Following the cancellation of Blur at this year’s Big Day Out, the group’s lead singer Damon Albarn called time on their reunion shows to release his debut self-titled album Everyday Robots. The album, while well received, essentially ensured that Blur wouldn’t be making it to Australian shores anytime soon. But hope remained that Albarn – last here in 2010 fronting his acclaimed project Gorillaz – would make the trip down in a solo guise. And indeed, with just two weeks left in the year he’s made a quick trip down our way for not one but two shows at the Sydney Opera House.
Originally scheduled over two nights, due to yesterday’s tragic events in Martin Place, Damon and his band kindly agreed to make up for their postponed show by playing two shows in one night. I was at the first – an early start of 7pm – though Albarn promised that he wouldn’t pace himself, though common sense would suggest he do otherwise. Indeed, he and his band put everything into a set that traversed his new solo record and the best of his material with Blur, Gorillaz and the oft forgotten The Good, The Bad & The Queen… with a few surprises along the way. It was every bit the rock show, with Albarn in great spirits, showering the front row in water (probably to the distaste of the venue) and making sure we were all on our feet. He had to work for it, but he definitely got the rousing reception he was hoping for. And it only got better, and the crowd louder, as the show went on.
Accompanying Albarn were an impressive four piece band he called The Heavy Seas, a local string quartet, a six piece choir from Tasmania (“The Southern Gospel Choir”) and a trumpeter from Reykjavik. These were big arrangements, though that’s not to say the show wasn’t without its quieter moments. For every “Kids With Guns” – a Gorillaz favourite and the highlight of the night with Damon picking up the guitar for the first time, and having a right old time with it – there was a track like Blur’s “Out of Time”, which stripped it right back to a solo Albarn on the piano.
And though you’d expect that jumping between vibes so regularly may have worked against the set being spectacular – and indeed there’s something to be said for keeping the slower songs together – sometimes one slower number would transition directly into a heavier number and it would work brilliantly. Take “Photographs (You Are Taking Now)”, a highlight off his solo record. A stand out, beautiful piece and another highlight of the night. This led straight into “Kingdom of Doom” off the one off The Good, The Bad and The Queen Record. And this leads me to an ultimate consensus of the show and his music: whether it’s from the 90s or now, whether it’s slow or heavier, there’s a certain quality and consistency to his music that makes it all fit together so nicely. And his latest material definitely sits well amongst the rest – even if we don’t know it as well, it feels like we should. What a prolific songwriter he’s been since emerging onto the scene…
A solid set from start to finish, sure, but to say they saved the best for last is perhaps an understatement. After rapturous applause from the crowd, having been left on a great note by a one-two Blur punch with “Out of Time” and “All Your Life”, the five track encore kicked off Blur’s “End of a Century” and his own “Mr Tembo”. He then invited Australia’s own Remi onto the stage for a stunningly good rendition of “Clint Eastwood”, with the Victorian rapper adding what seemed to be his own lyrics to the mix, followed by “Feel Good Inc.” which saw the one and only De La Soul join for their iconic verses – and DJ Maseo’s laugh, naturally. The night ended with “Heavy Seas Of Love” off the latest record.
Damon and his many players gave it their all in the 1 hour 40 minute show, and as I write this they’re doing it all over again. He reflected on the last time he’d played two shows in a row, which was back in 1990 at the Whiskey a Go Go – though I would hesitate to argue that his SXSW schedule this year may have been pretty close. In any case, it was a pleasure to see Albarn give such a great show. There were a few minor sound issues – notably the bass was a bit too high, but I’m splitting hairs at this point. Ultimately this was a night where one of England’s most loved songwriters gave Sydney’s most iconic venue one hell of a night. And it’s not one we’ll soon forget.
Setlist:
Spitting Out the Demons (Gorillaz song)
Lonely Press Play
Everyday Robots
Tomorrow Comes Today (Gorillaz song)
Slow Country (Gorillaz song)
Kids With Guns (Gorillaz song)
Three Changes (The Good, the Bad & the Queen song)
Hostiles
Photographs (You Are Taking Now)
Kingdom of Doom (The Good, the Bad & the Queen song)
You and Me
Hollow Ponds
El Mañana (Gorillaz song)
Don’t Get Lost In Heaven (Gorillaz song)
Out of Time (Blur song)
All Your Life (Blur song)
Encore:
End of a Century (Blur song)
Mr Tembo
Clint Eastwood (Gorillaz song) (with Remi)
Feel Good Inc. (Gorillaz song) (with De La Soul)
Heavy Seas of Love
