Blur share official video for St. Charles Square ahead of Wembley dates

30 June 2023, 12:14

Blur in 2023 — Blur have shared a new single. Picture: Bastienne Lewis/Press

By Jenny Mensah

The single is the latest cut to come from the Britpop legends' forthcoming album The Ballad of Darren, which is set for release next month.

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Blur have shared the official video for their St. Charles Square single.

The track is the next song to be released from their forthcoming album The Ballad of Darren, which features lead track The Narcissist and is set for release on 21st July 2023.

The video - shot in black and white - sees Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree perform the track live at what appears to be one of their recent intimate reunion gigs, which took place in Colchester and Eastbourne.

Blur - St. Charles Square (Official Video)

READ MORE: Blur's 10 best B-Sides

The release comes just ahead of the band's upcoming duo of dates at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th of July respectively.

Support for Blur's Wembley Stadium gig on the Saturday comes from special guests Self Esteem, Jockstrap and Sleaford Mods, plus will feature an appearance from Parklife orator Phil Daniels.

The following night will see Phil Daniels among the special guests again, as well as Paul Weller, two-tone ska band The Selector, a DJ set from snooker legend Steve Davis and Doran & Kavus Torabi.

Previously speaking about what to expect from their Wembley shows, Albarn told Radio X's Dan O'Connell: "We sound good. We sound really good. It’s back to basics.

"We sound how we should sound without any sort of confectionery around the sides. It’s honest.”

Blur on what to expect from their reunion gigs

As for their forthcoming album and it's title, the frontman said: "Darren is many people. It is directly one person. But do we want to spoil who Darren is yet? There’s a picture of Daren in the album. Not on the front cover. It was going to be but then we put it on the inner sleeve because it’s not the sort of attention Darren will want.”

On returning with new material, Albarn referenced the band's shows at Wembley, asking: "What’s the point of doing all of this unless there’s something that represents in some way how we all feel now?”

Bassist Alex James added: "The fact that we’ve made a record is a surprise to me… [but] looking back it’s what we actually do.”

Pre order The Ballad of Darren here.