By: Finley Chevrier, On-Air Host
Who: Gorillaz
Venue: TD Garden
When: October 2, 2026
2020 was a year of loneliness, new hobbies, and self-discovery. In my case, it was the year I became a Gorillaz super-fan. I remember distinctly going through every music video that was available on their YouTube channel and being enthralled by all the lore.
Unlike any other band, Gorillaz distinguishes itself by being a ‘virtual band’. The creators, Damon Albarn (former lead singer of Blur) and Jaimie Hewlett, created four animated characters to front their band. Beyond the animated world, the music itself ranges from melancholic pop to hip-hop and everything in between. In the case of their most recent album, The Mountain, Damon blends South Asian instrumentation with that classic Gorillaz ‘Funkadelic’ sound.
Power In Numbers
Despite the band being a two-piece, Gorillaz is far from a duo operation. Upon walking to our seats, the first thing that my brother and I noticed was just how many instruments were on the stage. Due to the collaborative nature and unique sound of Gorillaz, each song requires a lot of varying sounds all at once. In the case of this tour, three drummers, a bamboo flute, a three-piece chorus, a melodica, and many, many more instruments.
All I can say is that all that set-up was worth it. The concert opened with the titular track, ‘The Mountain’, a beautiful flute-centric instrumental that fully immerses you in Damon and Jaimie’s vision. A beautiful hand-drawn animated short film plays in the background as more instruments kick in, and the chorus joins with mesmerizing harmonies. Three minutes into the concert, I already had goosebumps.
The Now Now and The Before Before
The setlist was a mix of all their latest music, but surprisingly a whole lot of their oldest. Most of the songs performed were either from their self-titled album, Gorillaz, or from the ever-so-famous Demon Days. Despite this show not being an anniversary concert, it began to feel like a celebration of Gorillaz history.
The older songs were a joy to hear live. Many of them were recorded with computer-generated instruments, so hearing the songs with the ginormous band and chorus breathed new life into them. We were lucky to hear 5/4, from their first album, a song that debuted at this stop of the tour. With each song, it truly felt like Damon and his band were giving it their all. Classics such as Tomorrow Comes Today, El Mañana, and Kids With Guns sounded just as good, if not better than their recording. Feel Good Inc. and Andromeda were all the more special, as the band added new verses to the songs.
In terms of new music, they played a hefty number of songs from The Mountain. While unfortunately none of the featured artists on the album were able to make it (Aside from Kara Jackson, we’ll get into that), the songs still sounded fantastic. While singing The Happy Dictator, Damon sang like he was a preaching cult leader. It sounds crazy, but it was awesome. I found myself appreciating the new songs more after hearing them live. Delirium, an upbeat synth-pop song that I was initially averse to, ended up being one of my favorite performances. Damon put a lot of weight on every lyric, giving it a more emotional impact.
I was surprised by the lack of The Moon Cave (arguably the best song on The Mountain), DARE, or any Song Machine or Cracker Island songs, but the sheer scale of the performances made me look past it. It was a really solid set.
Featuring…
As per tradition, this show featured some great guest appearances. Orange County, a recent WERS favorite, was sung alongside Kara Jackson, who was featured on the recorded track. Her deep voice was incredibly captivating. The iconic Del the Funky Homosapian and Bootie Brown both killed their respective rap verses, bringing the energy they had over 20 years ago. Kelvin Mercer of De La Soul stood out to me in particular. Before performing Feel Good Inc, he challenged the audience to out-sing the previous concert at MSG. The crowd exploded with excitement, as we all sang along every word.
Keeping The Show… Interesting?
Gorillaz is inherently going to have weird elements to their shows- it’s all a part of the brand. That being said, there was one aspect of the show that made me turn my head. In the middle of two of their emotional songs, a giant ‘Beaker from The Muppets-esque’ mascot walked onto the stage with a giant red button. Right before the chorus of Rhinestone Eyes, Damon rushed over to push the button, and well, it did nothing of much value. Suddenly, the screens filled with static and were flushed with images of the characters. A loud screeching noise played as the band continued to play as if nothing happened. The song continued for about another minute, and then Damon pressed it again, and the same disturbance happened. I’m not quite sure what they were going for, but it did disrupt one of their most popular songs. Thankfully, the button disappeared for most of the show.
That was until the band performed Andromeda, and the button was right back on stage. Keep in mind, this song is an emotional journey through Damon accepting the loss of his mother, which was unfortunately interrupted by the button. Towards the end of the song, I think the mascot got the idea that people didn’t love his button, so he left and was never seen again. By no means did his presence ruin the concert; more than anything, it just left the audience confused.
All of this is to say…
That was an awesome show. From stunning videos and lighting visuals to some of the best performances I’ve seen from Damon, this was a show to remember. I can’t wait to see what they do next.
