The seriously rough-looking, but exceedingly polite crowd stepped into the inferno on Fort. Speaking of Dante's Inferno, looking closely you could catch a glimpse of the Devil himself, King Gordy, wearing his ever-present trademark 'horns' hairstyle. Caught between the dark shadows of fog and the crimson curtains, Gordy later stepped into the fire and showed up on stage as he performed with special guest Bizarre. They performed for a minute then stepped aside to make room for the Strange Music artists.
Opening acts from the Strange Music label included Brotha Lynch Hung, Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Big Scoob, Prozak, Cognito, and Oushaboo. This was one of the most supportive Detroit crowds witnessed in years; the packed to capacity crowd energetically sang every word to all the label's performers. The only downfall was that by the time the supporting acts had exited stage right, the unfortunate soul whose skeleton make-up would make any grave dancer jealous, had melted and slid down his face before Tech could make his Grand Entrance.
Tech N9ne stepped onstage, hitting the crowd with a barrage of heavy artillery- his words. Sinister and shocking lyrics paired with the skillful delivery that Tech is known for caused his fans to go insane. His lyrical execution is precise. He brought with him his symphony of violence, punctuated by vivid story-lines.
Effortlessly filling the void of hardcore rap that cannot be satiated by the mainstream music that crams the airwaves, Tech N9ne still reps the Midwest hard. The Kansas City native keeps it real. The authenticity of his music and performance is unrivaled by most of today's artists. Tech N9ne is a charismatic performer; with intriguing contradictions surfacing throughout his show. The live show parallels the intensity of his studio albums, with added energy.
The Detroit show at Blondie's, due to unforeseen circumstances, became the final stop of this tour. Catch Tech N9ne in Europe for the next segment of his tour or check out impending North American tour dates as Tech makes the rounds again this fall. Tech N9ne's latest album, The Gates Mixed Plate, drops on July 27, 2010.