Damon Albarn stood sheepish and grinning in front of the crowd. It was a packed-out night at the Moda Center in Portland, and everyone had gathered to see Gorillaz. The fictitious band is oft characterized by a gang of animated characters, but in actuality, Albarn is behind almost all of it.
For the Gorillaz North American tour 2022, he and his band bring the candy-colored postmodern pop world to life. Hailed by Rolling Stone as “an overwhelming pop spectacle,” the 2022 Gorillaz tour is a futuristic party experience. This is the virtual act’s first time on the road in nearly five years, and their setlist is a wonderful homage to 20 years of creative hits.
Gorillaz 2022 World Tour
When the lights went out, a distant voice shouted for recognition. “Hello…is anybody out there?” It’s the intro from “M1 A1,” a track from Gorillaz’s very first album. Albarn and the band emerged to raucous applause from the Moda Center before launching into “Last Living Souls.”
For the evening’s setlist, Albarn and the band skipped from era to era, pulling out massive crowd pleasers and subtle B-sides. On “Tranz,” the 54-year-old singer hinged over the audience, only held upright by the tight grip of a security guard. Strobe lights flashed and excited fans buoyed under Albarn’s proud watch. It’s him shouting the lyrics along with the crowd, but behind him on the screen, the band’s virtual singer Stuart Harold “2-D” Pot mouthes the lyrics with him.
Old and new Gorillaz hits rocked the evening on: “Rhinestone Eyes,” “Kids With Guns,” “Andromeda,” and “Empire Ants” (much to this writer’s delight). Through it all, the virtual band was there. They hopped into their iconic army green tank for a joyride. They sped through empty turnpikes and played for their own virtual crowd.
It’s a bit odd to see an entire idolized universe represented by one guy. Of course, the Gorillaz would be nothing without the animations of artist Jamie Hewlett, the live band, and the constant rotation of all-star guest contributors. But in some regard, it’s more fun to believe in cartoon rockstars.
