It’s all about Blur at the moment and that’s just fine by me. This is a little late as the gig happened on the 13th of June  but what with Glasto ( blog on the way) and the de-evolution of my brain it’s been delayed, but there was no way I was going to miss out on the chance to recollect this balmy evening.

So The Chappel and Wakes Colne Railway Station and Museum is but a mile from my mums house, the house where I bought my first Genesis tape, progressed through Oasis until I dumped the lot for the album Blur. For these said reasons there was no way I was gonna miss my favourite band in one of my favourite places, it really is one of my favourite places, the annual cider festival here is stuff of hangover legend and getting kicked out my ex-girlfriends house at 5am with no clothes on was one of the best.

So the weather was gorgeous and I went up at 6pm to scout the scene, jumped a barbed wire fence to hear Blur warming up with She’s So High. This made me step back somewhat as I was still without a ticket and I’d been told Blur had got ‘The Heavies’ in, lets think about this………………..

So picked up by a convoy of Mondeo and motorbike we parked by the back entrance and jumped the fence, the group started cautious but I thought fuck it let go bold as brass, I walked past their tour bus pulled out the mobile and began barking down it like a startled dog, my idea was to come across to security as someone of importance, this worked well with the first three security but not the last or biggest, ‘Wheres your wristband ?’ I looked at my wrist expecting it to be there, ‘Shit, I must have lost it !’, ‘OUT ! !’. Before I knew it I had five of ‘The Heavies’ round me ( ‘Heavies’ meaning local community volunteers and eager railway devotees) but I could see Blur, they were two records in and at the height of bass twang Girls and Boys so I figured I’d just talk for as long as I could in a polite manner as I was where I wanted to be, I could see the band, promptly the doors were shut and I was marched away, but to my surprise I was quickly down to just 1 heavy and he had a fisherman’s hat and teeth like a dusty cowboy’s dog so I fancied my chances, I shimmied, I ran, I dodged, this prompted him to bring out his torch and threaten ” I’ve got a mag-light and I’m not afraid to use it ! ” so I was out, this was a low, assurances we could listen from the platform meant nothing to me, I was so close.

So I tucked into my Ale on the platforms edge in perfect range of the gig and beginning to enjoy it, when a gorgeous, young, ringleted siren ran out declaring ‘ I’ve got more wristbands ! ‘. I was in, £15 pound donated to the appeal to fix the roof of the museum – best money ever spent – I ran round, flashed my band to the former enemy and rushed in to a moment of surrealism, I actually enjoyed ‘Coffee and TV’. For the next two hours I was privy to the most impressive gig I have been lucky to be at, the band looked in their element, it’s hard to believe they’ve been out for nearly a decade, highlights were: Popscene, For Tomorrow, Song 2, Trimm Trabb, Out of Time ( with Grahams new guitar lick ) oh and Essex Dogs ! It’s  no secret Essex Dogs is my favourite Blur track, but I never thought they would play it, so when Graham, three songs from the end said to the crowd ‘do you want Essex Dogs or Sing ? ‘ I looked at him square in the eyes and Screamed with both fists clenched ESSEX DOGS ! ! He looked right back and said ‘ alright Essex Dogs it is.’

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story, this time it didn’t, 150 people can testify.

You can watch some here : http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffcarlton

also

http://www.earm.co.uk/

LT