Gig review: The RZA (Wellington)
Last night The RZA played Wellington's San Francisco Bath House.
Here's my review: 
The RZA
Wednesday, February 17
San Francisco Bath House, Wgtn
Robert Fitzgerald Diggs goes by many names (including The Rzarector, from his Gravediggaz group, Prince Rakeem and solo-artist alias, Bobby Digital) but he is best known as The RZA, nominal leader of The Wu-Tang Clan and, if that is debated, then in most cases he is certainly considered the group's driving force.
Known as a DJ, producer, actor, author (the book The Tao of Wu is pretty terrible) and filmmaker, The RZA also releases music under that name, away from the Wu-Tang Clan - and he has released albums as Bobby Digital.
In Wu-World a snatch of The Lonely Shepherd is as likely as a James Brown or George Clinton funk template when it comes to beat juggling, melodic lifts and general inspiration. And so it is that The RZA's version of an entrance theme and mood-setting music is that piece of Gheorge Zamfir.
From there, a video screen behind him, DJ and hype-man in tow, The RZA ploughs through tracks from his Bobby Digital albums but of course it's the Wu-Tang choruses that really light up the crowd. First up C.R.E.A.M. and then Shame On A Nigga is a big hit too.
There's a nice irony to The RZA's remix of Nancy Sinatra's Bang Bang - he instructs the crowd to point their "guns" (their first two fingers) in the air as everyone sings along with the titular chorus refrain.
And as the hour-long set rips by, a giant medley, being worked hard, boundless energy from the stage and several moments where it feels like the majority of the audience is moving as one giant, throbbing beast, there are several times when the gig feels calculated, lazy and obvious - and several times where it feels like hip-hop heaven.
And several times where I wonder if they are the same thing.
For many, just seeing someone who has been so instrumental in one of modern hip-hop's most important groups and is a seminal figure for the genre is enough. And as several of the songs stop short, RZA about to carry on, oblivious that the next track is being queued, it is easy to think that this is all a bit ridiculous.
But then there are times when the flow is tight and the selection of grooves is perfect - masterfully manipulating the mood, playing to a crowd that will happily applaud anything, but still taking them on a journey, dictating the route, picking the path, twisting and turning and pushing forward always.
And then there was the moment where several young "ladies" were pulled to the stage to jiggle and cavort. Lots of rappers and hip-hop crews have done it - it is simultaneously embarrassing and brilliantly hilarious - and this was no different. It would be too easy to take pot-shots at the girls just wanting to have fun. And mostly it was accepted as fitting in with the flow of the night.
What happened next was either a real part of the magic - or a lazy waste of time; the indulgence that occurs when hip-hop gigs tend to make like a wet cardboard box.
Following the girls that couldn't dance but were invited to give it a go anyway - a few break dancers took to the stage, RZA allowing them to do their thing. Beats were played to encourage the dancing and the crowd, mostly, seemed to go with it; seemed to enjoy it.
It went on - and it went on - and then some of the dancers made moves toward leaving the stage. They were encouraged to continue, a bit of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean was played, dashes and splashes of other hip-hop and funk breakbeats were dropped.
And then The RZA announced that it was "curfew".
It was, as a way of closing the show, having shared the stage with locals - essentially opened it up - either a real part of the magic or a lazy waste of time...
And I'm still deciding.
But there were glimpses of what makes The RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan tick - in a musical sense. And therefore what makes them popular - and what made them cutting edge. It was a visit to our shores from a hip-hop hero. And it was - in a manner of speak
ing - pretty much what I expected.
So, what did you expect? And did you get what you expected? Did you go? Or did you wish you had? Or would you have never gone?
If you have comments to add to the review - or a (mini) review of your own then by all means place it below.
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I thought the gig was pretty awesome but admittedley I am a Wu-Tang Clan trainspotter-type who probably would've been happy if RZA had just stood behind the decks and played some tunes. It was, as you say, the chance to be in the same space with someone who has truly been an amazing innovator and performer in Hip Hop that really made the gig feel special to me. That and the fact the Wu-Tang Clan ain't nuthin ta F*** wit. Ever.
Last night I went to Clutch at the Kings Arms in Auckland. I guarantee it was better than this gig.
I'm not sure that I really enjoyed it that much. Ususally I don't go to concerts, but this was THE RZA. Not going would have been like missing the second coming. Anyway, most of the things that I love about the RZA's music were pretty much absent from that concert. The sound wasn't graet, so I couldn't really hear the intricacies of the music, and the rapping was frequently interrupted by the RZA pointing his mic at the audience and proving to himself that he really was THAT popular. And that seemed to be the vibe for a pretty good portion of the evening - the RZA patting himself on the back with our collective adoration. It's hard to reconcile that with his claim that 'The Cure' will be up there with Mozart etc - can you see a classical musician, someone who takes their craft seriously, acting the way the RZA did last night?
Oh well, back to the CDs I guess.
tickets were sold out last night
I wouldn't have gone if it was free and I lived across the road.
Wu Tang forever oh i like guitars too or were you home with a soundtrack of a girlfriend, oh that doesn't sound that bad actually.
thanks for sharing Bruce. Missed the gig and am kicking myself for putting work first....argh
@Aaron... surely he meant the band "The Cure". If so, he might just be onto something. RZA the futurist.
@ Bruce. What if you lived on the same side of the road ?
Yeah for the booty girls!