Gorillaz

[Ashaz42]

Argh. Major disappointment. Would much rather have seen Flaming Lips.

[cejx]

I thought they were rubbish. Left stage early. Damon had lost the crowd, and if he'd had any sense he'd have chucked some kind of Gorillaz inspired U2 track in there... unless they did when I'd left....

[Kowalski]

This has been done to death now, but the majority opinion, and this is no slant against those who did like them, is that is was a self-indulgent load of shit and not worthy of a headline gig at Glasto....nuff said

[Tomska]

I thought they were pretty good. Not really friday Pyramid headliner material (too melancholy), but what are you gonna do with a couple of weeks' notice?

Tunes were tight, graphics were good, guests did well. More interaction would have helped, seeing as they've dropped the cartoon band thing. And yeah, Albarn is a bit of a knob, albeit a talented one.

But I thought they did pretty well, considering.

[Badlands]

I'd forgotten that they repeated the orchestral intro..... I was fair blootered

While it may have only been a minor part of the gig, I think the omittance of Mos Def due to family illness may have shifted some peoples perceptions of the gig, when I watched the Roundhouse shows on MTV his Sweepstake section was my favourite part. I think that would have appeased some of the floaters that were there.

Was gutted he wasn't on at Jazz Holts as well!!

[Bort]

I tried to warn everyone rejoicing over the loss of U2 that their Coachella set was extremely divisive as well. Did anyone listen? Nope.

[Thodol]

I really love the Gorillaz, all three of their albums. I was disappointed by this set though.

A few comments:

• Anyone else reckon M1A1 would have been a good opener?

• Was it just me, or did it seem really quiet? I was 30m from the stage, and could hear my phone go off every time I got a text.

• The massive gaps between songs dampened any crowd excitement.

• I can’t figure out how I feel about Clint Eastwood – my favourite parts of the track were replaced by Snoop Dogg’s lyrics, but on the other hand, I do love a bit of live alteration.

• Where I was standing, there was no crowd vibe at all – everyone seemed f**king bored tbh. I felt at the time I would probably be more into it if I had their CD on at full blast.

In summary, it was worth watching, but not fast paced, or popular, or crowd-moving enough to be comparable to the other headline acts. I don't like Muse much, but they give 110% and really pull off an amazing show...

[thesecretingredientiscrime]

I thought it was incredible. A set perfect for Glasto and Pyramid, a real artistic experience.

[Ashaz42]

Also, what the hell was with the 15 minute bangra/bongo solo halfway through the set. That was a pile of bollocks which nobody near me enjoyed.

[Edi M]

Loved them, especially Mark E Smith.

Can appreciate others might not.

Good job it was Glasto and there was plenty of alternatives on offer.

[budvar]

33 of the 57 people who have given their ratings on the scoresheet have given Gorillaz a score - suggesting they were indeed the choice of eFests users on Friday. I'm guessing a few of them might have left though because the average score is currently 5.6 out of 10, which is a lot lower than the average. Sorry Damon...

Too add your scores to the scoresheet:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dERMVFlYeEJxNVF1WVVfN0lyMGFDMVE6MQ - Artists A - SO

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dDdxRFp3TGdlLTFiQVhvNl9SZkZQdlE6MQ#gid=0 - Artists SO - Z

Results next week, including 'efests act of the festival'!

[Strummer74]

Was AMAZING!

You will never ever see again

half the Clash

De La Soul

Little Dragon

Shaun Ryder

Snoop Dogg

LOU REED

MARK E bloody SMITH

and of course Damon all in the one set on the one stage.

Do your homework kids!

Almost forgot Sir Bobby Womack

Edited July 2, 2010 by Strummer74

[torquayjim]

They were crap . Left after 3 songs in the mass exodus . Went to see Bootleg Beatles . Have never seen so many people leaving the pyramid stage before while an acts on .

[Kowalski]

Drowned in Sound review sums things up pretty well for me:

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4140419-glastonbury-friday---the-dis-review?ticker

Except, as we all walk/float down the hill, there’s still the matter of Gorillaz. Things don’t start well when Snoop Dogg doesn’t appear for opening track ‘Welcome To The Plastic Beach,’ the disappointment in the crowd is palpable, and as things progress you feel it’s not wholly improving. Damon Albarn’s playing front man far more than he should be having to, strutting up and down the same boards he did so euphorically twelve months previous; but this time round his group are supposed to be behind the music and not in front. It’s a sign that, for all the excitement surrounding the tonight’s many collaborators, not many of the Pyramid Stage crowd know how the songs they collaborate on actually go. An expected passive physical presence becomes very much Damon vs. the crowd as he begs and implores them to get on side. It’s a shame, because Gorillaz performance isn’t actually bad, I think it says more about the increasing reliance for a Glastonbury headliner to have hit singles so that the sushi eating part of the crowd that won’t leave this stage all weekend (and who you can find sitting in fold up chairs right up to the second barrier,) can sing along. Gorillaz have five or six of these, and they do go down well - the supreme Bobby Womack brings ‘Stylo’ to life whilst De La Soul make a strong claim for collaborators of the set on both ’Feel Good Inc.’ and ‘Superfast Jellyfish.’ It’s the hip-hop artists that impress overall, Bootie Collins fills Mos Def’s shoes with aplomb, and Bashy and Kano make the most of their window on ‘White Flag.’ The rock luminaries? Well, Lou Reed shuffles on, making Bono’s excuse not to play this weekend look flimsy, whilst even Mark E. Smith looks just lost, rather than lost in his own head - though he still finds time to fiddle with Paul Simonen’s amp. It’s evident that the lack of great fanfare that Reed, in particular, was expecting has knocked them a bit, and all the while Albarn’s looking more and more concerned until he snaps and finds himself begging for the crowd to sing along to album track ‘To Binge.’ Snoop Dogg’s eventual late show on ’Clint Eastwood’ saves a day that shouldn’t need saving. Gorillaz have the quality of tunes and profile collaborators on show, but they meet a spoon feed reliant audience that don’t know enough of the former, and as confidence starts to ebb from the usually defiant Albarn, those chanting lyrics to ‘Parklife’ become ever louder…

