Blur frontman Damon Albarn blasted the crowd at weekend one of Coachella, reacting to the audience’s general apathy during his band’s performance.
Blur was given one of the prime Saturday night slots, performing at 7:40PM on the main stage. But though the group was slotted between fellow ‘90s acts Sublime and No Doubt, the crowd seemed disinterested in the Brit-pop act.
The set started promisingly enough, as Blur opened with “St. Charles Square,” the boisterous track from their 2023 LP The Ballad of Darren. The band continued with material from throughout their career, but Albarn could be seen getting visually agitated at the audience’s lackluster response.
READ MORE: 2024 Music Festivals Classic Rock Fans Should Actually Care About
Things reached an irritable climax when Albarn tried to engage the crowd in a singalong. As Blur rocked through their 1994 hit “Girls & Boys,” the vocalist encouraged fans to yell the chorus’ “ow ow ow” at his direction. Few fans participated, leading an exacerbated Albarn to reportedly mutter he was “walking out.” On the next chorus, the frontman tried once again – only to be met with a similar result.
“You’ll never see us again so you might as well fucking sing it,” the frustrated rocker declared.
Watch fan-shot video of Albarn’s remarks below.
Damon Albarn’s Coachella History
Between his various musical projects, Albarn has been something of a Coachella regular. His animated group, Gorillaz, performed at last year’s event and also played in 2010. His side project, the Good, the Bad & the Queen, played the festival in 2007, while Albarn has also made guest appearances alongside other artists.
READ MORE: Top 100 ’90s Rock Albums
The 2024 edition marked Blur’s third time at Coachella, having previously played in 2013 and 2003. In a video recently uploaded to his Instagram, Albarn praised the festival, even noting how it inspired Gorillaz’ hit song “Feel Good Inc.” The clip, filmed before Blur’s recent performance, ends with a remark that feels ironic in hindsight, as the singer states: “I’m always going to come if Coachella calls.”
