Gorillaz bring ‘multi-cultural, multi-generational music’ to London
Gorillaz brought their “multi-cultural, multi-generational music” to north London as the capital baked in a heatwave.
Fronted by Blur star Damon Albarn, who performed in a camouflage jacket, red beanie and thick glasses, the band made their first stadium headline debut.
As he walked on stage, Albarn said: “Thank you so much for attending this mass gathering of multi-cultural, multi-generational music, we appreciate you.”
A sitar and flute accompanied his entrance, before the band dived into The Happy Dictator with Sparks, who also supported with an opening performance.
Following that was Asha Puthli and Yukimi, as well as Omar Souleyman, who features on Gorillaz’s new album The Mountain with a contribution on the song Damascus.
Touring their ninth studio album, Gorillaz are playing across Europe in the summer and are heading to North and South America later in the year.
At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, their first headline stadium show in the UK, the band played a mix of classic songs from their 25-year career.
Jamie Hewlett, the artist who created the Gorillaz visual identity, joined Albarn and drummer Femi Koleoso towards the end of the two-and-a-half-hour set, wearing Vietnam War-style jackets.
Behind them, the digital artwork danced across huge screens with the characters Murdoc, Russel, Noodle and 2D driving across deserts or climbing up mountains.
The show is a monument to Gorillaz’s years-long dedication to musical collaboration across genres and cultures, with songs in Arabic, Spanish, Hindi and French.
Known for their wide-ranging collaborations, Gorillaz performed in front of psychedelic videos while during the song Algorithmic, someone dressed in a plague-doctor-style uniform wheeled on a large red button on a table.
Before their song Dirty Harry, the band’s cartoon characters drove a truck over sand dunes while a huge cheer from the crowd swelled into the beginning of the song.
They played through songs from their albums Demon Days, Plastic Beach, and the original 2001 record Gorillaz.
There was a loud “cheers” from the Happy Mondays’s Shaun Ryder as the band went into Dare, and towards the end of the show, Albarn said: “The logistics are ridiculous for this band.”
Pos, from De La Soul, introduced one of the penultimate songs, Feel Good Inc, with: “I need you to repeat after me, OK?”
He continued: “I need you to say this, I will always show love for myself and I will always show love for others and when the time comes, for me to leave and climb the mountain, the memories of me, will make my family feel good.”
Before the final song, which everyone knew to be Clint Eastwood, Albarn teased: “I don’t know what you want from me.”
He then played the well-known melodica riff as the smoke settled and it sent the crowd into a frenzy as he shouted “give it to me”.
The band lined up together at the end of the show, showcasing the international diversity that provided them with the success they have achieved.
Published: by Radio NewsHub