Vursatyl opened a Portland show on May 12 by urging the crowd to get hyped for GZA of Wu-Tang Clan celebrating 30 years of Liquid Swords. Fans waited more than an hour for GZA to arrive, after the original February date was moved to May two days before the event. The delay was partly offset by Phunky Nomads, GZA’s live four-piece band, which supported the performance beyond typical DJ-backed rap concerts. At 59, GZA still delivered with force, starting with “Duel of the Iron Mic.” He initially struggled to find momentum during “Living in the World Today” and “4th Chamber,” with sound problems contributing to visible frustration.
"As Portland-grown rapper Vursatyl finished his set on May 12, he demanded the crowd get hyped for GZA, the Wu-Tang Clan deity visiting the Hawthorne Theatre in celebration of 30 years of his classic Liquid Swords album. The respectably sized crowd squealed with joy-after all, it's not often you get to see one of the strongest members of Wu in a place as intimate as the Hawthorne Theatre."
"More than an hour later, though, those same fans were still waiting for the Genius to arrive, standing at the railing with their chins in their hands, looking bored and tired. When you make records as unassailable as Liquid Swords, you can get away with making people wait-whether or not you should is a different story."
"Rap concerts often use a DJ as a crutch, essentially doing hyper-legit karaoke for cash, but with a four-piece behind him, GZA must still bring the heat. The 59-year-old Wu leader isn't as spry as he was when he played 2014's Project Pabst Music Festival, or when he made the Pickathon pilgrimage in 2022, welcoming Portlanders back after the pandemic. Age hasn't stifled his delivery, though, which was immediately obvious as he tore into Liquid Swords ' classic “Duel of the Iron Mic,” his vivid songwriting only made better by the band's translation of its off-kilter beat."
"It took him a little time to shift into gear, visibly frustrated while working through “Living in the World Today” and “4th Chamber.” Chalk that up to sound issues keeping the Genius aggravated. “Yo, what's up with "
Read at Portland Mercury
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