Blur have released a live album of their Olympic closing concert. Just days after the band played Hyde Park in London, a recording of the gig is already for sale on iTunes, with a CD and DVD release to follow.
ParkLive features 25 tracks, including Under the Westway, London Loves, Song 2 and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Parklife. Made with the help of Abbey Road's Live Here Now service, Blur were able to mix and master the soundboard recording quickly, putting it up for sale online within 24 hours.
Next week, Blur will start selling the concert , through their website as a limited edition three-CD set. In addition to the music from the Olympic closing concert, the set contains a disc of material from the band's warm-up concerts in Margate, Plymouth and Wolverhampton.
Blur are also preparing a deluxe ParkLive box set, due in November. This expanded edition incorporates the three previous CDs, a live DVD, and an additional CD of songs from Blur's 100 Club concert in early August. There will also be a 60-page hardback book with photographs from the mini-tour.
This seems a clever way for Blur to make a bit of money from their Hyde Park concert. The band told Absolute Radio they received just £300 to play the free gig. "When you divide that between four and add publishing, management and tax, it's down to about a quid," Damon Albarn said. "But that's not why you agree to do it … I love this city."
