Blur have been announced as the closing act at the Hyde Park concert scheduled for the end of the Olympics in August 2012. The band, who unveiled a new song in London last night, will headline the show along with other legendary British bands including The Specials and New Order. And tonight, the band will receive an award at the BriTs for their 'outstanding contribution to music.'
The Olympic concert will take place in Hyde Park on August 12, 2012 and tickets go on sale on February 24, 2012. During the concert, highlights from the Olympic closing ceremony will be broadcast on big screens, according to a report from Bbc News. Hyde Park has long been a popular concert venue for large-scale gigs and Blur previously headlined a sold-out concert there in 2009. Following complaints from residents though, the number of concerts that can be held in the park will be reduced from 13 to nine, with the maximum capacity being reduced to 65,000 from 80,000. Later this year Madonna will also play Hyde Park as part of her Mdna World Tour.
Last night, Blur performed a three-song set at the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Their performance was part of a pre-Brit Awards fundraiser for the War Child charity, headlined by Ed Sheeran. The song that the band debuted was entitled 'Under the Westway.' Blur used the gig as a warm-up set, prior to performing at tonight's BriT awards ceremony.