Gorillaz Website 2006: A Night to Remember

Unfortunately, the screen visuals were on the fritz on night one of Gorillaz's run at New York's Apollo Theatre, as co-creator Damon Albarn announced when apologizing for the technical glitches that delayed the show for almost an hour. But despite this setback, the British virtual band managed to create a killer experience for their sold-out opening night crowd.

As the lights went down, two muppets, presumably in tribute to the two old men from 'The Muppet Show,' appeared on stage, providing a hilarious monologue at the top of the show. They would spontaneously pop up throughout the concert when the grooves got extra nasty, adding an element of surprise and fun to the performance.

But that was not all - Gorillaz also hired Jim Henson's Creature Shop to create muppets of 'band members' 2-D and Murdoc (fellow band members Noodle and Russel, unfortunately, were conspicuous in their absence). These muppets were accompanied by a half-dozen large screens, with the center one meant to project the outstanding animation of co-creator Jamie Hewlett.

As for how they would pull off showcasing a cartoon band on the stage of the most famous theater in the country, Gorillaz did not disappoint. They used a combination of holograms and screens to bring their virtual world to life, with actual human musical accompaniment veiled behind sheets at times. It was a truly unique experience that had the crowd mesmerized from start to finish.

The first night of a multi-date stand can either be a rousing success or a total train wreck. But Gorillaz's debut performance at the Apollo Theatre was definitely a hit, and we can't wait to see what they have in store for their remaining shows.

Gorillaz website 2006