The world of Gorillaz has always been unique. A band that, very early on, found a means of communicating with a mass audience that goes beyond the traditional performer-audience paradigm, even now that the band is largely visible on stage, the massive screens that surround them still distract the eye with a virtual reality world that gives the songs their own unique character.
Still, for Albarn – a natural-born performer who once fantasised about slicing through the screens that obscured him from the crowd – having the freedom to roam the stage (as guitarist Jeff Wooton and bassist Seye Adelekan throw shapes out on the wings) clearly works to the band’s advantage for here, at the monstrous BP Pulse arena and supporting their ninth album, Gorillaz have an energy that is irresistible.
Based heavily upon The Mountain, with no fewer than eleven tracks taken from that album, and with additional musicians on stage to provide the classical Indian instrumentation that defines it, The Mountain Tour is beautifully sequenced to keep fans old and new hooked throughout, with each track complementing that which went before. It’s a sensible approach for a show of this scale, providing more than enough hits to satisfy the curious, but with plenty of deep album cuts for more serious fans.
The show opens with a pair of newbies – the eponymous introduction to the album, which finds the ghostly face of the late Dennis Hopper gazing out across the venue. An airy, enigmatic introduction, it introduces the classical Indian elements early and it provides the perfect scene-setter for the night. It’s followed immediately by The Happy Dictator,which brings the beats, the crowded pit bouncing gamely along to one of the album’s strongest singles. While, sadly, The Sparks are not physically present, they appear on the huge screens as the vocal crowd lend a hand on the chorus.
With the audience cheering loud enough to actually drown the band out at points, it’s clear that the new material is already accepted as part of the Gorillaz story and it’s incredible just how many people know all the words. Nevertheless, when the band take a trip through their storied catalogue, with Tranz drawing a cheer that raises the roof, it’s clear that the vast majority know the band’s work front to back.
Next, earning monstrous applause, we get a pair of killer cuts from the band’s untouchable debut: the loping beats and dusty keyboards of Tomorrow Comes Today, followed by the mass singalong that is 19-2000. Further sealing the deal, we get a nod to Plastic Beach, with Rhinestone Eyes – all three pieces met with fierce joy, both by those who were there the first time round and by those who had not even been born when the debut dropped. At a time when so many bands seem to be struggling, it restores the faith somewhat to find that a band like Gorillaz can have such truly cross-generational appeal, and it certainly adds a buzz to the atmosphere in the cavernous interior of the BP Pulse Arena.
More surprises await as we return to The Mountain. A most welcome appearance from Idles’ Joe Talbot on The God Of Lying and a dreamy trip into The Moon Cave both show the quality of the new material, while El Manana and a particularly lovely On Melancholy Hill keep the faithful happy. And so it goes, the band deftly balancing the new and the old, the sublime and the ridiculous, as the crowd steams and even those high up in their seats find it impossible to avoid movement. It’s just that kind of night.
Honestly, with a show of this quality – greatly bolstered by the fact that they have become a truly exceptional musical unit over the years and the crystal clear sound in the arena tonight – Gorillaz can do no wrong and, with the screens taking the audience off into the cartoon realm the band have inhabited since their inception, it’s easy to get lost as one track flows seamlessly into the next.
Even so, highlights do emerge – an excellent take on Delerium from The Mountain shows that Gorillaz have lost none of their skill when it comes to penning catchy tunes; an airy Stylo (featuring a guest spot from Yasiin Bey), has the entire crowd on side; a blistering Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown handling the rap sections) is a mind blowing anthem; while another new track, The Sad God, provides a fitting conclusion to the main set. It’s a remarkable night of innovative, poly-genre music that finds Gorillaz emerging as the unlikely successors to Peter Gabriel when it comes to effectively bridging world music and chart success.
With the venue clamouring for an encore, it is inevitable that the band must return. When they do, the Birmingham audience is not only treated to a lovely take on The Hardest Thing / Orange County (with Kara Jackson lending a hand on vocals), but also massive renditions of Feel Good Inc. (with Posdnuos winding the crowd up to fever pitch) and, of course, a joy-fuelled Clint Eastwood. It’s hard to believe that this track is now some twenty-five years old but, such is the joy with which the band tackle it, you’d be forgiven for thinking it is new. It says much of Daman’s strengths as a songwriter that he could produce something so forward thinking and fresh, and yet this largely describes Gorrilaz’ output as a whole, with nothing across the night sounding dated or out of place.
Such is the simpatico between band and audience, we even get a pair of additional tracks not yet heard on the tour – Don’t Get Lost In Heaven and Demon Days, the latter providing this epic, monumental night with an unlikely, but most welcome finale.
A feast for the ears and eyes, a monumental singalong session, and a remarkably warm-hearted exploration of a range of genres, The Mountain Tour is a truly spectacular and inclusive event, attracting people of all ages and backgrounds. At a time when the world feels more fragmented than ever, Gorillaz reminded us of the remarkable power of music to unify, and we leave feeling lighter of heart than when we entered.
