Clipse @ The Middle East Downstairs - Cambridge, MA

Easily one of my most anticipated concerts of the year so far, the second night of the "Hell Hath No Fury" tour certainly did not disappoint. I had been dying to see Clipse live since the first time I heard "Hell Hath No Fury" and was anticipating this show for a couple of months. The night started off with a DJ set by DJ Gucci Vuitton, who played a decent mix of rap and hip hop. My only complaint was that some of his transitions between songs did not flow smoothly, but it was still enjoyable to listen to none the less.

Clipse hit the stage around 11pm and the place went crazy. Hands were swaying in the air as the two brothers, Malice and Pusha T, came out to their dramatic entrance music and went right into "Momma I'm Sorry". Throughout their set they had unrelenting energy, despite remarking that they couldn't seem to keep up with the crowd. The duo played tracks off the new album, including "Wamp Wamp", "Mr. Me Too", "We Got It 4 Cheap" and "Chinese New Year", which had the crowd sounding somewhat ridiculous while singing along to the sound of gunfire during the chorus. They also busted out some old hits, like "Virginia", "Cot Damn", and of course, "Grindin'", as well as some tracks from their recent mix tapes, like their own version of "What Happened to that Boy"; a nod to the quasi-beef the group has with Lil' Wayne. The group never really slowed down between songs and brought out some guests, like, Reup Gang Records artist Ab-Liva to throw down on some songs. Malice and Pusha T delivered their lines with such passion and intensity that it almost made you scared of them, but you could really hear and see just how true to the game and music these guys are. They constantly interacted with the crowd, like sticking their microphones into the crowd on numerous occasions. Persistent and seemingly unstoppable, Clipse played for a solid hour (including an encore), before leaving the stage for good. Although they certainly left me wanting more, I definitely got my moneys worth. Despite a fight after the first song, the vibe throughout the whole audience was great and everyone found themselves singing along to their twisted stories of dealing drugs in Virginia, regardless of where they are from.

Tons of photos are online at the Flickr set and some highlights are below: