Live music review: GZA performs Liquid Swords for 30th Anniversary at Far Out Lounge
On Thursday, April 23, legendary Wu-Tang founding member, Gary Eldridge Grice better known as GZA, performed his classic album, Liquid Swords, at south Austin’s Far Out Lounge with live band, Phunky Nomads, on instrumentation. The show marked the Austin stop on the tour commemorating the album’s 30th anniversary.
Opening up the showcase was Austin’s own DJ/beatboxer/MC, Ben Buck. As the doors opened at around 7 p.m., Buck started spinning hip-hop classics. At 8, he kicked of his set with beatboxing paired nicely with his lyrical precision, warming up the crowd.
At 8:45 p.m., Austin hip-hop collective, SpaceGoonz, crowded the stage. Aside from the number of members, what really stood out about the group was their ability to seemlessly streamline 90’s underground sound with modern hip-hop stylings.
Anyone who knows anything about music understands that when the debut Wu-Tang Clan LP, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), hit shelves in 1993, its impact on the music scene was unparalleled. What followed between then and the release of Wu-Tang Forever, in 1997, was a steady blessing of solo releases from Wu members.
Wu-Tang producer, the RZA, formulated a signature raw, gritty sound, that distinguished the group from all contemporaries, changing the trajectory of hip hop in its golden age. He and the GZA were in top form when they paired up to create hip hop history. In November of 1995, the Genius/GZA released, Liquid Swords, a classic hip-hop album, and one of the greatest Wu releases of all.
GZA’s entered the stage as a snippet from Shogun Assassin; one several of which spiraled throughout the album. Instrumentation from the Phunky Nomads kicked in with dominant violins, drums and keyboard, and GZA, draped in a grey hoodie with Wu-Tang embroidered across the chest, began to spit lyrics, “Picture bloodbaths in elevator shafts…” from “Dual of the Iron Mic.” It was clear at this point the Liquid Swords numbers would not be performed in the same sequence as on the aclaimed LP.
Gza continued to rock the crowd, performing not only tracks for the celebrated LP, but taking the liberty of performing hits from various other Wu-Tang mambers, including Ol’ Dirty’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.” He followed that up with live performances of Wu bangers “Reunited,” ”C.R.E.A.M.,” and “Triumph.” GZA topped the set off with the opening number from the Liquid Swords LP, the track of the same name, “Liquid Swords.”
The Far Out Austin show served as an impressive reminder that the south Austin venue is booking top-teir talent. Liquid Swords has a wide following; considered by many to be one of the greatest hip-hop releases ever, and it was obvious that showgoers at Far Out Lounge on that Thursday night in April, were profoundly excited to have seen it performed live, by The Genius himself.
All photos by Drew Doggett
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