Totally Fuzzy — Parklife is the third studio album by the English alternative rock band Blur, released in April 1994 on Food Records. After disappointing sales for their previous album Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife returned Blur to prominence in the UK, h... more info

Guardian Music — Barbican, LondonThe record that spawned this gig involved a cast of 19 musicians hailing from five continents. Released last year, Tradi-Mods vs Rockers pitted groups including Konono No 1 from the Democratic Republic of Congo against post-rock and i... more info

Guardian Music — Leif Jerram finds Damon Albarn's opera about the Elizabethan Renaissance man John Dee visually stunning but very frustratingThis opera, written by Damon Albarn about the all-round Elizabethan Renaissance man John Dee, is very frustrating. I wouldn't ... more info

Guardian Music — Palace Theatre, ManchesterThose already expressing qualms about next year's Cultural Olympiad should cheer up a little: some strange alchemy has been at work, conjuring up a truly original new opera that will launch the 2012 celebrations. Premiered a... more info

Guardian Music — Damon Albarn's recent admission that the supernatural is now part of his life explains an awful lotThe 17th-century witchfinder general, Mary Hopkin, roamed Essex on top of a horse, burning witches and stuffing her bearded face with purloined olden-d... more info

NME — Blur and Gorillaz man due to perform at Manchester International Festival until Sunday (July 10) more info

Gigwise — Grint wonders where the last ten years have gone... more info

Topix — The main acts in a pop craze always spawn imitations. The "Britpop" movement of the mid-1990s was no exception with a succession of bands, seemingly using either Blur or Oasis as a template. more info

CNN Showbiz — The main acts in a pop craze always spawn imitations. The "Britpop" movement of the mid-1990s was no exception with a succession of bands appearing, seemingly using either Blur and Oasis as a template. But one band that could not be copied was Pulp, ... more info

Guardian Music — The former Blur frontman is in Oasis's hometown to perform Dr Dee, his opera about a 16th-century alchemist. Watch out for the live ravenAt the end of Damon Albarn's Dr Dee – an "English opera" about the Elizabethan mathematician and alchemist Joh... more info