When word spread on Thursday night about firstly, the new Gorillaz album and secondly – and more importantly – the secret London show, the fingers of a thousand hands dart to keyboards around the world to try and fall with success into the ballot for tickets. This would be their first show in seven years, set to premiere material from their forthcoming album Humanz poised for release on April 28th.

Featuring an eclectic array of guests – from Noel Gallagher to D.R.A.M. and Vince Staples to Benjamin Clementine, the album is equally as universal as Albarn’s previous efforts. Tonight, the four cartoons that go by the names 2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russell have their silhouettes emblazoned on stage behind Albarn who humbly thanks the crowd for coming at such short notice (like anyone in the right mind would miss it). Prior to the show, he warns that whilst not all the guests are present tonight, they will be for the Demon Dayz show in June. Still, it’s hardly like we missed out too much tonight.

Humanz was to be played in full, with Damon claiming at the start that should the crowd shout ‘rewind’ loud enough for a certain song, that particular one would be aired twice. Erupting into ‘Ascension’, one of the four released prior to the show, the backdrop depicted collaborator, Vince Staples – it began to prove that, to suggest Gorillaz as a ‘side project’ is an understatement and an insult to the genius nature of this band. The dizzying nature of the set would evolve and leap from guest to guest – there’s not enough space here to reference each collaborator in full – but moving quickly to ‘Strobelite’ (featuring Peven Everett) and the first video single, ‘Saturnz Barz’ (featuring Popcaan) allowed for Damon and his band to swell in confidence.

Personally, the standout of the new tracks lies with ‘Andromeda’ – a track featuring American artist D.R.A.M. and a number that brings with it a foot stomping club beat and a real highlight of the night. Unfortunately D.R.A.M. wasn’t present tonight, neither was Mavis Staples who features on the brilliant number ‘Let Me Out’ – another one set to ignite Margate in June.

Highlights of the set emerged with ‘Let Me Out’ (featuring American rapper, Pusha T) which was the track set to be repeated due to audience jeers of ‘rewind’ and the Noel Gallagher and Jehnny

Beth collaboration, ‘We Got The Power’ – another track released prior to the show. The latter track oozes an immense optimism into you, following the tricky week London had been through prior to the show, a song filled with uptempo rhythms and shouts of solidarity spurs something magic inside you. Who’d have thought catching Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn sharing a stage would ever become a reality?

Benjamin Clementine arrived onstage for a rendition of ‘Hallelujah Money’, a track released back in January to coincide with Trump’s inauguration. The visuals behind the stage depicted the exquisite artistry that embodies every part of Gorillaz, from the Spongebob twists in this track to the bouncing head of Murdoc throughout ‘Busted and Blue’.

Closing the set with two encores was the only way Damon could step down tonight – by now it felt that all pre-show apprehension and nerves from the Blur man had vanished. Fans by this point were in the palm of his hand, and began clambering on top of shoulders with the weight of Humanz removed. The encore began to feel more like a celebration of what had been achieved. Beginning with a thumping rendition of ‘Kids With Guns’ brought back that belting bass groove, following this was a quick transition into ‘Feel Good Inc’ before a collateral shot of ‘Clint Eastwood’.

A call for another encore beckoned – never one to turn the opportunity away, Damon returned and brought with him every member who had performed throughout the night. Tackling the climax to Demon Days with ‘Don’t Get Lost In Heaven’ and the album-titled track ticked the gig off as one of those that get etched away in memory forever. Humanz is a huge sounding album, the seven year wait since Plastic Beach and The Fall was all so worth it in the end. These songs are staples in society at a time when it seems to be growing increasingly more fractured. It was a real gig of unity and even the irritating chap from T-Mobile who was hellbent on yelling about his guestlist got a hug at the end.

What prevails throughout though, and perhaps most importantly, is the infectious charisma of Damon Albarn – a musician who supersedes all his peers. Even when surrounded by an array of talent – some, such as Graham Coxon, who appear on stage and disappear in the blink of an eye – Albarn proves that not only is he one of the most humble artists in music but similarly a man so on top of his musical game right now, years since his peers faded away. A fantastic night with an equally fantastic album stored away until the end of April.
Tom Churchill

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