After a six year hiatus, Damon Albarn’s virtual band, Gorillaz, released their fifth album, "Humanz", on April 28, 2017. It's been seven years since the band last toured. Gorillaz fans could finally expect to hear the musical stylings of this timeless band on an international tour, which kicked off in Chicago this past July.
A mix of electronica and alternative rock was set to play at 47 locations across the globe. The computer-generated band consists of 2-D, lead singer and keyboard player, Noodle, keyboard and guitar player, Russel Hobbs, drummer and finally, Murdoc Niccals, bass guitarist. The intrigue that follows Albarn's creations comes from the long and eventful history of the virtual band.
The Gorillaz story has four phases, which can all be tracked through intensive research and observation. There are plenty of videos and novels that follow the backstories of each character, each contributing to the stories, which ultimately led to the formation of the Gorillaz.
This tour and album are unlike past albums, specifically because of the amount of featured artists. Out of the 26 songs on the album, 25 of them feature outside artists. Among some of them are Grace Jones, De La Soul, Pusha T, Vince Staples and Kali Uchis. At first, this came to a shock to some, but when the album was released, fans reacted positively.
Damon Albarn is a brilliant performer. Every person on his team truly enjoys the music they play. Everyone from the Humanz choir, to the abundant amount of instrumentalists on stage, exhibit such strong and memorable showmanship; it is an adrenaline pumping sight.
The featured artists compliment the show beautifully, and the visuals played on stage bring back the virtual graphics that first premiered in the 1990s. Damon Albarn has created a world within his own and thus, he has successfully provided an all-new and eccentric concert experience.
