Gorillaz lead an electric Fort Worth pilgrimage up ‘The Mountain’

On a brisk Friday evening at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, the virtual band Gorillaz offered a concert experience that transcended a conventional rock show. Frontman Damon Albarn, shedding his usual animated persona, appeared clad in attire reminiscent of revolutionary iconography, signaling a thematic depth to their performance on The Mountain Tour.

This tour highlights the band’s latest album, The Mountain, released in 2024, which follows 2023’s Cracker Island. The creative direction of The Mountain was profoundly shaped by personal loss, as Albarn and co-creator Jamie Hewlett both endured the passing of their fathers. Their journey to India became a wellspring for the album’s instrumentation and aesthetic, incorporating traditional instruments like the bansuri flute, tabla, sitar, and sarod, elements that found vivid expression during the live show.

The evening began with a concise opening from Deltron 3030, whose cyberpunk hip-hop set underscored the event with prophetic dystopian themes dating back to their 2000 debut. Their teaser of a forthcoming album slated for 2027, featuring a track with Ben Gibbard’s vocals, hinted at an ongoing futuristic narrative that resonated with the crowd.

Next, British rapper Little Simz delivered a dynamic 40-minute set that blended poetic lyricism with robust rock influences. Her commanding stage presence quickly engaged the audience, turning initial unfamiliarity into enthusiastic participation, particularly during her 2019 song "Selfish," which emerged as a highlight.

When Gorillaz took the stage, the atmosphere shifted into a multisensory experience. The concert opened with visuals that nodded to Jamie Hewlett’s artistic universe, drawing the audience into a world where animation and live performance coalesced. Large screens depicted the band’s four animated characters—2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel—exploring an animated India, evoking imagery that recalled both The Jungle Book and Studio Ghibli’s stylistic storytelling.

Musically, Albarn was supported by a large ensemble reminiscent of a rock orchestra, delivering arrangements that married the band’s eclectic past with the introspective mood of their recent material. Despite the size and complexity of the setup, Albarn maintained an understated stage presence, often interacting closely with fans by moving into the crowd to sign autographs and pose for photos, amplifying the sense of communal intimacy.

Setlist selections spanned the band’s extensive catalogue, from early hits to new compositions. Notable moments included "Last Living Souls," which invited reflection on existential themes, and "Delirium," transformed into a live chant with ritualistic energy. The performance of "Kids With Guns" was paired with evocative visual art, reinforcing the band’s history of socially conscious messaging. Collaborations on stage, such as Bootie Brown’s contribution to "Stylo," injected a kinetic vibrancy into the evening.

A particularly poignant segment came with "The Sad God," where Albarn’s vocal delivery took on a mournful, crooning tone, encapsulating the album’s underlying themes of grief and acceptance. The show’s political undertones surfaced periodically, with Albarn explicitly emphasizing the importance of civic engagement to the audience.

The concert closed with an encore that revisited classic tracks, including a heartfelt rendition of Bobby Womack’s "Cloud of Unknowing" and the band’s breakthrough hit "Clint Eastwood." These closing numbers served as a bridge between past and present, reinforcing Gorillaz’s enduring relevance and their ability to connect diverse musical eras.

According to dallasobserver.com, the Fort Worth performance exemplified how Gorillaz continues to innovate within the live music landscape, merging animation, global musical influences, and thematic complexity. The Mountain Tour stands as an invitation to audiences to engage not only with the band’s music but also with a broader cultural and emotional journey.

While details on subsequent tour stops remain limited, the Fort Worth concert demonstrated that Gorillaz’s evolving artistry remains compelling and deeply human, despite their virtual origins. This fusion of grief, celebration, and revolution presented on stage reaffirms their position as one of today’s most imaginative live acts.