Review: Wu-Tang Clan delivered at their final Phoenix show

Very few groups can get both middle-aged men and teenage boys screaming the lyrics to their songs at the top of their lungs. The Wu-Tang Clan, though, is not just any group. And this was hardly any ordinary show.

Arguably one of the most iconic hip-hop groups of all time, with numerous platinum and gold records, including their universally-praised single “C.R.E.A.M.,” Wu-Tang Clan made the 10th stop of their farewell tour, “Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber,” on Wednesday, June 18 at downtown’s PHX Arena. De facto leader and producer of the Grammy-nominated group, RZA, announced in February that the group would be taking to the stage for one final farewell tour in North America, commencing in Baltimore at the start of the month and ending the tour in Philadelphia on July 18.

The doors opened for the concert at 7:00, and I always enjoy getting to shows a little early to scope out the scene.

Wu-Tang Clan is rooted deeply in hip-hop and ’90s culture, and of course, fans’ outfits reflected that: backward caps and beanies, gold chains and bamboo earrings, baggy jeans, jorts and sneakers everywhere. Not to say there was a totally consistent dress code — I saw a strange amount of knee- and floor-length sundresses on the ladies in the crowd (I guess it’s as good an excuse as any to rip out your best dress).

While Wu-Tang Clan may be a ’90s group, the crowd was of all generations, from older folks returning for their second or third Wu-Tang concert to millennials who heard the songs from their parents to teenagers and kids who came with their parents.
The show started promptly at 8:00, with a supporting set from Run The Jewels, the hip-hop duo composed of Grammy Award-winning rapper Killer Mike and the critically acclaimed El-P. “We are so honored. And excited to be opening for the legendary motherfucking Wu-Tang Clan,” El-P said.

The duo’s talent is undeniable. Both members held steady breath control, flow and cadence the whole set — even during fast rap breaks.

Moreover, their chemistry with one another and the crowd elevated their set. They directed the crowd to chant “RTJ!” and made little jokes and did bits with the crowd. El-P pretended to do a magic trick before a song, and at one point abruptly broke into a Riverdance. And how could they not joke about the weather? “I feel like me and El are practicing for hell,” Killer Mike said about the 113-degree day. “The only solution to this heat crisis is to wave our arms in the air and create a motherfucking ocean,” El-P told the crowd before performing their song “Sea.”

However, it is clear that musically, they appeal to a specific niche group of the hip-hop community. Their musical style, primarily through El-P’s production, is an aggressive trap style mixed with an almost EDM flavor. I felt this should appeal to me, but it came across as repetitive and disjointed near the end.

Yet despite that critique, I still found the set enjoyable. The crowd was full of serious fans who danced energetically and sang along with every word.
There was a 30-minute break between acts, then the arena went black, and a palpable excitement filled the air. The crowd chanted “Wu-Tang! Wu-Tang!” as a visual hit the screen.

The collective’s set began with a spaceship announcing a “security breach,” and a wasp breaking in. Silhouettes of Karete’ka (karate practitioners) played across the screen, before a figure took center stage.

“Phoenix, Arizona. My name is RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. I want to talk to you for a second,” RZA said to the crowd, met with cheers. “Are we in good spirits tonight?” After being met with another round of cheers, RZA launched into a raw freestyle over live vocals and band (a highlight of the show) before Ghostface Killah (and one by one the rest of the group) came out for “Bring Da Ruckus,” bringing an immediate surge of high energy to the crowd.

The energy stayed high throughout Act 1, with the group performing some of their most danceable and animated tracks (“Clan in da Front”, “Shame on a N—-,” and “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nothing to Fuck With” brought a selection of memorable visuals ranging from fighting visuals to pro-Black/anti-racism allegories with impressive flow from the whole collective) and also shining moments from individual groups (“Da Mystery of Chessboxin” while obviously “Method Man” was Method Man’s time to shine). Act one ended with “Protect Ya Neck,” a fun choice that shows the group’s synergistic flow while a slideshow of their logo presented in various ways played on the screen.

Transitioning Act 1 to Act 2 was a trailer for RZA’s film, “One Spoon of Chocolate,” an action-thriller which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 8. This film is the latest project in RZA’s lengthy filmmaking career, having produced (though never released) his first film surrounding his alias “Bobby Digital” and released his first feature film, “The Man With The Iron Fists,” in collaboration with Quentin Tarantino and Eli Roth.

