Blur, Elastica – Old Trout, Windsor

Ticket long since lost. This is a flyer someone posted to Facebook

I still have strong memories of this gig. I remember the drive past Windsor Castle (the first and only time I’ve seen it), and the small back room where we managed to ensconce ourselves to the front near stage left. I remember the room being so full it must have violated fire regulations several times over. I remember everyone wearing Fred Perry shirts (except me).

I remember Elastica coming on stage, and Justin burping all the way through the intro to Line Up. I also vaguely remember Graham Coxon getting behind the drumkit to play on Vaseline.

Blur were touring Modern Life Is Rubbish and it was around about now that I realised what a fantastic album it is – 30 years later, it’s still my favourite of all time.

My first Blur gig, and I think I became an Elastica fan tonight too. Easily one of the evenings which summed up the greatness of the 90s for me.

Back in 2007, Uncut magazine asked Adam Ficek from (then hot property) Babyshambles about his favourite gig. It was this one. He said:

It probably would have been a really early Blur show, just as they were introducing the Parklife stuff into their set. I saw them at The Windsor Old Trout, with Elastica supporting. They played a lot from Modern Life Is Rubbish, which I thought was amazing, ‘cause there was so much shoegazing stuff around, so it was great to hark back to good Britishness.

I know it’s an impressionable age, but it really surprised me. I saw Blur again around ‘13‘, it was very dark and less glossy. Britpop had died and so it was that post-Britpop fallout. They were great, though, it was more mature and went in a different direction. Every band’s got to move forward. My favourite Blur album’s still Modern Life Is Rubbish, though.

I think he would have been 19 instead of 14/15, but shows like this made me feel like a teenager again too.

Friday 27 August 1993, 185 views