Like many other teenage girls swooning over indie bad boys with floppy hair and leather jackets, Damon Albarn was once a fixture on my bedroom wall. So, at 58, seeing Albarn in the flesh still carried a strange, giddy excitement. The kind that only girls who fancy aging (or dead) rockstars will truly understand.
With energy and anticipation for a night of dancing, every step to the Utilita felt like walking to a house party you’d been waiting all week for.
That anticipation built with every step to the Utilita Arena, each one feeling like the walk to a house party you’ve been waiting all week for. And that’s exactly what The Mountain Tour encapsulated: less of a conventional gig, more of a celebration. And with a 25th anniversary and a new number one album, Gorillaz had every reason to throw one.
More than the milestones, what made the night so special was its sense of unity. The crowd was multigenerational, longtime fans, newcomers and everyone in between, all gathered for the same reason, the music, and, of course, Albarn himself.
Taking a nod to the patriotic location, Albarn took the chance to speak some Welsh: “[At school] we were taught French, German, and latterly, thank goodness, some Spanish and Chinese now but never any Welsh. That doesn’t make any sense because we’re all neighbours and it’s ridiculous we weren’t taught Welsh! I was to say, ‘thank you’ and I think it’s ‘diolch’,'”, to which the crowd, of course, erupted into cheers.
Visually, the show was just as immersive as it was euphoric. If the music was paint, then the tour visuals where the perfect canvas. The bands iconic anime inspired visuals, designed by longtime collaborator Jamie Hewlett, transformed the stage into a technicolour Gorillaz universe. Beyond the backdrop, it was an extension of the music, pulling the audience deeper into their hazy, genre blurring world of electronica, hip hop and alt rock.
Down at the barriers, fans stood, wide eyed and absorbed, swept up in the hypnotic blend of sound and image. It’s the kind of grip that Albarn has held since the blur days, but also a testament to Gorillaz’s cultural grip.
Leaning into that house party atmosphere, the set was no short of special guests. From the infectious energy of De La Soul and Bootie Brown, to the beautiful harmonious duet with Kara Jackson in “Orange County”. Each added a new layer to the already packed set.
The most striking appearance came from Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals appeared Joined Albarn twice on stage. First for a random performance of “Superfast Jellyfish”, and then for “The Shadow Light”.
With two 90s powerhouses joined on stage, the grandeur of their influence on culture really came to light. But Albarn shouldn’t only be tied to his Blur beginnings. Gorillaz has long stood entirely on its own and has remained as vital as ever.
By the end of the night, it was clear that the gig was a celebration of creativity and connection. A reminder that, 25 years on, nobody throws a party quite like Gorillaz… or the Welsh.
Words by Emma Howe
