Gorillaz Energize Belfast’s SSE Arena Debut with ‘The Mountain’ Performance
Gorillaz delivered their first Belfast show at the SSE Arena with a bold, forward-looking set. The band opened directly with new material, immediately setting an intense tone.
Opening night and early set
Argentine rapper Trueno supported the bill. Belfast audiences embraced him with unusually enthusiastic applause.
The band hit the stage at 20:45. A vast screen introduced each animated character as the crowd roared.
- The Mountain
- The Happy Dictator
- Tranz
An instrumental labelled “Interlude: Dark Pop” followed. The group then mixed in early tracks like Tomorrow Comes Today, Re-Hash and 19-2000.
Guest turns and standout moments
IDLES frontman Joe Talbot joined for The God of Lying. He opened with the line, “Damon Albarn as I live and breathe.”
That led into The Moon Cave and El Mañana. An “Intro: Madam” interlude then prepared the audience for On Melancholy Hill.
Damon Albarn told the crowd he had “always dreamt of coming back to Belfast.” The remark drew a warm response.
New material and emotional weight
Much of the recent music explored themes of loss and reflection. The mood was often introspective rather than bleak.
Numbers such as The Empty Dream Machine and Delirium moved the set along. Andromeda helped lift the energy before a high point.
Collaborations and highlights
Stylo featured a return by Yasiin Bey. Damascus followed, with a Mark E. Smith-style intro into Yasiin Bey’s part.
Dirty Harry included a guest spot from Bootie Brown and produced a major reaction. The Shadowy Light created the concert’s most emotional passage.
Phones lit up across the arena while the band and audience shared a quiet, powerful moment. The Sad God closed the main set, keeping the focus on newer material.
Encore and closing energy
The encore began with The Hardest Thing, which flowed into Orange County featuring Kara Jackson. The transition felt natural and moving.
Trueno returned for The Manifesto, maintaining the collaborative spirit. Pos from De La Soul then appeared for Feel Good Inc., prompting the loudest cheer.
The show concluded with Clint Eastwood, and the audience energy rose again. Overall, the band emphasized progress over nostalgia.
Photos: Luke Dyson / Filmogaz.com
