Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has suggested the Britpop band could reunite for more music and live shows, saying he believes it is a question of “when rather than if” the group returns.
Rowntree, 62, said Blur’s most recent reunion left the band feeling energised and keen to work together again, despite their headline appearance at Coachella in 2024 receiving a mixed response from parts of the younger festival audience.
Dave Rowntree expects Blur to reunite again
Asked about the possibility of Blur making more music or returning to the stage, Rowntree told The Sun:
“I think there’ll be something else. There’s nothing in the diary, but you can’t read anything into that. There’s never anything in the diary.”
The drummer recalled the end of Blur’s most recent tour, saying the band members left with a positive feeling about what they had achieved together.
“So we all finished the last tour thinking, well, that worked pretty well. That was fun, and we haven’t always felt that at the end of three years of touring.
“So I seem to remember us at Heathrow picking up our bags, giving each other a hug and saying, ‘we’ll do that again’. That’s my take on it, that it’s a question of when rather than if, but of course you ask the other people in the band, they may give you a different answer.”
Blur’s current lineup features Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Rowntree, who first came together in the late 1980s before becoming one of the defining bands of the Britpop era.
Blur’s occasional reunions keep the excitement alive
Rowntree said the long gaps between Blur projects have helped prevent the band from becoming predictable.
“I suppose these days it’s almost full circle in that we don’t do it enough for it to be routine anymore.
“So we’re back to the thrill of playing together and things being a very exciting idea, the band getting back together, and us being in the studio again.”
The drummer also believes the fact that all four members continue to make music independently gives Blur’s creative relationship an extra dimension when they reunite.
“We only do it every five years or so, so it’s a real pleasure to play with these people and rediscover their musicality. We’re all making music still, so we’re all developing as musicians. It’s really interesting to get back together again and see how our musicality has changed.”
There are currently no officially announced Blur shows or recording sessions.
The Ballad Of Darren gave Blur another number one
Blur‘s most recent studio album, 2023’s The Ballad of Darren, debuted at Number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.
The album arrived eight years after The Magic Whip, which was released in 2015.
The 2023 reunion also resulted in major UK live shows, including Blur’s headline performance at Wembley Stadium, before the band took their comeback to international festivals including Coachella in 2024.
Alex James says Blur will let Oasis go first
Any future Blur comeback could also depend on what happens with Oasis, whose own reunion has reignited interest in the original Britpop rivalry.
Bassist Alex James recently suggested Blur would allow Oasis to have its moment before considering another major live campaign.
Speaking to Chris Moyles on Radio X, James was asked about the possibility of Blur playing more shows after their 2023 reunion.
“I think we need to let Oasis get their stuff out of the way before we even sort of countenance.”
When Moyles joked that Blur should have returned to Knebworth for the 30th anniversary of Oasis’s landmark 1996 concerts, James was quick to reject the idea.
“No, no. Honestly, honestly, I don’t want to poke that hornet’s nest again, trust me!”
Oasis 2027 rumours add to Britpop speculation
Speculation surrounding Oasis has intensified following their Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour, with rumours of further shows in 2027.
Liam Gallagher has continued to respond cryptically to fans asking about potential future dates.
One fan asked about the possibility of more Oasis shows, prompting Gallagher to reply on X:
“Yes of course be excited smash things up but these things take time to announce if there getting announced at all I’m all for announcing things if they need to be announced but just coz you got something to announce doesn’t mean you should announce (sic)”
For Blur, however, Rowntree’s comments suggest the door remains firmly open.
There are no confirmed dates for a new Blur tour or announcement, but the drummer’s view is clear: the band still has more they want to do together.
