Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) are unlikely stars, let alone the most highly touted act in hip hop right now. The ever expanding group of California youths, lead by alpha dog Tyler, the Creator, has made waves since breaking through to the public eye with their home made samples, vicious lyrics and net-savvy approach to marketing. These factors, as well as a penchant for rambunctiously chaotic live shows and a handful of critically acclaimed mix tapes, opened the music industry wide open to these kids, and they are taking full advantage of it. They’ve started an eponymous label, numerous albums are slated for next year, as is a cartoon on stoner TV mecca Adult Swim. Currently on a North American tour, Odd Future took over the Vogue Theatre on Monday. Given their kickoff show warranted an entire SPIN magazine article declaring how amazing and life-changing/threatening it was, I weaseled my way into attending so I could take in the phenoms at their youngest.
Speaking of youngest, that’s the opposite of how I felt walking past the teeming lineup outside the Vogue before doors. Stretched down around the block, there was a horde of people with a median age of probably 19 waiting for the bouncers to let them in. It was 8:00. The doors weren’t for another 10 minutes, Odd Future wasn’t slated to play for at least an hour and a half, and there were no openers. But there were still kids lining up around dinner time. Once they’d all filtered in (and I’d followed the photographer in through the media door to bypass the line), it was evident why there’d been a push to get in first. The space inside was almost totally filled from the front to the back by the time Syd Tha Kyd started riling them up with tracks from her laptop. She got the crowd hyped with dubstep and a track by MIA member Earl Sweatshirt, screams of “Wolf Gang!”, “Golf Wang!” and “Free Earl!” coming through the thick sound.
When the attending members of Odd Future finally ambled on to stage, their arrival was announced by a frenzied howl from the crowd and a not unexpected drop in sound quality. Running with a surprisingly full crew (Frank Ocean was the one missing notable), OF did a set that highlighted their mic skills, but checked a lot of the insane behaviour that usually accompanies their live shows. A lot of the bigger songs, like Yonkers, had big acapella sections courtesy of Tyler, the Creator (and maybe necessary due to the shitty sound). Domo Genesis and Hodgy Beats, both smoking ganj for what seemed to be the entirety of the show, were remarkably smooth and lucid when called upon, though numerous breaks were taken at the edge of Syd’s set up. Yes, it was a pretty tame affair onstage. Good thing there was that swarm of post-adolescent, pre-human insanity taking over the floor of the theatre. Where Odd Future seemed subdued, everyone else was exactly the opposite and could care less if the majority of the group were baked out of their gourds. Throwing bras, shout outs, yamakas and plush dolls on to the stage, the assembled mass gave Odd Future something to be proud of as its animators. It certainly made Tyler happy, as he was relishing in the crowd interaction all night. Dancing off with a fan stuck on the upper deck of the Vogue, getting tossed around crowd surfing and re-injuring his foot, marvelling at the majesty of a topless girl who had directed her nakedness at him (I’ve got no experience with that but I’m sure it’s awesome at 21). The hyper-talented kid who raps about ultra violence made the perfect front man, something that will carry Odd Future for years to come. Hopefully next time they come through town, they bring all their crazy. Maybe Earl Sweatshirt too.
Review By: Andrew Tape / Photos By: Michael Caswell
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