Gorillaz announce
De La Soul & Little Dragon to support

 
In the most hotly anticipated tour this year, Chugg Entertainment today announces that in their first ever live appearance in Australia, Gorillaz will be supported by Long Island hip-hop impresarios, De La Soul, and Swedish electronic pop outfit, Little Dragon.

Currently in the midst of their string of North American dates, the world’s favourite ‘virtual band’ has been blowing the roof of venues night after night. The New York Times said of their Madison Square Gardens show “Mr. Albarn was back in rock-star mode, boyishly striding around the stage and acting something like a ringmaster with his many collaborators.”

And what a list of collaborators indeed! Confirmed in August, Gorillaz will be joined on stage by the likes of The Clash’s Mick Jones & Paul Simonon, Bobby Womack, Bootie Brown, Rosie Wilson, Kano, Bashy as well as De La Soul and Little Dragon. Now lucky fans will have the chance to see the latter two acts in their own spotlight appearances before Gorillaz take the stage.

De La Soul first broke out in the late 1980s with their debut album 3 Feet High And Rising, which was at the time hailed as the future of hip-hop and has since then become a genre defining masterpiece. In 2005, De La Soul collaborated with Gorillaz on the hit single "Feel Good Inc", which won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Collaboration after being nominated for a total of three Grammys. De La Soul returned as guests on the third Gorillaz studio album, Plastic Beach alongside Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys on the song "Superfast Jellyfish."

Scandinavian quartet, Little Dragon, meld an exciting whirlwind of offbeat indie hooks with crisp electronic beats. Led by Swedish-Japanese singer, Yukimi Nagano, Little Dragon features keyboardist Hakan Wirenstrand, bassist Fredrik Kallgren Wallin and drummer Erik Bodin. Both Bodin and Nagano have collaborated with Swedish alt-folkie Jose Gonzalez on percussion and vocals respectively.

In the ongoing tradition of Albarn’s long list of collaborators and special guests both in the studio and on the tour, Gorillaz recently released their brand new single Doncamatic, featuring the vocals of UK artist Daley, available to purchase in Australia from 19 November, followed on 26 November by a digital re-release of Plastic Beach including the single. Since it’s debut in early October on Zane Lowe’s UK BBC Radio 1 show, Doncamatic has topped music blogs the world over. The Age has called it a “a bleepy, captivating soul jam about the flawed power of memory and excess tied to twitchy sci-fi synths,” and already the catchy song has been added to radio on high rotation across the country.

As promised, Gorillaz’ live debut in Australia is most certain to be a night not to be missed.