February 27, 2009 11:19

Damon Albarn: 'Blur are doing Glastonbury this year'

Band confirm themselves for 2009 festival

Photo Gallery: Blur

Damon Albarn has confirmed that Blur will play this year's Glastonbury.

Rumours have been circulating that the band would play the event since they reformed in December, but organisers have said they have yet to officially confirmed the slot.

However, speaking at the Shockwaves NME Awards afterparty at Dex in Brixton, Albarn confirmed the festival appearance. He also revealed that Blur were asked to play Glastonbury 2008, which was eventually headlined by Kings Of Leon, Jay-Z and The Verve.

"Yeah, we're doing Glasto this year," Albarn told the Daily Mirror. "We were asked last year, but we turned them down."

The singer also hinted that Blur will announce more gigs before the June festival.

He admitted: "We need a few more warm-up gigs to get back into it, ready for the big one. Glastonbury's great."

Albarn also revealed why he and Graham Coxon decided to play 'This Is A Low' at the Shockwaves NME Awards ceremony - their first performance onstage together in nine years.

"We didn't want to play one of the big hits because we thought that would be too cheesy," he said.

Footage from the Shockwaves NME Awards - including Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon's performance - is broadcast on Channel 4 tonight at 11:35pm (GMT), and then repeated on Monday (March 2) at 12:10am. A backstage special will be broadcast earlier in the evening, on 4music, at 7:30pm (GMT), with a highlights special set to air tomorrow (February 28) on T4.

Head to the Shockwaves NME Awards index at NME.COM/awards now.