When boys and girls went wild for Blur at ‘secret’ seaside gig

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

In 1995, the band Blur released the album The Great Escape, which featured the hits Country House, The Universal, Stereotypes and Charmless Man.

And in September of the same year the band, led by Damon Albarn, played at the Ocean Room in Gorleston - just as their Britpop battle with Oasis reached its peak.

As our pictures show their appearance proved a big hit with their fans.

At the time we reported that people began queuing from 8am to bag a spot at the front.

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

In the end the band was two hours late, arriving, we said, looking “bedraggled.”

To mark the occasion we published a souvenir supplement, but many of the pictures published online today will not have been seen before.

“You could feel the excitement from Acle,” our reviewer wrote, describing it as the biggest pop event to hit Gorleston in decades.

“The arrival of the chart topping megastars to the cosy seaside town was anticipated like a royal visit but with all the frenzied delirium only pop idols command,” she added.

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

A Blur logo was beamed into the night sky and inside it was said the 800 fans could barely control themselves.

Journalist Dan Grimmer shared his memories of the gig.

He said: “With it being pre-internet, I remember persuading the only friend I knew who owned a car to drive me to the Ocean Rooms the day the tickets went on sale to get a load for me and my mates.

“I’d read a bit in the EDP saying they were playing a ‘secret gig’ there.

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

He remembered the Blur logo being projected on to the clouds and that Matt Lucas was the support act, who nobody had really heard of at the time and that some of the jokes were “uncomfortable” for a family audience.

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)

Blur at Ocean Rooms in Gorleston, 20th September 1995. Picture: Archant Library (Image: Archant Library)