Rarewaves At The 'blur: To The End' London Premiere!

If you’re of a certain era then you may remember a little band called Blur appearing in the charts week in and week out, often alongside another little band called Oasis. Despite the fact that their initial efforts of their 1991 debut album proved rather unsuccessful, causing them to go on a two-month tour of the US to make up for their financial losses, we find ourselves here in 2024 celebrating the release of their latest feature-length documentary To the End, as one of the biggest bands of all time.

Named after their 1994 hit of the same name, the film by director Toby L follows Blur through the process of their 2023 comeback with their ninth studio album The Ballad of Darren, as well as their preparations and reflections of their sold-out show at Wembley Stadium.

As I write this, the film is hitting UK cinemas but the London premiere was this past Tuesday, the 16^th July. The event was sponsored by Damon Albarn’s favourite clothing brand FILA, and us- Rarewaves!

As we got to the Picturehouse in Central London seeking shelter from the rain that was starting (such is UK summer!), we signed in, got a cup of tea and waited for the ok to get set up! The atmosphere was electric as everybody was excited to be there, grabbing a drink from the bar to socialise a little and talk about how much they were looking forward to seeing the film!

A little while later as the crowds came rushing in, we were upstairs preparing our tripod, cameras and microphone awaiting the arrival of Blur as well as several other VIP guests. We spoke with a number of them, including director Toby L, producer Josh Connolly, Soft Play and we asked Josh Widdicombe in the spirit of Mock the Week, “Things you wouldn’t hear at a Blur event”, which he answered with the witty humour that he’s known for. We asked their favourite Blur songs, their first memory of Blur and what they learned about the band through making this film.

Tell us your favourite Blur song!

Then came the time for us to shift into the screen to watch what we all came here to see! After introductions and thanks from Toby L and Josh Connolly, we were treated to beautiful opening shots of the English countryside as Damon Albarn is in his car talking about mortality, which perfectly sets up the tone for the next 105 minutes. When asked to describe the film in three words, Toby L said that he was aiming for “funny, honest and philosophical”, and those words are certainly achieved.

Even more so than it is a chronicle of the creation of Blur’s latest album and their massive Wembley Stadium showcase, which Damon Albarn affectionately refers to as their “best gig ever”, To the End is a painfully honest portrait of middle age. We spend the majority of the film with the band as they are now- 4 men in their 50s as they navigate the pressure of their return and reminisce about their time in school and their past endeavours, which are backed up by archival footage, although as far as musical documentaries go, it’s notably light with it.

Blur: To the End is a candid and touching portrait of the band, their relationship, and the bond that they share. It’s about their ups, downs and all-arounds as bandmates, colleagues, friends and essentially family. We get a glimpse into their lives, their stories as individuals as well as a group and how they love each other, and get frustrated by each other.

The film is in cinemas now and is a must-see for any fan of Blur, or any fan of band documentaries. But, even if you aren’t a Blur fan, the film will be relatable to most in some way. Two thumbs up!

If you want to know more about Blur and other bands of the Britpop era, check out Britpop: 6 Of The Most Iconic Bands Of The Era!