Wu-Tang Clan @ Hammerstein Ballroom | Reviews

WU-TANG | VALENTINES DAY 2006 (photo from MTV’s Gallery & Review)

I didn’t actually go to the Wu-Tang Clan show at Hammerstein Ballroom in NYC on Valentine’s Day 2006, but Nick ‘Brassbonanza’ did, and here’s his story….

So we went up to Hammerstein with no more than $100, convinced we could get them for $40 a piece. When we arrived we saw cops patrolling on horses and very few scalpers. I asked the first scalper I saw what they were going for and he told me $80 a piece!

There was no way we were going to pay that much. I started to worry because the Wu were going on and the extras were not to be found. I walked up to this guy and asked if he had any tickets, he of course said, “No.” I’ve never had a problem getting into a show, why now, why Wu-Tang? Then the guy came up to me a few minutes later and said he could get me in for $50. I told him that it was me and my friend and the price was good, but I needed a guarantee. He said we didn’t have to pay him until we got in. He told me that he managed one of the guys in Wu and he’d get us in through the back door. I was still a little skeptical but we went with it. “Just act like you’re in my crew,” he told us, as his boys led us to the stage entrance. We saw GZA telling security to let his mother in, so that was a good sign. We were ushered in with no problem. We paid my new friend, thanked him for getting us in and made our way to what we’re told is the entrance. We pull the curtain back and we’re in the V.I.P. area right next to the stage!

The Wu were onstage when we got there, so the place was already amped! It was absolutely insane, Hip-Hop crowds are so energetic. They played everything a Wu-Tang fan would want to hear. Raekwon played Incarcerated Scarfaces, Ice Cream and Criminology, Ghostface did Winter Warz with Cappadonna and Run, GZA ripped through his classic album Liquid Swords and of course the crowd favorite, Method Man, got everyone going with Bring The Pain and Da Rockwilder. About midway through this two hour show they brought out Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s (Big Baby Jesus, O.D.B. , Dirt McGirt, Mr. Russell Jones) mother for a tribute to her son. They turned all the lights off while Method Man & RZA said a few words about their brother, ” We’re not here to mourn Ol’ Dirty ! We’re here to celebrate his life!” The crowd went nuts as the lighters lit up the room. They then dropped Dirty’s Shimmy Shimmy Ya and Brooklyn Zoo, the crowd screaming every word.

But the highlights had to be when the entire crew would spit on one song. They played nearly every song off Enter The 36 Chambers , including C.R.E.A.M., Clan In Da Front, Bring Da Ruckus and Protect Ya Neck. The only two they didn’t play were the O.D.B. led Shame On a Nigga and 7th Chamber. It was amazing to hear all these songs live again, I saw the Wu a few times in their prime, but tonight was out of control! Method Man dove into the crowd and even walked on top the crowd, no lie. They ended the night with the classic crew cut Triumph from their second album Forever. This night was indeed a triumph, my friend and I got into this classic show and the Wu-Tang Clan were back on top.

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Check out Tom Breihan”s pre-show piece for the Voice and the NY Times Review of the show & the MTV one

Previously
Wu-Tang in CT | Prince & Tamar in NYC