By the time punters reach the small white sign saying 'FOR GIG TONIGHT QUEUE HERE' outside Camden's Electric Ballroom, they start to suspect just how eagerly anticipated Odd Future's first major London gig is. By the time they reach the back of the queue (200 strong half an hour before doors open), it has become apparent.
Due to the fact that OFWGKTA's success has come largely due to endorsement from the white, middle-class media, the composition of tonight's crowd is hardly a surprise. What is surprising is the ferocity of Odd Future's vanilla support. Though there are occasional wince-inducing shouts of 'fuck school' from pubescent teens with cracking voices, the vast majority of fans, black and white, go absolutely batshit mental for the LA group's two hour set.
And what a set. By the time the group's rappers are slinking onto stage, the crowd are already thoroughly pumped thanks to a perfectly judged DJ set from Syd The Kid- without doubt the coolest quiffed, androgynous, lesbian producer from LA that this writer has ever seen. The night's first real event, however, comes with the entrance of Tyler, The Creator, half way through opener '64'. Indeed, the set's first three songs are all helmed by Tyler, whose role as hypeman is not at all diminished, despite the broken ankle that has left him wheelchair-bound. In truth, however, Tyler is more than just a frontman. He is clearly the brains of Odd Future, whose ambition and intelligence are apparent, even when masked by deliberately childlike stage banter: "Haha you got beat up!...Who here got fucked by their dad...etc.". Despite their talent, Mike G (as slick as he is high), Domo Genesis (deep voice, big belly), and Hodgy Beats (earnest and energetic) become sidemen, and their raps create tangible lulls; Tyler is very much the sun around which the group's other rappers orbit. Throughout the show, Tyler's friendliness is refreshing; hell, he even drops everyone's favourite rape fantasy 'VCR' in response to a persistent chant from a group of girls halfway back.
Halfway through tonight's set, another trio of Tyler compositions, all from his 2010 mini-masterpiece 'Bastard', hit home with unstoppable force. A flawless and visceral run through of 'Seven' is performed a Capella, highlighting the obvious natural talent behind Tyler's treacle flow. The ensuing one-two punch of 'Bastard' and 'French!' reinforces the idea that Odd Future may justify the absurd hype that has surrounded their mythology. Towards the end of what is clearly only a loosely planned setlist- the group openly ponder what to play next onstage- the likes of 'Analog', 'Yonkers' and closer 'Radicals' all elicit a zealous response from the dazed but ecstatic crowd, which, somewhat surprisingly, knows every word to every song tonight. When finally 16 year-old absentee Earl's signature tune- the imaginatively titled 'Earl', off album 'Earl'- closes the show, the crowd are given an eerie reminder of just how good the collective might become when back to full strength.
Almost all of OF's back catalogue is available on their tumblr page: get it! It's hit and miss, but some of the material is truly inspired. MFD recommends:
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