It’s rare an artist in his mid 50’s becomes more artistically relevant amongst multi-generations than Damon Albarn. At this point, it’s almost guaranteed if you had to ask anyone under 30 what their favorite Blur album is, few will even be able to conjure up a Parklife, Leisure, or Great Escape. Instead today Albarn’s most musically accessible project is Gorillaz- his now 20-plus years running “virtual” band with artist Jamie Hewett that had the Phoenix Footprint Arena roaring a Monday night like a Saturday night on September 26th. No other artist has so masterfully worked with collaborators both young and old to gloss a distinct hip hop, soul, or rock personality over the tracks. And while Gorillaz output has been heavy in recent years, it seems to have only helped newcomers discover the old and eat up the new.
And while Gorillaz might be a virtual band via most online presentations on this fall tour, the worlds of fictional band members Russel Hobbs, Murdoc Niccals, 2-D, and Noodle took a backseat to the live extravaganza masterminded by Albarn his ten-piece band and some special guests.
Donning a white captain hat for the majority of the show, Albarn was at his finest when leading the band through many of Gorillaz’s charismatic video game dance-flavored numbers where band leader Mike Smith helped lead the keyboard grooves and sampling. The first half of the show mixed up the moods where Albarn would croon at his keyboards with his bleary eyes – taking on a drunken sailor tavern vibe. Except this was no small room and all the fans young and old seemed to know every word and beat drop, from the cryptically electronic vibe of “Last Living Souls” to the villainous groove of “Rhinestone Eyes,” relentless arena rock call and response hooks of O Green World,” or to the stomping squonk of “Kids With Guns;” Gorillaz’ playbook proved punch soaked rhythmic deep when called upon.
Yet the band can do a full 180 when Albarn dealt his sweet melancholy on “New Genius” or “Tomorrow Comes Today” (courtesy of a dope Melodica intro) to the solemn “Cloud of Unknowing,” which allowed the British king of the multi-genre concept to calm and rise the arena. Of course, his heart-shaped glasses and captain hat on his slightly changing evening wardrobe gave his artistic gallantry a sense of everyman flamboyance.
Anybody who saw Gorillaz on their 2010 Escape to Plastic Beach Tour was blessed to have witnessed rock royalty with Mick Simonon (bass) and Mick Jones (guitar) of The Clash driving the hooks in their own captain hats. This time around as in past 2017 and on tours Jeff Wootton and Seye Adelekan held their own side of rhythm and lead, each giving the tunes their own colorful style.
With a new Gorillaz album arriving in February 2023 (Cracker Island) the majority of the material from Phoenix drew upon their adored first three albums (Gorillaz, 2001, Demon Days, 2005, Plastic Beach 2010). And it wouldn’t be a Gorillaz show of course without special guests, and while the prior LA show sported Beck and Del the Funky Homosapien), defacto member Bootie Brown waved his soul flag on “Dirty Harry,” “New Gold” (with virtual Tame Impala big screen add-ins) and “Stylo”.
The evening’s big highlights came down to “DARE” where the soulful singers of Gorillaz took turns singing the big hooks of “You’ve got to press it on you/You just think it that’s what you do baby.” The legendary De La Soul (2 members) laid down the shout-out rhymes for the monster hit “Feel Good.” Opener EarthGang did their part on the psychedelic jam “Opium” they also closed out the evening with a prophetic take on “Clint Eastwood” that gave Gorillaz’s most familiar song an unfamiliar but welcoming ending.
While it’s too easy to say everybody left the show “feeling good,” – let’s just say that Gorillaz and Damon Albarn really are the kingpins of collaborative live rock that absorbs multi-generations and multi-genre in song and approach. Hail to the mighty Gorillaz!
