Only a band of Gorillaz' stature could have filled The O2 arena for two nights in a row for the first time in over 500 days. It also takes a special kind of show to pull off a 31-song setlist without swathes of spectators leaving halfway through the performance.

Gorillaz achieve both partly due to frontman Damon Albarn’s creative genius and his endless ability to create new genre concoctions. It could also be attributed to the incredible lineup of artists that join him on stage throughout the evening and kept fans dancing and cheering for more than three hours.

Starting with M1A1, followed by an airy collaboration with The Cure’s Robert Smith for 'Strange Timez', the show’s atmosphere quickly starts to build up. New Order’s Peter Hook joins the stage for 'Aries' and Popcaan sparks a craze during 'Saturn Barz'.

Gorillaz’ earlier tunes like 'Tomorrow Comes Today', 'Rhinestone Eyes' and 'Every Planet We Reach Is Dead' are also popular among fans, whose ages ranged from late teens to late fifties.

Little Simz' onstage presence during 'Garage Palace' is incomparable: it's a well-known fact that she has been one of Britain’s most promising acts for a while, but tonight's appearance cements her status as a hip-hop powerhouse. Later, she joins Albarn in an eagerly-awaited rendition of Gorillaz classic 'Clint Eastwood', causing frenzy with her impassioned freestyle addition.

The hypnotising on-screen animations featuring Gorillaz virtual members 2–D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs complement the festival-like feel of the show, that later turned into an impromptu carnival during the debut of Meanwhile and De Ja Vu, which feature Mangrove Steel Pans, as people wave flags from different countries circled the stage.

A powerful version of 'Momentary Bliss' featuring slowthai and Slaves ensues in chaos as the punk duo dove into the crowd. Other stunning appearances include Fatoumata Diawara’s mighty voice during 'Désolé', the magnetic 'EARTHGANG' during Opium and Stylo, Pos from De La Soul in 'Feel Good', and Shaun Ryder and Rowetta who came out for 'DARE'.

All in all, the immense show felt like a more than appropriate welcome back to pre-pandemic-style live shows. As Albarn put it: “It’s such a joy to be back.”