Gorillaz lit up the Barclays Center stage on Oct. 12 with an exhilarating show, featuring some of their biggest hits and welcoming many surprise guests. The band, led by eccentric frontman Damon Albarn, did not fail to put on an extremely entertaining show and made sure the New York stop of the tour was extra special. 

The setlist was perfectly formulated to cater to the biggest fans of the band. Songs chosen for the show ranged from newly released hits such as “New Gold,” a single off the band’s upcoming album coming in February, to the earliest of tunes for the older fans, including “Clint Eastwood” from their debut, self-titled album. 

Albarn and his band did not need much help when it came to keeping the crowd entertained, but they were full of surprises for those who chose to come out and spend their night with the band in Brooklyn. Stars even came out for a couple of songs, such as the electrifying performance of “Cracker Island” with a special appearance from Thundercat and the iconic “Feel Good Inc.” featuring De La Soul. Fans roared for their entrances, while the general admission pit turned into an ocean of waving arms and swaying bodies. 

Though featured artist Tame Impala was unable to join the band in Brooklyn, visuals for “New Gold” featured frontman Kevin Parker eye-catching, interactive graphics on the screens across the stage, creating wholesome, invigorating and contagious energy. 

There truly isn’t an environment quite like the one Gorillaz created at their show. Throughout every song there was never a still body. Fans danced with one another — strangers or not — to their favorite songs, making it evident that the band’s music is not only for their own enjoyment but a bridge that connects fans from everywhere. 

Another cool aspect of the crowd was that there did not seem to be a clear age group. It was truly all ages. Fathers and sons, boyfriends and girlfriends, high school students spending a late night out — just about every kind of person from every age group showed up for the band’s sole night in New York City. 

The fans often reflect the artist, and there are not many frontmen quite as engaged and connected to their fans and their art as Albarn. This dedication Albarn has to his art results in the enthusiasm of his fans. 

During breaks in the music, Albarn would speak to the audience in such an appreciative and casual way that made his gratitude for their presence at the show very obvious. He took gifts from the audience, such as a banana hat and a Spider-Man mask, and incorporated them into his performances, making a spectacle of the songs he chose to include them in. 

As a fan, that is one of the coolest experiences one could ever have with an artist they respect. Most of the time, the sole reason fans bring these gifts is in hopes that the band will accept them and put them on for the crowd. The validation of not only getting a gift taken by a band member but getting used in a performance is a pretty cool story to tell the grandkids. 

Gorillaz is truly such a unique, fun group. The animated band has surpassed mediums, finding a way from their animated presence on screen to performing in person to a live audience by incorporating their beloved animated band members into the performance. I highly recommend experiencing one of their shows at least once in your life.