Britpop Classical Blurs the lines
Next month sees Newcastle’s O2 City Hall host a celebration of Britpop that promises to be bigger, louder and more emotional than ever before. Simon Rushworth found out more from Blur’s Alex James.
It was the autumn of 2023 and Blur had just completed the final show of their global Ballad Of Darren tour. Back at his Buenos Aires hotel, a buzzing but exhausted Alex James was bidding a fond — and somewhat reluctant — farewell to South America. “They love their British rock in that part of the world,” explains the man responsible for many of the 90s’ most memorable rhythms. “I didn’t want to leave!
“It was an incredible gig. Argentina were the World Cup holders, they had a new president and the mood was euphoric. It was the end of the tour and there was this sense of bittersweet triumph. Then I landed at Heathrow and suddenly it was back to reality… with a bang!”
As Alex checked his messages by the carousel one, in particular, caught his eye. “I discovered one of the main headliners for my summer festival had suddenly pulled out,” he recalls. “As any festival organiser will tell you — without your headliners you don’t have a festival. I had to dash straight home and jump on a Zoom call with 20 panicking executives all wondering what on earth we were going to do. Christmas was just around the corner and we needed a big name!”
Alex tore through his contacts book and got hold of a booker who convinced him the answer was Ministry Of Sound Classical — a fast-growing phenomenon pairing Ibiza anthems with full orchestras. “He was telling me that I just had to trust him and I’d absolutely love it. He described it as 90 minutes of hits.”
Alex was sceptical. “Nothing’s 90 minutes of hits, is it?” he laughs. “I mean, it’s like Abba Voyage — you get a solid hour of pure gold but there’s 20 or 30 minutes of filler in there. But I trusted this chap. And, my word, it was brilliant. In terms of the crowd reaction it was the best headliner we’ve had. It really was 90 minutes of hits!”
The lightbulb moment came instantly. “I went rushing straight backstage afterwards, having had an epiphany, going ‘we have to do a Britpop version of this’.”
Britpop Classical was born.
The blueprint was clear: bring together a rock band, a symphony orchestra, a chorus of vocalists, session singers — and a handful of special guests to add the sparkle — and then handpick 90 minutes’ worth of tunes from what many perceive to be a golden age of British pop.
“Even then I didn’t really know if it would work,” admits Alex. “But after a series of meetings and many hours mulling things over in the bubble bath we whittled down four-and-a-half hours of songs into a workable repertoire. Then we went into full classical mode and broke that down into suites!”
Spoiler alert: Britpop Classical opens with a brief but bullish nod to the heritage acts who inspired a 90s revolution. A quick blast of Beatles, Bowie, The Kinks, The Who and more sets the scene before the orchestra explodes into life. The lights go up and, as Alex explains, ‘we’re off to the races’.
There’s a ‘feelgood’ suite, a ‘high-energy’ suite and, two thirds in, a moment for the orchestra to shine. “We did Radiohead’s Creep for the first time and I was crying,” admits Alex. “That’s when I thought ’this might just work’.
“It absolutely landed. By the singalong section it was 60% audience and 40% band. There was no going back!”
The songs that once defined indie cool have become communal hymns and Britpop Classical is the new church for those seeking to celebrate an era of musical evolution. “Many of those songs have become touchpoints in the national consciousness,” insists Alex. “They have enduring appeal. I popped my head into a party that my daughter was hosting and they were singing along to Bitter Sweet Symphony. It’s really strange but these songs mean more now to more people than they did when they were first released.”
Even the deeper cuts resonate and Britpop Classical isn’t afraid to take the odd, unexpected turn. “Saffron from Republica comes on as a special guest in the last hour to perform Ready To Go,” reveals Alex. “That was never a hit at the time but it’s synonymous with Britpop. I suppose you could call it the ultimate sleeper hit — it just never went away and it’s a special part of our show.”
Alex believes Britpop’s longevity stems from its simplicity. “It was a bunch of leery, cheeky, mischievous, often belligerent but essentially soft and slightly drunk kids just mucking about, having a laugh with guitars,” he says. “Play those songs with one guitar and they give you goosebumps — add the dynamic of a full orchestra and it’s a different level.”
Fans can expect to hear inventive mash-ups — at one point Elastica meets E.M.F. and Alex loves how Blur’s Song 2 seamlessly segues into Nirvana’s global smash Smells Like Teen Spirit. The latter’s hardly Britpop but it works a treat on a night when no rules apply.
Given the volume of artists on stage, taking Britpop Classical on the road might appear to be a logistical nightmare but not so according to Alex. Local orchestras join forces with the core of touring musicians and the creative sparks fly. “We can basically turn up, plug into the local symphony orchestra, do a run through in the afternoon, and then they’re ready to go that evening.”
“You’ve got all these symphony halls up and down the country and all these orchestras available,” he says. “That’s how it works and we’re looking forward to meeting the classical musicians who’ll breathe new life into our show at the City Hall in Newcastle.”
The North East holds a special place in Alex’s heart and a fresh trip to Tyneside can’t come soon enough. “We had so many great nights up there back when Blur was just starting out” he reflects. One stands out above the rest. “We were part of an unforgettable show at the Whitley Bay ice rink with The Jesus and Mary Chain, Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine. It was just brilliant.
“That was one of the greatest nights of my life. And of course Blur have played the City Hall. It’s the perfect place for Britpop Classical.”
On a night when anything goes, Alex suggests fans can expect a mix of sweeping orchestra and terrace chants, Britpop hits elevated and nostalgia amplified. “Trust me, it’s absolutely awesome,” he insists. “The dynamics and nuance that you can get from all of these musicians playing together is unlike anything I’ve experienced before. At Feastival (Alex’s summer festival) people were literally crying. By the final stretch the audience is louder than the band!”
Britpop Classical, featuring Simon Fowler (Ocean Colour Scene), Saffron (Republica) and Gary Stringer (Reef) takes centre stage at the O2 City Hall on March 18. Tickets are available here.