Blur bassist Alex James announces classical tour to bring Britpop ‘back to life’

Blur bassist Alex James has announced he is bringing Britpop “back to life” with a tour of his classical reimagining of hit songs from the 1990s.

The 56-year-old has teamed up with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and vocalists from the London Concert Orchestra for the Britpop Classical show.

The 14-date tour kicks off at London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 11 and finishes at Margate Dreamland on July 24, with other shows including the TK Maxx Presents Southampton Summer Sessions on June 13.

A spokeswoman for the Southampton event said: “Bringing the biggest hits of the Britpop era to life with the epic scale of a full live orchestra, Britpop Classical is a one-of-a-kind live experience created and performed by Blur bassist Alex James.

“The dynamic show takes the best songs from a golden age of British music – including classic tunes from Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass, The Verve and beyond – and performs them in a powerful symphonic format alongside guest vocalists from the London Concert Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.”

James, who debuted the show at his Big Feastival event at his farm near Kingham, Oxfordshire, in August, said: “Somehow all of these songs mean more to people now than they did when they were first released.

“They really resonate with my kids’ generation too.

“Bringing them back to life with a symphony orchestra, a kick ass band, some old friends and very special guests totally blew the roof off at Feastival and I absolutely cannot wait to get this show on the road.”

Other shows announced for the Southampton Summer Sessions include Billy Ocean, Pete Tong Ibiza Classics and Paul Weller.