Photo: Terry Richardson
If Wu-Tang is for the children, then Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (better known simply as Odd Future) is for the delinquent teenagers. This was no more apparent than the crowd gathered at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre when the Los Angeles-based rap collective touched down in the city September 25.
With nothing but a DJ table center stage and a large sheet displaying the tour’s “Camp Flog Gnaw” name and cat mascot hanging behind it, OFWGKTA member Taco Bennett came out just after 9:30 p.m. to pump up the audience. Syd tha Kid’s lil’ bro looked every bit as young as his 18 years, as he stood behind his DJ station, leaving only to whip off his T-shirt to stage dive and crowd surf, as Lil’ Jon’s “Get Low” and Lil Wayne’s “Burn” blasted from the speakers. Domo Genesis and Hodgy Beats appeared next on stage, firing off “Bitches” from the hip-hop groups debut album, The OF Tape Vol. 2, which dropped in March. They were soon joined by Mike G and Tyler, The Creator for throwback “French!” from the Odd Future leader’s 2009 debut.
Fans were loving every minute of it. If they weren’t excitedly jumping and dancing, smoking and drinking, and sweating through their just-purchased OFWGKTA, they were doing all of that with their shirts off—and not just the guys. At one point during the show, Tyler said, “You have some nice titties to that chick who keeps showing”. Yes, it was that kind of show.
The five guys made their way through “Forest Green”, and “50”, stopping to showcase songs from OFWGKTA members’ solo albums. Domo did “Rolling Papers”, while Hodgy Beats performed “Higashi Loves You” from his new EP, which samples Patti LaBelle’s “Somebody Loves You Baby”, and Mike G rapped “Swiss Army” and “King”. Later on, they performed more off The OF Tape Vol. 2 album: “NY” and “Sam (Is Dead)”, and “Lean” to intermittent crowd chants of “Wolf Gang!”
By far, the night’s most crowd-pleasing highlight was a performance of Tyler, The Creator’s controversial song “Yonkers”, as well as “We Got Bitches”, which had everyone on their feet, bouncing, and singing along, and “Transylvania”. The performances weren’t necessarily polished or slick, but that’s not what Odd Future’s about. Their appeal is that they’re a bunch of delinquent teens, just like those who idolize them.
