The Childish Gambino moment that drove Melbourne fans wild

Childish Gambino blew Melbourne fans’ minds with this audacious stunt as he strolled from the spotlight and appeared somewhere very unexpected at Rod Laver Arena. It wasn’t the only moment that wowed concertgoers last night.

For a genre-defying, boundary-crossing star, Childish Gambino wears his artistic freedom with amazing grace.

This was evident when Gambino, tracked by a camera, strolled casually from the spotlight, through a labyrinth under the stage, up a flight of stairs, past bars and food stands, and into a delighted throng near door 20, to dish up a lesson in old school showmanship.

Childish Gambino, the actor-rapper-singer-writer born Donald Glover, was four songs into his set at a capacity filled Rod Laver Arena when he pulled off that audacious stunt.

By then, he’d already rapped, executed a wicked falsetto, rocked out, dropped some trap music, and fired off lasers.

Then suddenly, there he was, deep in the crowd, leading his flawless band though a soulful instrumental, then flipping into a b-section, all with the understated swag of an artist with true vision.

Childish Gambino — an actor with credits including the new Lion King reboot (he’s the voice of Simba, the creator and star of hip hop drama-dy Atlanta, and classroom sitcom Community — was meant to play these shows last November, but he postponed the tour after breaking his foot.

He thanked the crowd for waiting for him, and, importantly, filling the arena.

Childish Gambino pulled off an audacious stunt at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena which drove fans wild. File image: Valerie Macon/AFP

Donald Glover arriving in Sydney earlier this week. Picture by Damian Shaw

“I want you to know that I’m with you, wherever you go, whatever you’re doing — we need each other more than you think,” Gambino said.

“Everybody in here is important. You matter so much.”

The set list took mainly from his game-changing 2016 album, Awaken My Love, which supplied psych-flavoured highlights including Boogieman, Riot and the sparkling closer, Redbone.

Other standouts came from Because The Internet (2013), like the indie rap vibes of The Worst Guys, Worldstar, and the jittery joy of 3005.

GLOVER DIDN’T TELL HIS SON HE WAS IN LION KING

REVIEW: THE LION KING LOOKS REAL AND FEELS FAKE

TOP 10 MOST-STREAMED DISNEY SONGS REVEALED

“I got two rules tonight,” Gambino said at the start of the show.

“Rule No.1 is, love each other. It means a lot to me that you filled up the arena. I appreciate that.

“Rule No.2, put your phones down. This is for us in here, not out there. Don’t commodify the moment. This is church, motherf---er!”

Amen. What a joyous, uplifting show.