Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All
Sunday, October 23 at the 930 Club (Washington DC)
In recent memory, has there been a group as controversial as Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All? While revising this article, information was released that would lead one to believe that Left Brain slapped a female photographer in the face during their set in New Orleans. Numerous articles have been written for this very publication taking issue with the content of the group’s material (particularly that of Tyler, The Creator). To set the record straight, I am a fan of the collective’s music. There is something to be said about their work ethic, the dynamics of the collective they have nurtured for their prolific set of releases, and the bizarre allure there is behind everything they do. Can anyone truly predict what any of them will say or do next?
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All
Sunday, October 23 at the 930 Club (Washington DC)
In recent memory, has there been a group as controversial as Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All? While revising this article, information was released that would lead one to believe that Left Brain slapped a female photographer in the face during their set in New Orleans. Numerous articles have been written for this very publication taking issue with the content of the group’s material (particularly that of Tyler, The Creator). To set the record straight, I am a fan of the collective’s music. There is something to be said about their work ethic, the dynamics of the collective they have nurtured for their prolific set of releases, and the bizarre allure there is behind everything they do. Can anyone truly predict what any of them will say or do next?
The opportunity arose for me to see Odd Future perform at the 930 Club, and I knew it wasn’t anything to be missed. When I arrived, I found a peculiarly eclectic group of people waiting to get in. The line that sprawled around the block featured people of different race, gender, age group, and societal allegiance. It’s interesting to stand in a long line smoking a cigarette and admiring how far this collective’s reach has stretched. When I made it inside, the room didn’t seem too full yet. However, there were still a couple hundred kids waiting to make their way through the doors. I wasn’t all that worried.
As the night started, photographers at the show had access to the stage. As one who has reviewed several live events, I can tell you that this is very peculiar. It’s normal for a member of the press have access beyond the barrier for the first three songs, but it’s an entirely different thing to have them on stage while the group is performing. Considering the recent controversy surrounding Odd Future’s behavior towards photographers, it’s bizarre to think that they would even grant this type of access. I imagine the images the photographers were able to get were great, but it was wholly distracting to me. The press should respect the performance, and their presence onstage seemed to cross a line.
Syd The Kid took the stage and spent twenty minutes getting the crowd hyped. This was actually kind of awesome to observe. Between throwing bottles of water into the crowd and syncing up the next tune, she maintained a strong presence onstage. The crowd fed off her energy, and it was simply astounding to see this build-up. It came as no surprise that by the time Mellowhype got things going with “64,” everyone was ready to go apeshit.
As they rolled through “Transylvania” and “Rolling Papers,” one thing became apparent. This wasn’t going to be simply a Tyler, The Creator show. This was an Odd Future show and they were there to showcase every talented individual in the collective. The standouts from the entire set were Mike G and Hodgy Beats. Mike G’s flow is contagious, and you never want him to stop. “Forest Green” may be the song of the year, and the best that Odd Future has ever unveiled. It sounded incredible live, as did “Everything That’s Yours.”
Hodgy had several roles to play throughout the evening. Not only is he one half of Mellowhype, he’s also the most common guest lyricist on Tyler’s material. He had few solo performances, but he furiously took over the stage in each of these moments. Hodgy Beats’s rise within Odd Future is somewhat of an underdog story. On the initial Odd Future releases, his moments showed promise, but the attention was focused on Tyler and the much missed Earl Sweatshirt. Perhaps that’s why Hodgy has improved so much. He saw an opportunity and knew it was time to knock it out of the park. You cant predict what the future holds for him, but if “65” is any indication of where Mellowhype is headed, it looks promising. I truly believe that Mellowhype may be the outlet for the collective to venture into unexpected territory for Odd Future. Mike G will probably play a role in this as well.
It may seem like I am avoiding talking about Tyler, The Creator, but this isn’t the case at all. He’s unbelievable in a live environment. His stage banter is juvenile, but what else would you expect from a young kid that has been skyrocketed to stardom within a very short time? He took the stage and began a set heavy with anthems like “French,” “Burger,” “Yonkers,” “Splatter,” “Radicals,” and numerous others. The start of “Yonkers” was shouted back at the stage as if there was never a moment where the collective expected anything less. I would have loved to hear “Oblivion,” but the last-minute inclusion of “VCR” made up for it. There were moments where Tyler changed his name to Toilet. He also made a single attempt at stage diving into the audience during “French.” As he returned to the 930 Club’s stage, he exhaustedly mentioned that he had been raped in the audience. I imagine that will change anyone’s inclinations towards further stage dive attempts.
They did perform “Bitch Suck Dick” and I wanted to focus on this song in particular. This was a weird moment of the show. I always assumed that this song was placed on Goblin just to anger their detractors, but after this performance and the release of a music video for the song, I’m not so sure. The crowd went completely insane during this track, and I don’t think any other song during the latter portion of the set matched its reaction. I don’t really know what to make of this. There’s a scene in the film Get Him To The Greek where Aaron Green (played by Jonah Hill) practically begs record executive Sergio Roma (Puff Daddy) to get Aldous Snow (Russell Brand) to play a reunion show. To Green, Snow epitomizes rock music, and he argues that the reason that both he and Sergio got into this business in the first place was a result of their adoration of all things music. Sergio nods his head, but completely ignores this sentiment, instead unveiling a ridiculous and offensive song (featuring the chorus “gonna fuck your shit”) that he considers to be a “game changer” for the music world. When I think about that moment I think about “Bitch Suck Dick.” Those two musical instances really share a lot more in common than I could have ever imagined. The main problem I have with the song isn’t so much with its content as that it makes you realize how young Odd Future truly are. The immaturity slips through the cracks of Goblin, and it’s difficult to ignore. On the other hand, imagine where they will be in a few years. Even at such young ages, they have already gone so far, and the road ahead looks exciting, to say the least.
The show ended with Odd Future bouncing around the stage as the strains of “Earl” emerged from the speakers. Earl Sweatshirt’s presence was missed at the show, but this song, as well as the Odd Future songs “Orange Juice” and “Cool,” both of which feature verses by Earl, were recognized. This added to the excitement of seeing a show that represented the entire entity known as Odd Future, as opposed to just focusing on particular individuals. The only participant missing in action was R&B singer Frank Ocean, but lately Ocean has been busy making a name for himself. The show was manic and incredible, but this will probably be the only time I will see Odd Future live. Unless Earl and Ocean were slotted to perform along with everyone else, I think I have gotten my fix. Then again, maybe the next records they put out will astound me as much as their existing catalog, and I will have no choice but to stand in a crowded room with adoring fans once more. One thing is certain–that evening at the 930 Club will probably be a moment I reference for a long while. This was music history happening right in front of us, and I think the world is taking notice.
