Gorillaz
3Arena, Dublin
★★★★☆
Just a few weeks ago the musical maverick David Byrne played at 3Arena with one of the gigs of the year, an audiovisual feast that pushed the boundaries of what a live performance can be. In many ways Damon Albarn is the Byrne of his generation, a musician who thrives on collaboration, refuses to be pigeonholed and insists on taking the road less travelled at every juncture.
Many may never have expected a Britpop behemoth to curate such a diverse career, but Blur has been only a comparatively small portion of Albarn’s output. From his work with Africa Express to his operas (Monkey: Journey to the West and, more recently, his electropop reimagining of Goethe’s The Magic Flute Part II), his solo albums, his supergroups The Good, the Bad and the Queen and Rocket Juice and the Moon, the Mali Music project and even film scoring (he is currently writing the score for Luca Guadagnino’s new film, Artificial), it has been impossible to pin him down. Like Byrne, Albarn seems to simply love making music.
Then there’s the reason we’re here tonight. Twenty-five years after the first Gorillaz album was released, the project remains a priority for Albarn and his co-conspirator Jamie Hewlett, the visual artist. In 2001, many laughed at the concept of a “cartoon band”; it seemed like a novelty at best, an outlandish misstep for Albarn at worst. The crowd at the first of two sold-out gigs at 3Arena on Wednesday, would disagree – and Gorillaz’ recent ninth album, The Mountain upholds their reputation for innovation.
There is less emphasis on silhouettes and subterfuge than there was in the early days of Gorillaz’ live shows, although the visual element remains crucial. Three huge screens provide a backdrop to the 12-strong band, and Albarn cuts a louche figure in a red cap and army fatigues branded with the peace symbol, dandering around the busy stage with his hands occasionally thrust in his pockets.
READ MORE
At one point, during the electropop-oriented Andromeda, he embraces the front row, taking selfies and signing autographs without missing a note.
Amid the occasionally overpowering, brain-juddering basslines, the songs sound great too. Some of them certainly don’t sound a quarter of a century old: the likes of 19-2000, Tomorrow Comes Today and Dirty Harry sit snugly alongside tracks from The Mountain, including the poignant cabaret of The Empty Dream Machine and The Moon Cave. The blithe pop bounce of On Melancholy Hill showcases Albarn’s vocals at their best, while Tranz, from 2018’s The Now Now album, is a delightfully snotty jag of electro-punk.
[ Damon Albarn’s creative output proves the musical magic of keeping office hoursOpens in new window ]
It wouldn’t be a Gorillaz show without a rotating cast of guests. Mark E Smith was “summoned” for this record, Albarn tells us, as Delirium plays over trippy visuals featuring the Fall frontman; the besuited Idles frontman Joe Talbot materialises for The God of Lying, while the folk artist Kara Jackson joins Albarn to duet beautifully on Orange County.
Hip-hop royalty is present, too: Yasiin Bey, the rapper formerly known as Mos Def, is superb on the pulsating Stylo; The Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown emerges for a soulful Dirty Harry; while De La Soul’s Posdnuos – resplendent in a cardigan, as Albarn notes – comes close to stealing the show with a menacing take on Feel Good Inc that brings the crowd to their feet.
There is only one other Gorillaz song that could please a crowd more – and there’s a mighty roar as Albarn plays the opening notes of their debut single, Clint Eastwood, on his melodica, closing their two-hour set on a tentatively optimistic note.
It’s an uplifting end to a gig packed with musical variety and a compelling visual thread. There is no other musical act quite like Gorillaz. Not bad for a “cartoon band” 25 years in.
