All nine members of the Wu-Tang Clan — RZA, GZA, Method Man, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa and Cappadonna — descended on the historic Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado on Friday night (August 13), their first show since the COVID-19 pandemic began its rampage.
Backed by the Colorado Symphony, the legendary Hip Hop crew sailed through hits such as “C.R.E.A.M.,” “Can It All Be So Simple” and “Protect Your Neck” as a screening of the 1978 film The 36th Chambers of Shaolin played on a giant screen in the background.
“My name is the RZA from the almighty Wu-Tang Clan,” RZA said as he initially stepped on stage. “First of all, it’s a privilege to be here tonight at Red Rocks. This is our first concert since the pandemic.
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“We want to do something really special for y’all tonight, so we’re gonna bring a lot of childhood energy to you tonight. We want to show you one of our favorite movies called The 36th Chambers of Shaolin. We’ve got the Colorado Symphony orchestra, too.”
Young Dirty Bastard, the son of the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, was also on deck to not only fill in for his famous father but also floss his new shoe collaboration with pro skater Paul Hart and FP Footwear.
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The mid-top sneaker features the album cover for ODB’s 1995 album Return To The 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version on the side, which YDB was all too happy to show off.
Meanwhile, Method Man talked about his fitness routine backstage and revealed the macro component to his diet was integral. When asked how much cardio he did per day, he told HipHopDX with a laugh, “I do cardio every day busting my ass trying to chase this paper.”
Opening act Big Boi, who brought along Dungeon Family legend Sleepy Brown, performed several Outkast songs, including “Player’s Ball” and “Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik,” then did it all over again for a second night at The Mission Ballroom in Denver on Saturday (August 14) with Jurassic 5’s DJ Nu-Mark warming things up.
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Both shows follow a decision from concert giants Live Nation and AEG Live that will require concert attendees, artists and crew to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test result within the last 72 hours beginning October 4.
AEG Live made the announcement on Thursday (August 12) with a press release that read in part, “The decision comes on the heels of the dramatic surge in Covid-19 cases as the Delta variant spreads throughout the United States.”
COO of AEG and Chairman and CEO, AEG Presents Jay Marciano said in a statement, “We have come to the conclusion that, as a market leader, it was up to us to take a real stand on vaccination status. Just a few weeks ago, we were optimistic about where our business, and country, were heading. The Delta variant, combined with vaccine hesitancy, is pushing us in the wrong direction again.
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“We realize that some people might look at this as a dramatic step, but it’s the right one. We also are aware that there might be some initial pushback, but I’m confident and hopeful that, at the end of the day, we will be on the right side of history and doing what’s best for artists, fans, and live event workers.”
