Tech N9ne: EuroTech Tour

Live music DVDs are sometimes a tough sell, since few people outside of an artist's fan base are willing to spend money on them, and rarely are they available as rentals. Popular musicians sometimes choose spectacle above music when filming a live show, so even the fans can become jaded. Fortunately, fans of Tech N9ne, dubbed "Technicians," need not ever worry; Tech N9ne is the spectacle, and EuroTech Tour shows us just how far-reaching his musical influence is. With 12 full-length albums, two EPs, a mixtape, a rarities compilation, soundtrack appearances, and now five DVDs under his belt, you'd think Tech N9ne would be at the forefront of any rap enthusiast's playlist. But until this year's much-hyped and cameo-heavy All 6's and 7's album, he was still almost as underground as Jimmy Hoffa. That’s a bigger shame than shitting your pants, because Tech is a pundit of lexicon, rhythm, texture, and swagger. Love him or hate him, his superior complexity over most other rappers can’t righteously be denied.

EuroTech Tour lets viewers follow the fun-loving wordsmith and his partner-in-rhyme, Krizz Kaliko, around as they perform various shows across Europe. (So that’s where the name came from. I get it now.) While past DVDs have chronicled Tech’s American tours with other artists, as well as biographical looks at his musical comeuppance, EuroTech focuses solely on the ghetto fish out of water.

From small clubs in Norway to huge festivals in Sweden and Switzerland, Tech draws monstrous crowds everywhere he plays, regardless of how familiar concert-goers are. Of course, it wouldn’t be an experience if Tech and Krizz stood behind a microphone like George Strait. (Comparison: denied.) The quasi-choreographed stage show they put on is rife with kinetic energy, evoking more crowd involvement than most metal shows. Even being alone watching this on a TV, it’s nearly impossible not to shamelessly bounce around the room.

Beyond the live shows, we get to hang out with Tech and Krizz behind the scenes as they arrive in each country and immediately find booze. Watch a proper preparation for one of Tech’s signature cocktails, the K.C. Tea. Watch them drunk on wine in Paris as they search for sex clubs. They try cigga-weed, and much laughter follows. If you think that Jim Morrison’s grave won’t be visited, you’d be wrong. It’s obvious they know how to have fun.

For my inevitable criticism, I’ll mention barely any songs are played in their entirety. It’s hardly an issue, as clips from dozens of his high-energy crowd-bangers are dispersed throughout. Neo-classics like “Einstein,” “Psycho Bitch,” and “Midwest Choppers” make their necessary appearance. For full-length performances, we get “This Ring,” one of his more personal tracks, as well as “Bare En Pige (Just a Girl),” a song performed with famed Danish rapper L.O.C. I’ve been a fan of L.O.C. for a little while, and he’s quite proper, if you don’t mind the language barrier.

Live music isn’t meant to be dissected this way, but it’s important to promote quality entertainment. Whether it’s on DVD or on stage, Tech N9ne has a killer live show that’s meant to be seen. Take the Pledge. No exceptions, no excuses. For extras, three extended interviews are included. It’s hard to understand why these weren’t just shuffled into the rest of the DVD, but so be it. Extra performances would have been better, but the feature was good enough on its own.