Gorillaz - Skinny Ape (New Song) - San Francisco, Live, 9-21-22, Chase Center, 1st row. Damon: It's inspired in part by one of those... Amazon bots that walks down the road and delivers things. lol
Other Tidbits:
Damon Albarn (before El Mañana): San Francisco, or indeed the Bay Area, we've been here a few times.. It's kind of instrumental for us being here in a sense, because the first producer we worked with, Daniel's amazing (Dan the Automator), who's here, I don't know where he is (fans cheer).. And somebody else, who... I don't want to say anymore about that (Del the Funky Homosapien was to be a later surprise guest!).. But in a very big way, musicians from this place were a reason why we had such an amazing journey, whatever you want to call it, so it's very nice to be back here! Thank you!
"This is a new song. It's inspired in part by one of those... things that come out of Silicon Valley. The Amazon bot that walks down the road and delivers things. It's something that we haven't got in my little island, far away... yet. And I saw it first in Los Angeles and it inspired me to pen this tune.. It's a new song on our album."
During Kids With Guns, Damon came down to the rail and signed a fan's Gorillaz original album, which was really nice and fun to see. Damon then went into the GA Floor to be with the other fans and came out with a metallic rainbow officer's cap and flower-rimmed sunglasses, which he then wore for the next few songs, which was funny lol.
(Before Opium, wearing the rainbow cap and flower sunglasses for the piano intro) OK, I'll be honest... I did start off wanting to be Elton John. lol
The band and staff were great with the fans throughout the VIP soundcheck and the show. For example, Jeff Wootton and Seye Adelekan often leaned over to give out their guitar picks to the front row in between songs, Damon took a fan's phone mid-song and sang to it before tossing it back to him during Cracker Island, Jeff also came down to the rail after the end of the show to hand me a pick (it has a picture of Russel Hobbs) and gave the setlist to another first row fan. The fans were great as well, some made gifts for the band which we gave them at the soundcheck, others had homemade Gorillaz buttons, masks and gave them away to all the people who lined up early, etc. Many are going to both the SF and LA concerts. Great show!
Setlist:
1. M1 A1
2. Last Living Souls
3. Tranz
4. White Light
5. Tomorrow Comes Today
6. 19-2000
7. Rhinestone Eyes
8. Cracker Island
9. O Green World (Damon piano intro)
10. On Melancholy Hill
11. El Mañana
12. New Genious (Brother)
13. Empire Ants
14. Skinny Ape (World premiere)
15. Kids With Guns
16. Opium (with EARTHGANG)
17. Désolé (with Fatoumata Diawara)
Interlude: Elevator Going Up (Tape)
18. Andromeda (D.R.A.M Special vocal outro)
19. Dirty Harry (with Bootie Brown)
20. DARE
21. Feel Good Inc. (with Pos)
22. Momentary Bliss
Encore:
23. New Gold (with Bootie Brown)
24. Stylo (with Bootie Brown)
25. Rock the House (with Del the Funky Homosapien) (First time live since 2002 and first time live with Del)
26. Clint Eastwood (with Del the Funky Homosapien) (and Sweetie Irie, with "Ed Case/Sweetie Irie Re-fix" outro)
Soundcheck: Skinny Ape, Clint Eastwood, Rock the House
Lineup:
Gorillaz
EARTHGANG