Childish Gambino turned NYC's Little Island into Close Friends Island on Saturday night (July 6) for the live debut of his upcoming Bando Stone & The New World album, which will be his last under the artistic name.
Floating down the Hudson River and surrounded by grass and trees, Gambino gave lucky fans a break from the concrete jungle in the sweltering 90-degree heat and a chance to hear his highly anticipated LP for the first time.
Only 100 were expected to be invited, but it appears most were given a plus one as Chelsea's amphitheater was packed, while others were left to watch via the live stream shown in the park.
Gambino took center stage in a pair of chubbies, a yellow button down and a white snapback. He kicked things off just after 9 p.m. ET and showed love to Amaarae, who provided a smooth assist on the opening track, which dubbed as his favorite verse on the entire album.
The buzzer joked that the Bronx native would soon stop answering his texts as he makes his way to stardom and opening on Sabrina Carpenter's tour.
An unlikely guest appearance came from Chloe Bailey and her heavenly vocals on “Survivor”, while Kamassi Washington took over sax duties.
The first moment that stood out came when Childish Gambino sat next to Steve Lacy and Foushee, who were both in attendance, and performed their airy collaboration “Steph's Beach.”
“I'm into clowns,” Gambino recalled the “Bad Habit” singer telling him when he asked if he wanted to collaborate. Lacy and Foushee are no strangers, having previously collaborated on tracks like “Sunshine” and “Candy Grapes.”
Hearing Jorja Smith's piercing harmonies was a pleasant surprise on personal favorite 'Free the Night'. The heady track finds Bino testing the talented British singer and Amaarae.
“We made it a long time ago. I asked her to do it and she just ended up with a baby,” Glover revealed. Smith has never publicly confirmed that she had a child. He added: “He finished another part of the verse two days ago.”
Childish Gambino has made it clear with his final offering that he leaves no stone unturned and covers all aspects of his fans' palette. Sonics are important to the 40-year-old, and he had to check with the crew to see if the subwoofers were working before hitting play on the Flo Milli-assisted smash “Talk My S–t,” where he steps up. back and lets the alabama rhymer hit the tune.
While the “This Is America” rapper leans into a number of influences, rap is still a core passion for Gambino, who comes out on a blistering track with fiery rhymes targeting his critics. “White boy throwing dirt in my name for reasoning,” he whispers.
“Cruisin'” is a track that Gambino started in 2014 and called on Yeat to take it to the finish line. Other album cuts included another Foushee collaboration, “Running Away,” the “intense” dubstep “Got to Be” and the “very Euro” LP closer “Place Where Love Goes,” which sounds like something the Ye and Travis Scott. i cooked
He brought the 75-minute show to a fitting close and took the crowd into an intimate debut alongside his sultry Max Martin-produced single 'Lithonia' which arrived earlier in the week. Fans had already memorized most of the lyrics.
Bando Stone & The New World is a diverse exploration of Gambino's art, and the variety has something for every era of his fans. The project will be released on streaming services on July 19 and will serve as a soundtrack companion to the blockbuster, which remains without a release date.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/childish-gambino-close-friends-bando-stone-nyc-listening-recap-1235725847/
