Wu-Tang Clan @ O2 Academy, 1 Aug

Let’s get the negatives out of the way. First, reuniting the entire Wu-Tang Clan ‘In Full Force’ as billed was never going to be easy; tonight's show goes ahead sans semi-permanent Wu member Cappadonna and, more annoyingly, Method Man (who allegedly flew home to film an episode of CSI). Second, GZA still seems incapable of rhyming to the beat, looking static and disinterested as he slogs through classic verses from 4th Chamber and Reunited with one hand in his pocket, retreating to the shadows in-between; anyone to witness last year’s Liquid Swords tour already knows what I'm talking about. If you're aiming for laidback mystique, GZA, it's coming off as pure boredom.

But even those factors can’t detract: tonight marks Wu-Tang's first Glasgow show in like, ever, and they come packing a discography that boasts more timeless hits than most rappers have half-decent verses. Disregarding the guest heavy shenanigans of 2001’s Iron Flag and 2007’s 8 Diagrams, they stick to the classics, largely relying on the creative golden period of 1993-1997 to deliver a set no neck remains still for. The likes of Tearz, Bring Da Ruckus and C.R.E.A.M have the crowd throwing Ws and bouncing like fools as Mathematics plays pied piper with RZA’s grimy, soul and kung fu-sampling palette.

Elsewhere, solo highlights from the Wu library are sprinkled throughout the set; Ice Cream marks 15 years to the day since Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx was released, while Ghostface takes centre stage to blaze his way through Mighty Healthy and U-God flat refuses to leave until encoring with Dat’s Gangsta. RZA’s the last man on stage, hawking a new film and spraying the front rows with champagne. Throw an epic, shimmy-inducing O.D.B. tribute in to that mix, and what you’ve got here is a memorable Wu banga – Meth or no. [Martin Skivington & Bob Morton]