For one of the biggest bands in the world, along with easily the most recognisable cartoon band members around, Gorillaz’s landmark debut stadium show at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium feels overly deserved whilst simultaneously years in the making. Multifaceted music icon Damon Albarn and prolific artist Jamie Hewlett have redefined what a band can be over nearly three decades. Across nine albums, including 2026’s The Mountain, the band has continued to be fronted by singer 2D, bassist Murdoc Niccals, drummer Russel Hobbs and Japanese guitar prodigy Noodle. They have embedded themselves in the cultural zeitgeist while traversing multiple genres, including hip-hop, alt-rock, and electronic, among others.
The Mountain has undoubtedly been the band’s most meaningful album campaign in recent years, given their inspirational trip to India after Albarn and Hewlett both lost their fathers, and the album’s themes of life and death. So when the two-time 1883 cover stars finally took to the stage for their sold-out headline show last night following support slots from Trueno and Sparks, their set was a tour de force from start to finish. There was a sense of significance, clearly felt by the whole band, as Albarn spoke to the crowd.
Before commencing with the instrumental opener, ‘The Mountain’, Albarn said: “Good evening. Thank you so much for attending this mass gathering of multicultural, multigenerational, connective music. We appreciate you.” From there, the band launched into the propulsive ‘The Happy Dictator’ with Sparks, marking the first of 22 special guest appearances across the evening’s 30-song set. The setlist proved ambitious, drawing from nearly every era of the band’s catalogue, from the self-titled and Demon Days to Plastic Beach, Humanz, The Now Now, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, and, naturally, The Mountain.
It was a thrill to see Albarn get up close to the crowd at the barrier and hear fans echo every word of anthems like ‘19-2000’ and ‘Stylo’, while deep cuts such as ‘Empire Ants’ and ‘White Flag’ were greeted with equal enthusiasm. As many know, the Gorillaz is a large collective with collaboration coursing through its veins. Credit where credit is due, Albarn is as magnetic as ever, but he can’t do what he does without an ensemble of world-class musicians. The live band’s guitarist Jeff Wootton, bassist Seye Adelekan, keyboardist Mike Smith, drummer Jaena McKenna-Gordon, percussionist Karl Vanden Bossche, keyboardist Ruth O’Mahony-Brady, tabla player Kayam Hussain, bansuri player Ajay Prasanna, and backing vocalists Angel Silvera, Rebecca Freckleton, Michelle Ndegwa, and J. Appiah are all exceptional.
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping aspect of the special show was Gorillaz’s seemingly endless Rolodex of collaborators, with an extraordinary roster of musical talent joining the band throughout the night. 1883 alumni Moonchild Sanelly came out for an infectious rendition of ‘With Love To An Ex’ and twerked on stage. Bootie Brown rapped through an explosive version of ‘Dirty Harry’, the iconic Little Simz appeared for ‘Garage Palace’.
There was a touching tribute to renowned Indian musician and actor Asha Bhosle, who appeared on The Mountain’s ‘The Shadowy Light’. Asha’s granddaughter was invited to sing on stage whilst phone lights illuminated the stadium. Music legends The Smiths’ Johnny Marr and The Clash’s Paul Simonon appeared for ‘Plastic Beach’.
In another moving moment, Albarn brought out producer Remi Kabaka Jr. and Jamie Hewlett during the night to bring their talents to the forefront.
The encore delivered an adrenaline-fuelled triple threat. ‘DARE’ brought out Happy Mondays’ Shaun Ryder and artist Roses Gabor, while the colossal ‘Feel Good Inc.’ featured Posdnuos of De La Soul. The night ultimately drew to a close with a flawless rendition of ‘Clint Eastwood’.
Before Gorillaz left the stage, Albarn gave thanks to the massive team which helps bring Gorillaz together and brought out all of the musical talent for a final bow.
Albarn also said: “Goodbye, London. Thank you so much, you’ve been very generous.
“It’s not a band based on profit; it’s a band based on socialism.
“Thank you for your support. We love you.”
Gorillaz’s headline set at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was a triumphant celebration of the band’s 25-year history and a powerful reminder of why the collaborative juggernaut remains one of the most brilliant forces in modern music.
You can view more photos from the concert and a full setlist with guests below.
Words Cameron Poole
Thanks to RMP/Good Machine
Main image photography Luke Dyson
