The charity gig held on 10th August 2021 supported and thanked the nation’s NHS workers who have worked hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the middle of the concert, ticket-holders were treated to live redemptions of the three new collaborative songs. The ‘Clint Eastwood’ performers teamed up with rapper and singer Jelani Blackman on track ‘Meanwhile’, Alicia Harley on the song ‘De Ja Vu’ and finally the British hitmakers joined forces with multi-talented British artist AJ Tracy on brand new track ‘Jimmy Jimmy’

The group took to their Instagram to post photos of the event and their collaborative performances.

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The triumphant event boasted an impressive setlist of 32 songs, the band also shared the stage with various other special guests. Some of music’s most respected and popular artists joined the band to entertain and thank the audience of NHS staff and their families. The Cure’s frontman and pop culture figure Robert Smith joined the group to perform a version of ‘Strange Timez’, a track which Smith featured on from the group’s seventh studio album ‘Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez’, the single was released on 9th September 2020.

Other artists who joined Gorillaz on The O2 stage included rapper Posdunos member of legendary hip-hop group De La Soul, Popcaan, Leee John, actress and singer Fatoumata Diawara, Happy Monday’s members Shaun Ryder and Rowetta, EARTHGANG, Little Simz, singer and DJ Sweetie Irie, Slowthai and Slaves who previously worked together with Gorillaz on track ‘Momentary Bliss’. The group were also joined by a member of another iconic and pioneering group within the dance and electro music genre, Peter Hook from New Order paired with the band in celebrating the healthcare key workers.

The charitable event marked the victorious return for Gorillaz, the group had not helmed a live performance since October 2018. The band have been a staple of the countries’ radio play since their first hit ‘Clint Eastwood‘ released on 5th March 2001. The single reached number four within the UK Singles charts and propelled the virtual band into popularity. The group was formed by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, the musician and artist who created the individualistic group which features a mix of animated and non-animated band members.

Damon has spoken to NME regarding the group’s new music, within the interview the musician also hinted that he has been discussing reuniting iconic Brit-pop band Blur, in which he started his musical career. In the interview Albarn revealed the virtual band’s new album’s sound, the singer also teased that the group’s new material will be a throwback to Gorillaz’s debut album ‘Gorillaz’ released in 2001. “Since then I’ve been working on carnival-themed music with Gorillaz with a lot of people from west London, We’re really going back to the spirit of the first record.”

Albarn continued to discuss the new album, whilst comparing the musical process to that taken whilst recording his second solo album ‘The Nearer The Fountain, the More Pure the stream Flows’. “It’s really exciting and we’ve been really enjoying it. It’s a nice kind of counter-balance to ‘The Nearer The Fountain…’, really. I’ve definitely needed a dose of something else after I finished that record. Steel pan drums and Casio MT-40s were always going to be a good cure.”

Although the group has completed both of their London O2 performances, Gorillaz has one more UK appearance this month at the Cornwall festival, Boardmasters, on 14th August 2021.  After their last UK appearance, the group is set to hit the road on their European tour which starts on 29th August 2021 in the Netherlands. UK fans may have missed the band’s August UK dates, but fans can get excited about the new tracks’ possible release with new material being performed live.

With the government announcement today that much more of the UK is being placed into tier 4 tomorrow and with covid cases soaring, the whole country is being encouraged to stay at home this New Years Eve so what better way to spend the night than with a night of viral youtubers, comedians and performances from the likes of Dua Lipa and Aitch and AJ Tracy who have taken 2020 by storm despite the global pandemic.

The event is set to be a big hit with the comments feed already buzzing with excited fans of youtubers and performers alike who are set to draw a crowd, especially amongst the younger generation who may feel more at home with an event streamed on youtube than with the relatively outdated television options. It is hard to imaging fans of Dua Lipa, Aitch and AJ Tracy tuning in to Jools Holland for their New Years Eve in isolation.

Dua Lipa has taken 2020 by storm with her second album ‘Future Nostalgia,’ which should would have spent the year touring to promote if it hadn’t taken such a turn for the apocalyptic. Likewise, Aitch and AJ Tracy made some serious waves when ‘Rain,’ came out early this year and have taken a difficult year in their strides. Where all of the big artists of 2020 have got it right is by adapting to the lack of in person events by keeping up a strong online presence.

The rap scene is obviously no stranger to building an online audience, with the GRM Daily Youtube channel providing a platform for many new artists in a way which is very different to the traditional ways of delivering live performance. Yet with many of us these days living much of our lives through computer screens, for better or for worse, it is inevitable that our music will begin to be delivered in that way too. It was not until the pandemic struck, perhaps, that many of us realise quite how much of our culture is consumed online these days.

Someone like Dua Lipa of course is a slightly different story to Aitch and AJ Tracy, as an established artist who came to fame through relatively traditional means, live performance, specifically arena tours across the world, were an essential part of her business. However, she has adapted remarkably well to the pandemic, releasing music videos for more singles from her album on Youtube, collaborating with other musicians on tracks like ‘Fever,’ and even performing her own live streamed extravaganza Studio 2054. I’m sure many of us right now would be happy to be transported 20 years from now into a time where covid is a word only for the history books.