Mambo Sauce, Wu-Tang Clan Perform on Same Stage

A sold out crowd at The State Theatre Saturday night in Falls Church welcomed the "Rebirth Tour" featuring legendary hip-hop group, Wu-Tang Clan. The tour kicked off Dec. 2 in San Francisco before heading east.

Ashley Heckstall, marketing manager for the Falls Church venue said all 900 tickets were sold for the concert featuring Wu-Tang Clan and the high-energy, live eclectic band, Mambo Sauce. Heckstall said the venue lured Wu-Tang to the venue some months ago.

"We approached them to come here," Heckstall said Saturday night at the show. "We saw it as a great opportunity to bring them to Falls Church."

Anxious fans started lining up outside the theatre just after 6 p.m. with the doors opening at 8 p.m.

Robert Burgess, 18, of Arlington, braved the cold for more than two hours waiting for the doors to open. For at least eight years, Burgess said he has been a fan of Wu-Tang Clan.

"I love the lyrics and the flow they have," Burgess said. "I was psyched when I heard they were coming to the area. I had to get a ticket as soon as I found out."

As fans filed into the building dressed in old, black t-shirts with the recognizable Wu-Tang "W" on the front, it was another group that got the crowd going early.

Mambo Sauce, a Go-Go based, eclectic band from the DMV, got the crowd pumped up with a variety of songs from their first album, "The Recipe." Live tunes from the five-piece band and two vocalists moved several people to jump around, dance a little and in some cases, pump their fists – and then there was Jon DeHart.

The 19-year-old Falls Church resident, and self-proclaimed fan of Mambo Sauce, jumped around the crowd, catching the eye of lead vocalist Alfred "Black Boo" Duncan. Duncan invited DeHart to the stage to dance with the band for a song.

The crowd went wild watching the teen seize the moment.

"It was crazy," DeHart said after returning to the crowd from the stage. "I love Mambo Sauce and I love Go-Go. This was just crazy."

Duncan also announced that the group would venture on a national tour of their own in February. Mambo Sauce's tour kicks off Feb. 3 on the east coast and will end March 18, with stops on the west coast along the way.

"We got a lot to do," Duncan said about preparing for the tour. "But we're excited about what we're about to do."

The crowd chant of "Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang, Wu-Tang" erupted throughout the venue after Mambo Sauce's electrifying performance.

After another brief performance from La The Darkman, the legendary hip-hop group took to the stage with a thunderous roar from the crowd, which turned the theatre into a mosh pit.

The group started their performance with a song from their first album, "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) before problems with the theatre's sound system caused the group to go acapella.

That didn't mind Carlos Odria.

Odria, 28, of Annandale, said he enjoyed the show regardless of any technical problem. Odria, who said he isn't the biggest Wu-Tang fan, said the songs he does know, he loves them.

"These are great times here in Falls Church," Odria said. "I never would've thought they would have come here."

The one concertgoer that stood out in the crowd was 61-year-old Art Baltrym of Arlington. Though not a fan of Wu-Tang or Mambo Sauce, he said he decided to come out with his 30-year-old son. Baltrym said he expected to have his son's friends joke about him being there, but he said he thoroughly enjoyed the show.

"The show was great," Baltrym said. "I just enjoy being with my son and all of his friends."

For Information:

About tour dates for Mambo Sauce, go to www.mambosauceband.com or for more dates from Wu-Tang Clan's "Rebirth Tour," go to www.wutour.com.