June 22 (Bloomberg) -- Blur’s two July concerts in Hyde Park look set to become the hottest pop tickets in London.

Last night, the band, which came to define Britpop in the 1990s, played the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend, Essex. Two recent tiny warm-up gigs aside, this was the first show featuring all four members that Blur had played in a decade.

By the end of the two-hour set, the audience was jumping up and down, reveling in the band’s return.

It almost didn’t happen. Guitarist Graham Coxon and vocalist Damon Albarn were distant after the former’s departure early in the recording of 2003’s “Think Tank” album.

Band members developed alternative careers: Coxon pursued lo-fi rock; Albarn busied himself with world music, Gorillaz and Monkey; drummer Dave Rowntree became involved with politics; bassist Alex James made cheese.

The first song was “She’s So High,” from Leisure, Blur’s 1991 debut album. When originally released it was adequate indie. Adequate it remained in 2009.

“Girls and Boys” followed. A classic Blur song, its cheeky Euro-disco pastiche carries caustic observations of drunken British holidaymakers. Live it clumped along, the playing too heavy for its sly humor.

Albarn swaggered around in jeans and a black Fred Perry top, displaying a hoodlum edge. Blur seemed to be in danger of trudging into the bloke rock of Oasis, its supposed arch-rivals of the 1990s.

Woozy Blur

Then, just as early Blur albums gave no hint of subsequent glories, Blur reunited became a band transformed. “Beetlebum” was dreamy, woozy and entrancing.

“Tender,” one hour into the gig, was in parts gospel, football chant, pop pastiche and affecting love song.

A riot of greatest hits followed. There was “Park Life,” and “Country House.”

Albarn, 41, looked boyish as he leaped around the stage and threw water over the overheating crowd. Coxon got lost in playing his guitar. Rowntree peered gleefully through his glasses. James, all in black, retained the slinky bass playing and sharp cheekbones of old.

A majestic rendition of “This Is a Low” gave way to all- out punk deluge.

By the time “Song 2” hit with its repeated “whoo-hoos,” even those at the back of the hall were pogo dancing with glee.

The night concluded with “The Universal,” the crowd singing: “It really really really could happen.”

In Hyde Park, after a few more reunited gigs, not to mention Glastonbury, it, for certain, really really will happen.

Rating: ***.

What the Stars Mean:
****       Excellent
***        Good
**         Average
*          Poor
(No stars) Worthless

Blur’s concert dates include Glastonbury on June 28 and Hyde Park on July 2 and 3.

For information: http://www.blur.co.uk/

A new compilation, “Midlife: A Beginner’s Guide to Blur,” is out on EMI in the U.K., priced about 12 pounds.

(Robert Heller is a critic for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer on the story: Robert Heller in Southend on roberthelleruk@yahoo.co.uk

Last Updated: June 22, 2009 03:00 EDT