Gorillaz Deliver Spectacular Career Spanning Show In A Sold-Out Manchester
photo by Luke Dyson
3.21.26 - Manchester, UK
Gorillaz have been one of the most exciting and captivating live bands since they dropped their debut, self-titled record in 2001. Even now, releasing their ninth studio album The Mountain, the standards are still as high as they were more than 20 years ago. It comes as no surprise that the sold-out banners covered all of the headline tour spanning all over the UK & Ireland—there was little surprise to see them sell out back-to-back nights in Manchester’s Co-Op Live. The weather in Manchester being surprisingly stunning made for even more excitement building up to the show with queues of people wrapped around the venue early and people basking in the sunshine ready for what is set to be a special night.
I’ve been lucky enough to go to many shows in this venue since its opening, and I think this is the first time I’ve seen queues as lengthy pre-show. That says all you need to know about what Manchester thinks of this band. TPeople of all ages were wearing Gorillaz merchandise from this current tour, as well as items from past tours and everything in between. Everyone was here for the same purpose and ready to fill this venue bright and early; even the merch stand outside had queues, which was unsurprising given the spread that was on offer.
Once I had taken my seat, ready for the action, looking around this incredible arena and seeing every seat and inch of the floor filled, it just showed the scale of the place for a start and just what this band means to the fans even in 2026, to fill this venue twice in the same weekend is something to brag about but also says that a big outdoor space should maybe be in their future.
photo by Luke Dyson
photo by Luke Dyson
Being an album tour, it was only fitting they kickstart the set with “The Mountain” to really get the party started, quickly followed by “The Happy Dictator,” also taken from their recent album. The show got off to an almighty start with older bangers like “Tomorrow Comes Today” and the incredible “19-2000” that instantly got the whole arena on their feet grooving along—as far as intros go, this was up there with one of the strongest I’ve witnessed, and we’ve barely just scratched the surface of this band’s insanely expansive career.
The setlist choice is spectacular throughout, but I really need to give props to the production because the visuals on show from beginning to end were captivating and really made each song pop incredibly well. The 13-piece band brought the vibe with each song and was fully backed up beautifully by the stage-wide screen above them for every song. It really made for what was a perfect evening. Getting to see characters of this band that I’ve grown up watching effectively come to life on stage was pretty surreal and a bucket list moment for me personally.
Throughout the evening, we had the treat of multiple guests joining Damon Albarn and Co. onstage—Yasiin Bey came up to join for “Stylo” and “Damascus” alongside the iconic Omar Souleyman, who opened tonight’s show in style. Bootie Brown came on to perform the iconic “Dirty Harry,” and let’s not forget one of the songs of the night as Posdnuos help raise the roof for probably the loudest song of the night with “Feel Good Inc.” Truly iconic songs all in their own way being electrified around their stunning arena by tens of thousands of people really cements home that the classics will never die.
photo by Luke Dyson
photo by Luke Dyson
There are so many things to shout out about this show; I mean, it was just flawless for the entirety, but I will say it was great to hear some tour debuts for some songs that never made it to previous dates as they unleashed “Kids With Guns,” “Glitter Freeze,” and “The Shadowy Light,” that all went down an absolute storm. To round off the night, Damon pulls out a mouth organ that signals the start of the final tune of the night that got even louder than the last as they close with arguably their biggest song, “Clint Eastwood,” looking around the arena, I don’t think there was a single person who stood still as the dancing and screaming along to this finale was one big united feel-good buzz that sent shivers down the spine.
I’ve said it all before, but the importance of this band is just as big now as it always has been, and tonight showed that. Ages from young to old, and everything in between, singing and dancing along to songs that have been and always will be cemented in music history and generational for years to come. The set itself covered the band’s stunning career and gave airtime to some unsung heroes of their catalogue in lieu of other well-known songs. In addition to their older songs, they busted out big names from the new record, which was the whole reason this tour was a thing and why the venue was packed to the rafters.
photo by Luke Dyson