Blur will continue to play live in 2013.


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The Parklife band left a question mark over their future after performing a concert to mark the closing of the London Olympics in August, but have now announced they will play at a Belgian festival next year.

A post on their Facebook page read: “Thank you for waiting… Rock Werchter is about to announce that Blur will headline next July. We’re excited… Hope to travel in 2013 to play to more of our lovely fans who we haven’t seen for a while. Don’t know where yet, we’ll tell as soon as we do.”

Frontman Damon Albarn – who is joined in the band by bass player Alex James, guitarist Graham Coxon and drummer Dave Rowntree – has previously said he was conflicted over the band’s reunion and whether they should record a new album.

He said: “There’s a part of me that would love to be able to bring it into our 40s and our family world. But does it belong in that world? That’s the other side of it. Do any of us need that? And I have got so many more interesting things to do.

“I don’t want to just do gigs. I want to do something that has some genuine resonance, and helps explain to me why I’m there.”

Blur had a period of inactivity following seventh album Think Tank between 2004 and 2009, when they played their first reunion shows in Europe. The band were given the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize at this year’s BRIT Awards and debuted two new songs, before announcing their Olympics show.

Rock Werchter takes place in Werchter, Belgium from 28 June 28 to 1 July next year.