The Gorillaz’ last album, Humanz, may have been an unusual, futuristic slice of post-apocalypse techno, but the cartoon brainchild of Damon Albarn is taking a different direction for its Demon Dayz Festival in Los Angeles this fall. The lineup, released today, reveals a very urban-leaning, R&B-heavy lineup headlined by neo-soul goddess Erykah Badu and including LA funk-soul band The Internet, Virginian crooner-rapper DRAM, and British MC Little Simz.
While recurrent Albarn collaborator Vince Staples is absent from the lineup at present, Staples’ own frequent collaborator, Brooklyn singer Kilo Kish, has been included, with Chilean-French musician Ana Tijoux and Nigerian drummer Tony Allen rounding out the top of the roster. Supporting acts will include Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, an eight-piece, Chicago-based brass band made up of eight brothers, sons of jazz trumpeter Phil Cohran, East Los Angeles Chicano band Las Cafeteras, and Chulita Vinyl Club, female DJ collective specializing in genres ranging from sixties girl-groups to latino punk to dancehall reggae.
The festival is set to take place Saturday, October 20, 2018 at Pico Rivera Sports Arena in Los Angeles, CA, with two stages of music modeled after the Gorillaz’ animated universe. Tickets go on sale this Friday, June 8 at 10 AM. You can purchase them and find more information here.