Intermittent performers Gorillaz are a treat on stage, though the sluggish albums of late would suggest otherwise. The ever-evolving supergroup fronted by Damon Albarn and some still eerie-looking, albeit now polished avatars, is a treat. Demon Days may serve as the fine link between their very best and their most popular effort. As much is shown through the Demon Days Live from the Apollo Theater show, a performance which has the group play out their hits-laden album. Yes, it is the one with that infamous Shaun Ryder performance. In the context of the show, and even now as a legendary titbit of live show spectacle, it makes sense to have the Happy Mondays frontman out there. He puts his foot right through the spotlight, and yet the show is all the better for this moment of madness. It shows Gorillaz are not just sleek computer beings, but a band championing Albarn’s love through music message.
That is a message which has not worked in the months after the official release of this set, but twenty years ago, it was enough. Last Living Souls and Kids With Guns are exceptional early moments from the group, Albarn in the shadows, keen to give the collection of musicians their time in front of a packed Apollo Theater crowd. Those shadowy figures and the focus on collaboration cements the ever-growing problem Gorillaz now has. Demon Days feels as fresh and exciting as it did twenty years ago, because the collaborations felt natural, and the artists brought onto the project shared a common cause. That is what this live showcase shines a light on best of all. Dirty Harry into Feel Good Inc is the sort of album continuity bands dream of having, that consistency in quality but overhaul in tone. For those not as well-versed in Gorillaz’s music, this is an extraordinary place to start.
Demon Days Live from the Apollo Theater has a momentum to it which was not captured in the years to come. Not even Plastic Beach, an excellent album which can pride itself still on the out-there collaborations, managed to strike this well. Focus is brought back, time and again, to the instrumental skill of Gorillaz as an ensemble. The ex-Blur frontman compiles a sincerely brilliant collection of musicians from all walks of life. That is what makes Gorillaz as a project such a thrill to listen to, what gives them the edge. All Alone is a beautiful addition to the setlist, while the inevitable Dare performance, lingering on the horizon like the monster from The Automatic’s sole hit, is not as scary as first thought. Funny? Absolutely. But also, a part of the fabric of what makes a live show so thrilling.
Rightly or wrongly mocked, Ryder’s performance is another tremendous read from Albarn on the ever-shifting momentum of modern-day music. He may have lost his edge in recent years, but there was a time when Albarn could pick out the emotive best of music, past and present. He incorporated it into Gorillaz brilliantly, and this is a performance which goes beyond the avatars. A no-frills production where smart lighting and collaborative appearances are the selling point. A Dennis Hopper appearance on Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head cements that read Albarn has on contemporary music and cultural relevancy. Gorillaz are certainly part of that fabric now, and this performance, now released in full, is a clear showcase of that importance.
