in these Britney days where performers unapologetically lip-sync, use pre-recorded music, and rely on video to entertain their live crowd, the British pop group Gorillaz have added a new dimension to this miserable trend by refusing to show themselves at all.

Cowering behind a dirty sheet where a variety of art school images are projected from the front, the band’s colorfully lit shadows and silhouettes are barely seen from the rear. Almost acknowledging that this isnt enough eye candy, a video screen above the stage attempts to dazzle the crowd with animated bits from the group’s singles, as well as a miss-mosh of computer generated “art” and graphics.

The music seemed identical to the cd, which is a big mistake when you’re playing “live” but can not be seen.

People will think the whole thing is a rip off.

They will say things like, “rip-off, you ripped me off of $35.”

People will leave the place and think, “I just paid $35 to look at a sheet while they showed videos and played their cd.”

The scalpers outside, before the show were begging people to buy their extra tickets a reduced price, and now you know why.

The singer of Blur is behind this nonsense and that doesn’t surprise me, the Brits have been doing their best to ruin rock music ever since the Beatles, so what else is new? What’s next, an Oasis/Spice Girls supergroup with no microphones? Sign me up.

I’m just kidding, though, some of my favorite bands are from Britan. No, really.

I swear.

Anyways, the show blew. It was an interesting concept poorly produced leaving the public deciding that they actually do want to see the band, after all. No one thinks that the cartoon wrote the songs. Del the Funkyhomosapian raps on the single, for Pete sake. The whole thing is the worst kept secret in popular music, so keep the upper screen, but lose the gimmick. It’s bogus.

I did buy a longsleeve tshirt from a bootlegger in the parking lot for ten bucks, though.

it’s nice.