VFest Photos: Clan In The Front

Most of the photographers at last weekend's Virgin Festival were most excited about shooting Velvet Revolver (and with good reason, but we'll get to that later) but for me, the prize of the weekend was the act on the South Stage right before them - The Wu Tang Clan.

I've been a Wu fan since 1993, when their debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) pretty much blew my mind. I was very much a hip-hop head in those days, and the Wu were obviously on a different level from everyone else. I've seen them numerous times over the years, at Lolapalooza in NYC(where I took all sorts of photos with the group, I need to dig those up and post them) and a few times opening for Rage Against the Machine.

RZA walked on stage and said "I got one thing to say to you motherfuckers. [pause] TIGER STYYYYYYLE!" From there it was on, a mass of sweaty bodies moving in all sorts of directions (both on stage and in the crowd). Shooting the Wu is a challenge. There are upwards of 15 people on stage and it's hard to decide who to train your focus on. I am pretty sure I was the only photographer singing along with the group while we shooting them.

Their Virgin Festival performance was special if only because everyone was there (which never seems to happen with the Wu), although Ghostface was nowhere to be seen during the first two songs - which seriously depressed me. I kept thinking to myself "The one chance I get to shoot the Wu and no Ghost!" However, he strolled on stage during the third song and luckily for me and everyone else in the photo pit, we got to shoot the first three Wu songs, as opposed to the festival norm two. Best. Also, Richard Branson watched their set from the side stage. That was kinda crazy.

My photos on AOL are still forthcoming, but they were nice enough to go ahead and let me post my photos here as well. More to come!