To paraphrase their short, sweet supercharged 'Song 2' single, "WAHOOOO!" - Blur are heading out on tour in August in preparation for their much-anticipated and sold-out Hyde Park headlining appearance in the summer. Already heading up the BT London Live show on 12th August, with New Order and The Specials as support, the iconic Britpop quartet have wasted little time in announcing four small shows at three venues across the southern half of the UK.

The first show will be in Margate on 1st August, followed by TWO shows in Wolverhampton on the 5th and 6th before whizzing down to Devon for a show in Plymouth on the 7th. Tickets for all shows will be on sale from 9am this Friday, 18th May, all priced at £35 (plus usual fees). It doesn't take a genius to figure out that these will sell out very quickly so make a coffee, credit card at the ready and be poised to do battle on Friday.

Since 1990, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree have soundtracked a couple of generations of music fans, starting with the post-baggy swagger of 'There's No Other Way', 'She's So High' and the parent debut album '"Leisure', through 'yer vorch sprung dirt technique' of 'Parklife', 'Girls and Boys' and million-selling album 'Parklife', right up to 'Out of Time' and 'Crazy Beat' from the swansong album, 'Think Tank' in 2003. Beyond that, they've only issued the very rare Record Store Day 7", 'Fool's Day'.

As for solo work, Albarn has recently plugged his new opera/folk-tale 'Dr Dee' on Jools Holland's TV show and BBC 6Music (sounds pretty decent too) as well as success with Gorillaz, Massive Attack and Mali Music, Coxon has unleashed several quality albums including this year's 'A+E', while Alex James has become a recognised food producer, festival medium and reviled Maccy D's champion - ah well, can't win 'em all. Rowntree has veered away from music to take up soliciting - that's law courts, not dockyards, you understand.

For 2012, Blur will see all of their albums get a digital makeover and a dusting down as part of their '21' box set, out in the summer. New songs include 'Superman' and 'Under the Westway' - does this mean a new album is on the cards? Could be - meanwhile, good luck on Friday!