Act 2 started on a slower, more emotional note, beginning with their show’s vocalist starting with a cover of Gladys Knight’s “The Way We Were,” making a smooth transition into more melodic, emotional tracks, “Can It Be All So Simple,” and “Rainy Dayz,” before bringing more and more members out onto the stage. Capadonna then got a moment to shine with “’97 Mentality” and a cover of hip hop duo Gang Starr’s “Above the Clouds” with Method Man, dedicated to the lives lost in hip hop over the years, including the group’s own late Old Dirty Bastard (who’s spot on the tour was filled by his son, Young Dirty Bastard) before ending with solo performances by Raekwon (“Incarcerated Surfaces,” “Ice Cream”) and Method Man, who performed hits like his debut single “Bring the Pain” and “All I Need,” which of course got the crowd singing and was the perfect halfway point to the show.

Act 3 continued the more intimate vibes, focusing on some of the solo tracks and collaborations the group has released over the years. GZA came to the stage first for “Liquid Swords” and “Duel of the Iron Mic” before transitioning to “Severe Punishment” and “4th Chamber.” Masta Killa came out for his ominous titular track for his debut album, “No Said Date,” and Capadonna took the stage for the aggressive track “Run.” The best part of Act 3, though, was the crowd engagement. While the group had been talking and joking with us all night, during the last tracks (“Grave Pit,” “Impossible”), RZA hit the crowd with specific instructions. “Ball your fist in the air, squeeze the negative energy out and let the positive energy flow through; chopping the bullshit.” Through the last track of set three, “Tearz,” RZA told everyone to turn their flash on, and the arena quickly became a sea of lights, peace signs, and fingers held in the W position.

“This is a great crowd, and this energy is infectious,” RZA said, thanking everyone.

I couldn’t help but agree. Many modern concerts have become nothing more than a sea of phones held by people lacking energy — not at Wu-Tang. Around me, no one was sitting, but instead, tons of people were jumping around, pumping fists, shouting the words, and overall, a highly diverse group of fans was showing their love for this group.

Before the final act, the trailer for Raekwon’s upcoming documentary “The Purple Tape Files” played on the screen. The documentary details the making and legacy of Raekwon’s solo debut “Only Built 4 Cuban Linx,” which features collaboration from Ghostface Killah and production by RZA.
Wu-Tang Clan started their final act with “Reunited,” bringing hype with the song’s catchy intro. Members RZA, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, and YDB all came out sporting Suns jerseys, giving a fun nod to the city after repeatedly calling Phoenix their best stop, crowd-wise. Act 4 also served as the proper introduction for the newest touring member, son of original member ODB and cousin of RZA and GZA, Young Dirty Bastard, who performed iterations of “Shimmy Shimmy Ya” and “Got Your Money,” both ODB songs, which seem to move the crowd they got the energy levels up even more. With hair to match his dad’s iconic look and similar enough cadence and flow, it was an especially touching tribute for the late member on their last tour.

Down to the final two songs on the tour, it was time for the moment that had been on the back of everybody’s mind: their performance of the iconic track C.R.E.A.M. Compared to some of their previous highly energetic tracks, this one felt weirdly anticlimactic to me, other than getting to sing along to the chorus. However, many members of the crowd disagreed. A teen boy in front of me recorded himself rapping the lyrics with vigor while another woman nearby was utterly lost in the groove.

Before the final song, RZA gave the crowd a chance to bask in the gravity of it all, taking us through a chant before encouraging everybody to throw the Ws up in the air one last time, together.

“When I say hip-hop, you say one love,” RZA said to the crowd.

Through their final song, “Triumph,” the group and crowd gave it their all. Each member had a rap solo in the song while almost every hand in the venue was bouncing up and down. At the end of the song, RZA popped a bottle of champagne and once again took a final moment to thank the crowd, shout out each member of the group and bask in the glory of everything this tour symbolizes: the bow that wraps the gift on what was Wu-Tang Clan’s thirty-year career.

“We came in peace, so we want to leave in peace,” RZA said, encouraging the crowd to throw peace signs in the air. “1, 2, 3, peace!” The group chatted three times (and once in Spanish) before leaving the stage.

While Wu-Tang Clan’s Farewell tour probably resonates the hardest with the fans who have a nostalgic connection, it’s certainly not a prerequisite. Seeing 10 rappers, each with a unique flow and lyrical style, is a treat to any hip-hop fan, and seeing a group that matches as seemingly effortlessly as Wu-Tang Clan is a rare treat in entertainment, practically nonexistent today. The best part of seeing Wu-Tang live is seeing how comfortable they are with one another and how effortlessly they flow with one another. Watching them, you can tell that, thirty years later, they still love or at least appreciate what they do in the music they made. And they’re still damn good at it.

Here are more photos from the Wu-Tang Clan and Run the Jewels concert at PHX Arena: