MUSIC REVIEW
Gorillaz
NIA, Birmingham
On their only previous UK tour, Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz hid behind a screen for the entire show.
This couldn’t be more different, though. The NIA stage is packed, and the whole thing resembled a bizarre travelling circus.
Dozens of musicians shuffle on and off to assist the core band, which contains two members of The Clash for good measure.
And all the while, Jamie Hewlett’s movie-quality animation on the big screen offers yet another diversion.
It’s a unique, and definitely fun, experience.
One moment, a traditional Syrian band are looking bemused as Brit rappers Kano and Bashy bicker over their music. A few minutes later, a shambling Mark E Smith is trying to sabotage the Clash members’ amps.
Albarn shuns centre stage a lot of the time, preferring to sing and conduct the hip hop and electro-infused proceedings from the side.
They even manage to run through a joyous version of Dare, despite having lost their Ryder (the jungle-dwelling Shaun appears as a disembodied head on the screen).
Rating: 4/5
