Two weeks ago saw the final week of Gorillaz's 'House Of Kong' exhibition and the final two shows at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney. The famous animated band was celebrating the 25th anniversary of their first release, 'Tomorrow Comes Today', with 4 shows that saw them play the self-titled debut, 'Demon Days', 'Plastic Beach', and their upcoming new album in full. I had the pleasure of attending the exhibition and the 'Plastic Beach' show, reminding me why I love this project so much.
I attended the exhibition on the Monday (1st September), which, from the outside, looked like an abandoned theme park. The first part saw a visual and audio experience where you explored the band's history through early artwork, costumes, and songs and videos, soundtracked by the words of Pazuzu. From the interesting smells of Murdoc's Winnebago to the dressing room, there was a lot of effort and detail used to bring you into Gorillaz's world. This, for me, took it above most exhibitions and showed it was worthy of the price paid.
The end saw a model of 'Plastic Beach' and the storyboard for the 'Rhinestone Eyes' video, as well as a shop where you could buy albums, an art book, and everything in between. There were also further posters and artwork, a video showing Albarn in the studio with their various collaborators, and a wall of all said collaborators, including a hint at who may be on the next album. A great time was had by all, and even the bit at the end where you could play the Fortnite collaboration (basically Guitar Hero) was fun, although I was reminded of how bad I was at those games.
As for the concert, that did not disappoint either. I had previously seen Gorillaz during their 'Humanz' tour, and it was probably my favourite concert ever. The choice of 'Plastic Beach' was down to it being my second favourite album from the group, and having seen a large portion of 'Demon Days' (my fave) at the last concert. I can say that I don't regret my decision one bit.
Before the main act,
Vincent Mason of
De La Soul (Plug Three) played a fantastic DJ set, which showcased his abilities as a selector. I entered the room to '
Not Like Us', but we also got some
Prince, '
Jessie's Girl' (his guilty pleasure),
Cee Lo Green, and of course a bit of '
Me, Myself & I'. He stated the importance of DJing over algorithms and I couldn't agree more. This is a man who knew the assignment and how to showcase the varied tastes of a crowd who had come for an artist inspired by a variety of genres. A great way to settle us into the evening.
After a short break, the show began with the '
Orchestral Intro' to '
Plastic Beach', and from that moment on, the crowd and I were locked in.
The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble deserves a shoutout, as they were absolutely brilliant, showcasing what a live band/orchestra can bring to the table. It made the night even more special and gave you a unique experience compared to listening to the album.
Damon and co. started off strong with 'Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach' and 'Rhinestone Eyes'. The former hadn't been played live since 2010, while the latter (now rightfully considered one of the band's best) went down a treat. You could feel the joy in the crowd and the love they had for the album.
Then came '
Stylo' and the first appearance of
Yasiin Bey, and a nice tribute to the late
Bobby Womack. I still believe this song should have been a hit, and the background vocals gave it that extra bit of sugar. '
Superfast Jellyfish' was a lot of fun, with both
Gruff Rhys and
Posdnous of De La Soul
showing up. But '
Empire Ants' with
Yukimi of
Little Dragon was a special moment that made me fall in love with that track all over again.
After getting through most of the big-hitters, '
Glitter Freeze' and '
Some Kind of Nature' showed that the deep cuts are just as good. But, '
On Melancholy Hill', the most successful track from the album, was a big moment, with even some fans leaving afterwards (they missed out). It remains such a monumental song when you hear it, and you can see why this is many people's favourite. Also, whether using the music videos or artwork, it really added to the experience of going back to that era.
'Broken' just kept on going (in a good way), while Yasiin returned for an alternative version of 'Sweepstakes'. The title track was a joy to watch, with Damon even starting it again as he wasn't happy with his playing (a true professional). Also, lovely appearance from Paul Simonon. 'To Binge' was a moment, with a very intimate performance between Damon and Yukimi, with the former looking emotional at times. Clearly, this track has some powerful meaning for the frontman, leading to a fantastic duet.
After a poignant moment with 'Cloud of Unknowing', and as 'Pirate Jet' was coming to a close, a fun way to end a record, I was noticing that something was amiss. The missing track, we would have to wait for as the National Arab Orchestra played a cover of 'Tahmila Hijaz', with a special moment as Damon walked past the crowd waving a white flag. Speaking of 'White Flag', that closed the main part of the show with an energetic showing from Bashy, but sadly, no Kano.
The encore saw the instrumental, 'Three Hearts, Seven Seas, Twelve Moons' playing before we were treated. We got three tracks from the band's fourth album, 'The Fall', with live debuts for 'Phoner to Arizona' and 'California and the Slipping of the Sun'. But, to see 'Revolving Doors' live (first time live since 2017) reminded me of my love for that track. It was an unexpected end to a great concert and a special night.
 |
| Damon Albarn and Bashy |
I could say I'd have loved to see '
Doncamatic', but this was a special concert. This album certainly had an impact on my music taste growing up, and to see it in full live, with most of the living guests showing up, was great. The background singers, brass players, orchestra, and everyone on stage elevated this LP to a new level. I'm sure I would have loved the '
Demon Days' show and what we now know as '
The Mountain' show, but I feel justified in attending what was an unforgettable evening.
Score: 5/5
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