Gorillaz Throw an Unforgettable Party at Madison Square Garden
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA After opening sets from reunited sci-fi-rap act Deltron 3030 and U.K. rapper Little Simz, Gorillaz took the stage with a large band that featured bassist Seye Adelekan and guitarist Jeff Wootton (shown here with Albarn), Indian classical flautist Ajay Prasanna, backing vocalists, and many more.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The setlist reached all the way back to Gorillaz’ 2001 debut, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The night’s first big guest was the super-cool Miho Hatori, who came out to perform “19-2000.” She and Albarn were all smiles as they ran through the nonsense lyrics to their fizzy Y2K-era pop fave. Get the cool shoeshine!
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Adelekan was a dynamic presence on bass, bringing the energy all night.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The crowd included a notable contingent of school-aged kids rocking out to songs released long before they were born — because Gorillaz are timeless.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Singer Asha Puthli came out for “The Moon Cave,” a highlight from The Mountain that features her heavenly vocals. Her duet with Albarn, and her evident joy to be onstage, provided one of the night’s smost emotional moments.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Albarn commented several times during the night about how happy he was to be playing in New York City, a place that embodies the collaborative, multicultural ethos of Gorillaz.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The Roots’ Black Thought adds crucial guest verses at several points throughout The Mountain, and his live MCing chops were an excellent addition to this Gorillaz show.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The last time Gorillaz played Madison Square Garden, it was in October 2010, after the release of their classic third album, Plastic Beach. Albarn was clearly delighted to be back after 16 years.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Little Simz’ spirited opening set was a highlight of the night, as was her reappearance during Gorillaz’ main set to perform their 2017 collaboration “Garage Palace.” (She was also one of the night’s best-dressed performers, rocking a shirt from designer Willy Chavarria’s Adidas line.)
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Adelekan and Little Simz get into the groove.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA At several points during the night, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble came out to enhance songs like “Broken.”
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Albarn, who has always been a vocal opponent of war and violence, held up a “Free Palestine” sign during the show.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA De La Soul’s Posdnuous enjoys the view from the soundboard.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Pusha T came out to perform 2017’s “Let Me Out,” and his standard of lyrical excellence was high as ever.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The Harlem Gospel Choir also assisted on “Let Me Out,” as did a recorded vocal from Mavis Staples (seen here onscreen).
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Gorillaz performed for two full hours, and the energy never dipped — a testament to the depth of the catalog they’ve built up over the years.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA “Stylo,” and its music video featuring Bruce Willis and the late Bobby Womack, got the crowd on their feet.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Watching Gorillaz perform, it’s fun to think about how this conceptual cartoon project is also a real, live band, with the human performers and the virtual ones merging into something unlike any other musical artist. Who’s on bass — Murdoc Niccals or Seye Adelekan? The answer is, somehow, both.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Backing vocalist Michelle Ndegwa comes up front for a featured vocal on 2005’s “Kids with Guns.”
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Black Thought returns during “The Sad God,” rapping from the perspective of a disappointed deity.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Albarn gets serious during a moment at the piano before closing out the main set with a sublime one-two punch of “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven” and the title track from Demon Days.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Dressed like a revolutionary, singing through a hand-held megaphone, he brought that crowd together for one night.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA De La Soul’s Posdnuous popped up onstage for 2005’s “Feel Good Inc.,” Gorillaz’ biggest chart hit, paying tribute to his late, great bandmate Trugoy, whose vocals are featured on the original song.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The crowd went ape during during “Feel Good Inc.,” chanting along with Pos’ encouragment.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Toward the end of the show, Albarn brought out two important collaborators: Dan the Automator, who produced the first Gorillaz album (a fact that, Albarn noted, he doesn’t always get enough credit for), and Jamie Hewlett, the visual madman/genius who has created all of Gorillaz’ artwork for decades now.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA After performing an opening set with Deltron 3030 (his trio with Dan the Automator and turntablist supreme Kid Koala), Del the Funky Homosapien returned to deliver two of the biggest moments in Gorillaz’ encore with “Rock the House” and the eternal “Clint Eastwood.”
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Don’t sleep on Damon Albarn’s melodica skills.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Many members of the Gorillaz family came back out at the end of the night to take a bow. (Shown here: Miho Hatori, Posdnuos, Jamie Hewlett, Jeff Wooton, and more.)
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA The joy was real as Pos and Hewlett shared a hug around midnight.
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Image Credit: SACHA LECCA Hopefully it won’t be another 16 years before we get to see a show this special on New York’s most storied stage.
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