Photo Credit: Allison Silverman

Odd Future members on stage

This past Friday, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, known simply as Odd Future, filled San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom with a high-energy performance and quality dance party that kept the crowd excited in the absence of real music.

The crowd made the night. Even before the L.A.-based band showed up (45 minutes late. Arrogance, maybe?) the audience packed the ballroom, screaming expletive-heavy lyrics like “fuck that shit/the police/Steve Harvey” while ecstatically slam-dancing or jumping with middle fingers in the air. Almost everyone seemed to be a dedicated fan, yelling the words of many of the rap songs alongside the band, who would often turn their mikes to crowd.

The atmosphere was informal. Band and audience mixed on stage, engaged in conversation, and took candid pictures of each other.  At one point “all the bitches” were invited up to the stage, causing a deliciously hilarious chaos as girls (and guys) rushed the band.

Tyler the Creator, despite a broken foot, managed to pull off his usual crowd surfing stunt. And throughout the performance band members donned clothing and shoes thrown at them by the audience. Tyler’s hamburger hat and brassiere got laughs.

But the music, though loud and raw and all over the place, was mainly a pre-recorded background track with the occasional band member rapping over it. The beats were constant and heavy, keeping heads and bodies moving. It wasn’t a product of the band’s musical talent but rather stagecraft. From their rare, more mellow, music-focused numbers to the closing “kill people, burn shit, fuck school,” it seemed that their music is more about conveying a rebellious message and creating an image. But I can, and do, enjoy it anyway. And many individual members, specifically Tyler, did seem talented.

So though I was less impressed by the band’s musical talent, their zany, engaging performance made the night worthwhile.

More information on the group can be found on the Odd Future website, including future tour dates and locations.