[LondonTom]

Drowned in Sound review sums things up pretty well for me:

http://drownedinsound.com/in_depth/4140419-glastonbury-friday---the-dis-review?ticker

[dominofive]

The above review summed it up perfectly for me

For me, what a lot of people have overlooked is that Gorillaz have never been a massive band in the UK, they made their name and sold their records primarily in the US.

Sure they're big over here, but not on the same scale. And when Plastic Beach was released to critical acclaim, they were announced as Coachella headliners and everyone just accepted they must be huge over here too. Problem is I dont think they are a singles band and definatley havent crossed to the British mainstream with their new album, which contains less obvious singles than the last 2

What they did bring was a set packed not only with a variety of terrefic performances (both guest vocal and otherwise) but a set the crowd were not prepared for. Of course they played mostly new album stuff, but they also played their previous singles (except 19-2000) it just seemed to me that the crowd were expecting a set packed with DARE, Dirty Harry, Feel Good Inc, Kids With Guns (all of which they played near the end btw) type dancy party tracks, when the new album provides a different (but just as rewarding) listen. Its infused with rap much heavier than the earlier albums, and is a package which refuses to be pigeon holed or categorised into one HMV style genre.

Most people criticising them on here seem to have left before the end, due to the lack of "big" songs. Big mistake in my opinion, you missed exactly what you came to see as the set descended more into a party as the night wore and the old hits came out.

But to be fair if you're going to watch a headliner and they only had 3 albums you'd think you'd familiarise yourself with their work, especially there most recent.

I would say pretty confidently that if you enjoyed Plastic Beach, then you would have definatley enjoyed this gig

[dominofive]

Yes it was the audiences fault and not gorillaz....what a completely ignorant review. You can't expect at any festival to be playing to your fans and thats precisely what Gorillaz done, as good they was technically and may have been for a gig.

[hairofthedog]

I've never really got the Goriilaz, I think theres a touch of "the emperor's new clothes" about them, but I thought i'd give them a go.

I stayed an hour.

Rubbish.

[Kowalski]

Go on then mate, what should they have done/played to appease the "non-fans" thast they didnt

I'm really not having a go I just want to know what you (or others with the same critisism) would have played/wouldnt

Here's a set list to help you out

‘Orchestra Intro’ – Seemed a bit unusual for Glastonbury, but it sounded good

‘Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach’

‘Last Living Souls’

‘O Green World’

‘Kids With Guns’

‘On Melancholy Hill’

‘Rhinestone Eyes’

‘Broken’

‘Empire Ants’ – Featured Little Dragon

‘Dirty Harry’ – I like the tune, but where has the rapper gone?

‘White Flag’ – Featured the Syrian National Orchestra and Kano & Bashy

‘Superfast Jellyfish’ – ft De La Soul

‘Dare’ – ft Shaun Ryder

‘Glitter Freeze’ – ft Mark E Smith

‘Some Kind Of Nature’ – ft Lou Reed

‘El Mañana’ –

‘Cloud Of Unknowing’ – ft Bobby Womack’s

‘Pirate Jet’ –

‘To Binge’ – ft Little Dragon

‘Fire Coming Out of Monkey’s Head’ Tribute to Dennis Hopper

‘Feel Good Inc’ – ft De La Soul once again

'Cllint Eastwood’ – (with Snoop Dogg)

Edited July 2, 2010 by Kowalski

[Vieuphoria]

i do blame the audience. just my thought.

[dominofive]

As a fan, the set list was great and perfectly pitched, but M1A1, Hong Kong and Tomorrow Comes Today would have been nice.

The last four songs in the above list were the highlight of the set. To Binge was beautiful!

[alex17]

i really can't believe people are moaning, if you're not a fan of Gorillaz or not familiar with the new album why go see them?

There were plenty of other options!

I thought they were excellent, they are Gorillaz and they played Gorillaz songs really well and there were some great surprise guests.. if you want a singalong go to the effing V festival!

[Bort]

As a fan, the set list was great and perfectly pitched, but M1A1, Hong Kong and Tomorrow Comes Today would have been nice.

The last four songs in the above list were the highlight of the set. To Binge was beautiful!

[Kowalski]

Yeah I'm going to check out Little Dragon, cheers!

[fowls]

i do blame the audience. just my thought.

Edited July 3, 2010 by fowls