After three days of great music, which in an event of this magnitude naturally corresponds to surprises, affirmations and disappointments, NOS Primavera Sound ended its programme, on the main stage, with a boom. Gorillaz, Damon Albarn’s superstar animator – the man who, as Stereogum wrote, dared to become a pop star twice, on completely different records – came to Parque da Cidade to give a concert that was not only one of the best performances In this version, as probably one of the most memorable performances of the festival that has been in Porto for ten years.
Formed in 1998 as a reaction to MTV culture and manufactured bands, but inhabiting, in a broad sense, the same pop world, Gorillaz has only been to Portugal twice, specifically for events associated with that TV channel. The concert at Primavera Sound, nine years after Damon Albarn performed here with Blur, was his first encounter with the Portuguese audience (and not only), in a more traditional format. But there’s nothing traditional about the brilliance that the band and their lavish guests bring to the Invicta crowd. “Unbelievable audience, incredible energy,” praised the very smiling Damon Albarn at one point. But the same can be said of the versatile London musician. At 54, the guy from Blur (and from The Good, The Bad & the Queen, among other adventures) was impressed by the way he, in front of a great squad, perfectly juxtaposed the roles of captain (calling guests, playing the boat ahead) and hero (playing On guitar and piano, singing wonderfully, interacting with the audience). Several times, he goes down to the pit, where he does not want paparazzi, freely communicates with fans and leaves them in a complete delusion. In fact, the picture of Albarn crouching on the rails, with security guards holding him by the pants, was a repeat of what happened at the same park with Blur, back in 2003. We hope to see that enthusiasm again for another nine years. ..
As much as Gorillas contrasts with the apathy of other artists we’ve seen these days, that’s not the band’s only origin. The music is amazing for everyone, the eclecticism of songs (from punk rock to dubbing, from hip-hop to “world” music) and the sudden appearance of many distinguished guests, such as Beck or Little Sims, set the level so high that the concert lasted for an hour and a half.
It all started with the letter “HELLO” written on giant screens. Somewhere between Pink Floyd (“Is there anyone out there?”) and Massive Attack, which also translates messages into the language of each country they perform in, the dance was open. Considering Gorillaz’s performances in various forms, we were glad to see them appear on stage, dressed in a pink jacket and hat bearing the name of their second “incarnation”, Damon Albarn. As expected, the visual spectacle that accompanied the music of this Jimmy Hewlett-comedy was top-notch, while the animated characters appearing on screens were met with excitement that would thrill artists of skin and bone. With his voice, charisma, and desire to be on stage at the height of his brilliance, Damon Albarn sings in a virtual duet with Robert Smith, of The Cure (in Strange Timez), asking if we’ll be the last living souls (in ‘Last Living Souls’) and relaying a message Important and current, very well established in ecology, without any ethical. Indeed, Gorillaz’s “lesson” is always fun, festive, exciting and full of great songs, with no breaks in rhythm or dead moments. Like Nick Keefe, the English are big headlines, managing to capture the audience’s attention (and their dedication) without compromising their vision.
After two episodes that drew audiences into ecstasy—”Tomorrow Comes Today,” with Albarn on tune, and “Rhinestone Eyes” swinging—the show began unannounced, and thus tastier than the guests. The first man to appear is Beck, who Just yesterday I got to the same stage (Pavement’s Stephen Malkims and Kim Gordon continue around the venue a day or two after their performance.) With the same little hat as the day before, Mr. Hansen joined forces with his contemporaries to sing The Valley of the Pagans, a song he recorded on Gorillaz’s latest work, 2020. After the song Oh Green World, which alternated between Damon Albarn’s piano softness, a pink bonnet on his head, and several small explosions, came “On” Melancholy Hill”, which was greeted with cries of joy and sang in a duet with the smile of the defenseless singer and his audience.
For “Kids With Guns,” one of the five-voice soul choir singers accompanying Gorillaz was called to the front of the stage; The way the artist, whose name we don’t know but promise to look up to, went from zero to five thousand, in vocal power and intensity, was one of several goosebumps on a hot night. But the feelings will repeat themselves over and over again: American rapper Bootie Brown made everyone dance as if there was no tomorrow at Stylo (in this festival there really is none) and Fatoumata Diawara, the singer of Ivory Coast, appeared on stage with such elegance and overwhelming confidence that Damon Albarn greeted her as if he wasn’t expecting her. She gave the (cool) sound of ‘Desolée’, shortly before it was still live from a triumphant concert on the Cupra stage, Little Simz in London smashed it all (it’s metaphor, but barely) at ‘Garbage Palace’.
Few of the audience believed that the concert still had more surprises, despite the fact that no one moved and did not show signs of fatigue. But the gorillas still had a few “tricks” up their sleeves, such as the return of Bootie Brown, one of the founders of Pharcyde, to sing “Dirty Harry,” a moment that led the spectator to shout, at the end: “Everyone is healed!” (All healed). And speaking of healing, right after Kelvin Mercer, aka Pos, from De La Soul, spoke to us about the importance of showing our feelings. In his pocket, the American brought “Feel Good Inc.” The euphoria that settled in place sure made everyone feel better about their emotional health.
Ironically, at the end of an incredible show, artistically correct and visually, a failure of the voice prevented us from hearing the last words of Damon Albarn who thanked him silently after his last bombshell with the Joy Orchestra. to City Park. A note or three rang out behind us and even a laugh of excitement, with the arrival of ‘Clint Eastwood’, Gorillaz’s first single, released 21 years ago, and the song we’ll all remember in the coming days.
We may not have said goodbye, but we perceive in Damon Albarn’s eyes the happiness of a night that will not be so easily forgotten, neither by those who were on stage, nor by those below, who were amazed at the power that the concert could still forget. You have.
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