Providing all the floor and awe of a new day pop spectacle - a sketched out plot; audience-pleasing guest spots; a backup band that includes punk rock royalty and an orchestra - the performance finally paid dividends to the musical creativity and cross-cultural interplay that Albarn has pictured for the Gorillaz project since its inception. Arriving onstage in sailor outfits befitting the theme of the band's most recent release, 'Plastic Beach,' Albarn and the relief of the group's seven-strong current incarnation - including former Clash members Mick Jones and Paul Simonon - wasted no clip in establishing their live presence. Though necessity forced some interaction with pre-recorded guest spots from Shaun Ryder and Snoop Dog (who attended the group on album opener and show scene-setter, 'Welcome to the Plastic Beach'), Gorillaz managed to ensure an impressive range of live guest stars, including soul legend Bobby Womack, Little Dragon, De La Soul and grime rapper Bashy, whose performance alongside a serial of Arab-American musicians on 'White Flag' and 'Clint Eastwood' provided a surprising highlight. All paled in comparison to the circus' ringleader, however. Though he claimed he's "not truly a professional frontman," Albarn was mesmerizing, whether he was screaming at the audience, skagging along with Bashy, locking heads with De La Soul or simply plunking away at the piano. What's more, he seemed really happy onstage, playing alongside his musical heroes - as excited, if not more, than the jazzed-up audience that exhausted the entire night on their feet watching him. It was a stark line to 10 days ago when Albarn stood behind a curtain, his tail and sound the only reading that the man was so even there. On Sunday, he concluded the present by standing at the presence of the stage, basking literally and metaphorically in the heavenly glow of the spotlight.
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