Blur’s Wembley Stadium comeback concerts have been thrown into question after drummer Dave Rowntree injured his knee.
The Park Life hitmakers were forced to pull out of their headline slot at France’s Festival Beauregard in Château de Beauregard on Thursday due to the musician’s injury.
In a translation from French, a post on the Festival Beauregard Twitter account read: “The bad news has just fallen: Blur will not be able to perform their concert in Beauregard.
“Dave Rowntree, the drummer, was injured this weekend and must rest for future shows”.
In light of the announcement, it has been confirmed that Royal Blood will take Blur’s place at the music festival.
Notably, the group, made up of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, and Alex James, are yet to publicly comment on the injury or the festival date.
The news now throws the band’s Wembley gigs, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, in doubt as to whether Rowntree will be well enough to perform.
The Standard has contacted Blur’s representatives for comment.
Recently, bassist Alex James revealed that he cried when Blur, whose last headline shows came in 2015, sold out Wembley Stadium in two minutes.
He told Red magazine: “You never really know until you put a show on sale if anyone is interested. It’s really emotional.
“I’m absolutely delighted that it’s all back on and I love them all dearly like brothers.”
When he’s not with the band, James lives on a farm with wife Claire and their five children, where these produce award-winning cheese.
The musician admitted to the outlet that the adjustment between the two very different lifestyles can be tricky.
He laughed: “The last time I went away, I dropped the kids at school and flew to Mexico City, where there were thousands of people waiting for us at the airport and hotel.
“When we got to the venue –a stadium – it was huge. But afterwards, you get home and you have to wash up and the kids are like, ‘Dad, stop being a w*****.’”
