Childish Gambino review: A religious experience with Saint Donald

As stage entrances go, Donald Glover — aka Childish Gambino — certainly achieved a dramatic one last night at the O2 Arena.

After an extended, ethereal light show, Glover appeared silently from pitch darkness on a hexagonal podium at the end of a runway, frozen and enveloped in an intense beam of light.

The saint-like aura proved an apt image for his later plea: “Put your phones away, this is church!” His congregation duly obliged as they worshipped him during Algorhythm, Glover commanding the religious connotations of the song powerfully from the offset.

The audience had waited some time for the moment after last year’s tour was postponed for a lengthy period due to injury. With Glover also confirming this would be his last tour, anticipation turned to poignant reflection when many realised this could be the last time they see his alter-ego live.

He was confident throughout, blending rap, jazz, funk and soul, the traditional and the experimental, dexterously. The funk of the bridge in Boogieman was a popular highlight, as was the trippy psychedelic jazz of Have Some Love and fan-favourite Sober. A new untitled song was well-received amid a curious tease for a forthcoming album, which seemingly will explore spirituality further.

There was silence when he performed a capella among the crowd and awe during his high falsetto and furiously quick rapping style.

The encore was preceded by his game-changing 2018 hit This Is America. Dancers performed the song’s popular routine, choreographed by Sherrie Silver, to much excitement. Glover’s plea to “bounce” worked — every level obliged.

He danced often, his unique style of contorted, subversive moves as fascinating as the show’s slick visuals. Glover connected with his audience well too, taking time to remember the victims of Grenfell and empathising with Brexit divisions: “I really feel what you’re going through.”

“If you’d have told me years ago when I did a small little show here in London that I’d be filling up the O2 one day I’d tell you, ‘You were f****** crazy’,” Glover said, visibly moved.

Performances like this don’t come around too often: his audience can only hope he will decide to return to his church and congregation soon.