Gorillaz: The Mountain Tour

About This Event

Damon Albarn's cartoon band doesn't tour the U.S. often, so a United Center stop is worth planning around even if you missed the last go-round — Little Simz and Deltron 3030 open, which means the undercard alone would sell tickets on a normal night.

Gorillaz started as a joke about pop culture that turned into one of the best-selling virtual acts ever. Albarn (already famous as Blur's frontman) and comic artist Jamie Hewlett were sharing a London flat in 1997, watching MTV, and came up with a 'virtual band' as commentary on how vapid mainstream pop had gotten. The four animated members — 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel — got a real album behind them in 1998-2000, recorded partly at Albarn's own London studio and partly in Jamaica, and the joke became a genuine, decades-spanning act that still headlines arenas.

Worth knowing: doors and set times aren't the same as showtime — 7:30 PM is when the show itself starts, and tickets run from $79. Check unitedcenter.com for exact seating and pricing.