Gorillaz were joined by an all-star ensemble as they hit the stage on Tuesday night for a one-off gig for NHS staff.

The show, which was staged at London’s The O2 arena, was put together to thanks medical workers and their families for their hard work on the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Audience members were in for a treat, as not only did they get a mammoth 32-song set from the Damon Albarn-fronted group, they were also joined by a cohort of surprise guests. 

New Order‘s Peter Hook, The Cure frontman Robert Smith, Leee John, Popcaan, Fatoumata Diawara, Shaun Ryder and Rowetta, slowthai and Slaves, De La Soul‘s Posdunos, EARTHGANG, Little Smiz and Sweetie Irie all joined the band on stage for performances throughout the evening. 

Meanwhile, Jelani Blackman, Alicai Harley and AJ Tracey were also in attendance, and appeared mid-way through the show to debut new collaborations with the group. 

The show was the first concert in front of a live audience Gorillaz have played since October 2018.

While Blur star Damon has teased new music from the group will see them “going back to the spirit of their first record”, 2001’s self-titled debut, he’s also gearing to release his second solo LP, ‘The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows’.

Originally intended as an orchestral piece inspired by the landscapes of Iceland, the LP saw the star return to the studio during lockdown and revisit the 11 tracks, which “explore themes of fragility, loss, emergence and rebirth”.

‘The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows’ is available to pre-order on CD, vinyl and cassette now.