Multidisciplinary artist Donald Glover recently brought his latest and last hip hop show to DC at a sold-out Capital One Arena for his New World Order Tour, in support of his final album under the rap moniker Childish Gambino, Bando Stone and the New World. The musician, director, writer, actor, and comedian has continuously found ways to build entire worlds around his work from TV show’s like “Atlanta” and “Swarm,” and movies like “Guava Island” but especially with his music, and his DC date was no exception.
Glover’s 2013 cult classic album Because the Internet released with a prequel YouTube short film and a full screen play script for the nerds to deep dive into and read along with as they listened to the album. Bando Stone is no different, as Glover has said the album is the soundtrack for an upcoming film of the same name that currently only exists as a trailer and a few interludes at the end of songs on the album, as there is no release date set for it. At Capital One Arena on August 29, the live show added another layer to the world of Bando Stone while also celebrating the 15-year run of the artist formerly known as Childish Gambino.
After a cool, jazzy opening set from Willow Smith and her band, the arena fell dark as loud crashing and humming sounds played out while lights spun and flickered on and off as smoke pumped all around the stages for several minutes. Gambino appeared on a small stage at the back of the arena wearing a black light-up leather space suit as an announcement welcomed everyone to The New World Tour. He sang the new album’s intro, “H3@RT$ W3RE M3@NT TO F7¥” from inside the space helmet while red lights and lasers shot out from behind him in all directions. Glover snatched off the helmet and tossed it to the ground as the song ended. He took a long pause and glared around the room before shouting “What’s Up DC?!” into the microphone, people screamed at the top of their lungs in response as he headed off stage into the standing room only crowd.
Gambino gave high fives, signed a few autographs and talked to the crowd thanking everyone for selling the place out while being rushed through the hundreds of fans by security. He put on his glasses and picked out his hair as he climbed the steps to the main stage and let everyone know that the tour is for the real fans and that they were in for a good time.
Gambino and his band started the show back up with “Survive” from Bando Stone, then followed it up with ”The Worst Guys” a fan-favorite from his 2013 Because the Internet album. He lost the top half of his space suit as he u-turned right back to Bando performing several songs from the album back to back such as “Talk My Shit” and “In The Night.” He took time out to let everyone know that now was the time to move before dropping “Got To Be” and sending the place into a frenzy. I could literally feel the floor bouncing as everyone jumped up and down in unison. Bino covered every section of the massive stage as he ran back and forth jumping and dancing as he dripped with sweat performing. He let everyone catch their breath somewhat by following up with the rap heavy “Yoshinoya” before mixing things up and getting people dancing again with his feature on KAYTRANADA’s “Witchy” and “To Be Hunted” from his other album from earlier this year “Atavista.”
Check out Childish Gambino’s “final” album, “Bando Stone and the New World,” on Spotify:
All throughout the show lights flashed and shined, while lasers of every color shot back and forth across the arena like the greatest rave you’ve ever stepped into. The incredible production and visuals were a show all their own through the entire night. Overhead at the front of the catwalk was a giant chandelier-like structure that Glover announced on his Instagram as “the Light-Binder.” The structure raised and lower above the stage throughout the entire show, changing shape and colors as its lights danced to the music. It even projected Glover’s face as he performed “Cruisin’” as a hooded Yeat, who is featured on the record appeared on the screens like Darth Sideous making a call in Star Wars. The screens also followed along and presented the lyrics to some of the songs as Gambino performed — so even the first-timers could rap and sing along.
Childish Gambino started to jump around his discography toward the middle of the set with songs like 2018’s hit “Feels Like Summer” and “Crawl,” another favorite from Because The Internet, followed by “Human Sacrifice” from Atavista before setting Capital One on fire with “A Place Where Love Goes,” accompanied by an insane rainbow laser show. Donald disappeared backstage before popping up on the screens and letting us know this was the intermission. The band played “No Excuses” while Bino talked to the crowd, letting everyone know that now is the time to take that edible or light that joint because things were only gonna get crazier from here.
Donald talked about how DC has always felt like a second home whenever he’s come into town and how his family is originally from Virginia as he once again donned his space suit and headed back out to the stage. A guy in the space suit that we all thought was Gambino walked out on to the main stage and sat down on a stool in front of the band as they wrapped up a song before the lights and lasers all suddenly kicked on at the small stage at the back of the arena, revealing the actual Childish Gambino was there all along. People on the floor level turned around and took off running to the small stage as he started to sing “Me and Your Mama” from his 2016 psychedelic funk album Awaken, My Love! At the song’s end, security rushed him back through the crowd to the main stage again and the bouncing started again as the beat dropped on his massive 2018 hit, “This Is America.”
Donald went old school from this point on saying, “This is when we find out who the real fans are,” before getting into mixtape records like 2011’s “Do Ya Like” and 2014’s hit “Sober.” He followed those up with “Bonfire,” “Les,” and “Heartbeat” from his very first full-length album, Camp, and unexpectedly performed “Freaks and Geeks,” the first single he ever released. Bino himself said he probably hadn’t performed the record in 13 years before this tour. “The Library” — the intro to Because the Internet — played before Gambino went into a series of records from the album including, “Zealots of Stockholm” and its lead single “3005.” That song is still burned into my brain word for word from my days working the floor at Foot Locker. He let the crowd choose the next song from the album, as we had to cheer for either “Urn” or “Telegraph Ave.,” with Telegraph taking the win just barely.
The lights and fog billowed out from behind Gambino forming into a giant rainbow fog creating his silhouette as the band started to play “Redbone” from Awaken, My Love! He stepped out of the fog and sang the song as he slowly walked up the catwalk to the front of the stage. He finished the night off with “Letter Home” from his Camp album before thanking everyone one last time and heading off stage. “Real Love” started to play as video game style credits began rolling on all the screens, giving the band any everyone backstage their time to shine.
As the credits ended “Lithonia?” was typed on the screens before Childish headed back out onto the stage and performing the rock n’ roll styled single from Bando Stone as his encore. He humbly ended the night the same way he started it, going from side to side on the stage thanking people for coming out, shaking hands and signing a few autographs.
Watch the newest music video from Childish Gambino, “Lithonia,” on YouTube:
Bando Stone closes the Childish Gambino chapter of Donald Glover’s career but The New World Tour opens things up to a whole new level for what he’s capable of creating, as well as checks another one of my favorite artists off of my bucket list. Even if you aren’t a fan of Glover’s music, I guarantee you’ll leave this show as one. It is without a doubt the best show I’ve been to this year, and I don’t see any one topping it.
The New World Tour runs through the USA and Canada until early October before heading over to Europe for the remained of the year and Australia early 2025.
If you have the chance to go see it live, DO IT. You won’t regret it.
Below are some more photos from Childish Gambino’s performance at Capital One Arena on August 29, 2024, as well as Willow Smiths performance. All photos copyright and courtesy of AJ Waugh (wauffleznotwaffles.com).
