Tokyo. Debut Leisure single " She ' s So High " was captured the following night. " Charmless Man " is the more unfortunate of the two omissions. Modern Life is Rubbish track " Chemical World " is also AWOL. The remainder of the show is a vibrant example of primetime ' 90s Britpop with a heavy dose of the third album, Parklife. The band opens to the giddy brass band flourish of " The
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