Damon Albarn- live at St Luke’s Glasgow

I’ve not updated this website in months. A combination of so many weddings, editing, fatigue from all of that, family life, blah blah blah. Violins out eh?

So, what have I been up to apart from drowning in editing, working and generally getting through 2021 as best I can, like the rest of us?

Well, last night was pretty special, enough so for me to actually open this page and start writing about it. Not too much waffle, I’ll let the photographs do the story as usual. I am supposed to be a photographer after all.

I’ve been a fan of Damon Albarn since his band BLUR’s debut album ‘Leisure’ way back in 1991. I was 18 when I first heard ‘There’s no other way’ and instantly fell in love with the band, a love that’s stayed with me ever since.

My friend Graham (more on him in a minute) and I listened to the album constantly, followed by all the other albums over the years, going to see Blur in concert, right up until they decided to call it a day. They got back together of course, but I haven’t actually seen Damon or any of the rest of the band ‘live’ in years. Damon’s of course went onto huge success, creating GORILLAZ, fronting THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE QUEEN, and of course his solo career.

He’s just released his second solo album ‘The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows’ and has went out on a ‘piano’ tour in small, intimate venues across the country. Glasgow’s beautiful ST LUKE’s was the venue in Scotland, and I was lucky enough to get some tickets for Alyson, Graham and Sam. I was also even luckier to manage a photo pass via the wonderful team at ASSAI RECORDS.

Damon was amazing, but it was really a very special night and everyone in the room knew it. We were so lucky to see one of the most talented songwriter/performers this country has ever produced in such an intimate setting. His solo songs with the piano, and the amazing string quartet were unbelievable. You could literally have heard a pin drop such was the hold on the audience from Damon. Songs like ‘Polaris’, ‘Particles’ and ‘Royal Morning Blue’ were superb- the whole album is amazing.

What followed after this, towards the end was really something I’ll remember for the rest of my life as he gave us stripped back versions of Blur classics like ‘Beetlebum’, ‘For Tomorrow’, ‘Tender’, a slightly raucous ‘Girls & Boys’,before ending with ‘The Universal’. Stunning!

Anyway- enough waffle. Damon and his band were incredible- and I’m not going overboard to say he’s an absolute musical genius. It was also notable just how much he seemed to be enjoying being back with am audience again after we’ve all missed it so much because of the C word. He could have played all night and it wouldn’t have been enough for me.

It was SUCH a special night, with great friends, especially special to see it with Graham THIRTY years after we both got into Blur’s music. I hope it’s not as long till it happens again.

Maybe Alex, Graham, and Dave fancy it too?

Photos- for the geeks, shot with Leica Q2, and Fujifilm XT3 with 50mm F1.0, and 35mm 1.4 lenses.

Were you there? Leave a comment- or if you weren’t, let me know what you think of the photos. Take care!

UPDATE- PRINTS AVAILABLE VIA THE STORE OR EMAIL ME WITH SPECIFIC REQUESTS