Gorillaz Runs Through Decades of Songs in Debut Cleveland Concert

Twenty-five years in, it may be difficult to remember that Gorillaz was once put forth as a cartoon band.

Yes, the “members,” — 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs and Noodle — still play a large part in the imagery of the project and the visuals in live performances, like on Tuesday night at the Rocket Arena in Cleveland. But a quarter-century in, those behind the project, including British musical mastermind Damon Albarn, are front and center. That’s a plus, because some of us, including this reviewer, still enjoy seeing the onstage interplay between musicians, and it was a blast watching the tight ensemble of roughly a dozen musicians veer from one genre to the next.

Gorillaz’s performance, its first ever in Cleveland, was a 110-minute journey through much of its career, with 26 beat-heavy and colorful songs from a self-titled 2001 debut, this year’s “The Mountain,” and in between. The project, conceived by Albarn and cartoonist Jamie Hewlett, gave the former — best known at the time as the lead singer of Blur, though his list of musical projects grew exponentially in the subsequent years — his biggest U.S. success, one that has continued to this day.

If anything, the concert was evidence the project is far from running out of steam. It was an exquisite mix of audio and visual storytelling, even if it was sometimes difficult to decipher a plot in the cartoons projected behind the musicians. “The Mountain” is also its best album in some time, with Indian and world rhythms punctuating lyrics that appeared to be personal for Albarn.

Six songs from the new album were played on Tuesday, from the Sparks-on-video-featuring “The Happy Dictator” to “Orange County,” which was aided live by singer Kara Jackson and featured one of the biggest singalongs of the night.

Albarn, decked out in fatigues and a camouflage jacket, appeared thrilled by the reception by the thousands in attendance. He saluted the crowd shortly after taking the stage and soon made his way to the barrier lined by those in the front row to shake hands, give hugs and sign autographs. He was in fine voice, crooning through “On Melancholy Hill” or soaring over a musical bed on “El Mañana.”

As the show wore on, the show was taken over by a cavalcade of guest rappers. De La Soul’s Posdnuos led “Superfast Jellyfish” and “Feel Good Inc.,” The Pharcyde’s Bootie Brown energetically shouted along to “Stylo” (which also featured a video of Cleveland R&B legend Bobby Womack) and “Dirty Harry,” and Del the Funky Homosapien flowed through “Rock the House” and show closer “Clint Eastwood.”

There was also DRAM crooning through “Andromeda” and British artist Little Simz, also one of the opening acts, frantically rapping through “Garage Palace.”

It felt, by that point, that Albarn was happy to join the ensemble, almost bringing the Gorillaz project full circle. Never a reluctant frontman, he was happy to blend in with the others, like he did with the cartoon “members” so many years ago.

Little Simz warmed up the crowd with hip-hop that was alternately bouncy, hard-hitting and menacing. Backed by a four-piece band, her performance grew more joyous as her 40-minute set progressed. She was clearly moved by the reception by a welcoming Cleveland crowd, and repaid it with moving performances of her song “Woman.”

And Deltron 3030, which in addition to Del features Dan the Automator and Kid Koala, performed a too-short 20-minute set of its brand of comic-book-inspired hip-hop. Del, providing a smooth flow over old-school beats and occasionally lush musical backing courtesy of his bandmates, noted that the group started at the same time as Gorillaz and the collaborations spanned both projects.

Setlist (via setlist.fm and this reviewer’s own recollection):
1. The Mountain
2. The Happy Dictator
3. Tranz
4. Last Living Souls
5. Tomorrow Comes Today
6. 19-2000
7. Rhinestone Eyes
8. Every Planet We Reach Is Dead
9. El Mañana
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. Orange County (with Kara Jackson)
12. O Green World
13. Casablanca
14. Delirium
15. Andromeda (with DRAM)
16. Garage Palace (with Little Simz)
17. She’s My Collar
18. Superfast Jellyfish (with Posdnuos)
19. Stylo (wit Bootie Brown)
20. Kids with Guns
21. The Sad God
22. Cloud of Unknowing
23. Rock the House (with Del the Funky Homosapien)
24. Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown)
25. Feel Good Inc. (with Posdnuos)
26. Clint Eastwood (with Del the Funky Homosapien)