The GZA’s fans smoked out the Bluebird Theater on Tuesday — literally. Photo of a previous show from Indietastic.

The Bluebird Theater was smokin’ on Tuesday night, and that was only partially due to a skilled and impressive set by the Genius, aka the GZA, from the Wu-Tang Clan.

Around 10:45 p.m., nearly two hours after local openers Umconscious finished warming up the stage, and an hour after GZA was scheduled to go on, this crowd of backpack hip-hop heads milled around the floor, sat along the wall with their heads in their hands, lingered on the sidewalk outside and just generally looked bored. As the energy level and expectations for the show took a serious dive, many were left wondering whether GZA, a rap icon known for visceral writing and icy delivery, had any intention of showing up.

He finally arrived just before 11 p.m., and apparently without completing a sound check. But his professionalism and artistry was immediate and impressive, and his low-key, bling-free demeanor defies his engaging stage persona.

Then, 20 minutes into the set, as plumes of skunky sweet blunt smoke wafted through the theater, it was doubtful that GZA’s quick-wit or instantaneous crowd connection was what Denver firefighters noticed as they tromped through the front doors in full emergency-response regalia. A blaring fire alarm complete with flashing overhead lights that were bright enough to trigger an epileptic seizure, and a whaling siren, seemed only a minor distraction to GZA and his fans. (Apparently, when a fire alarm sounds at the Bluebird, only the fire department can turn it off, leaving the staff helpless until they arrive.)

“Too much weed!” the rapper joked as he flipped off the flashing lights, took a deep breath of what fans on the floor were puffing in his direction, and proceeded on with his set like the street-savvy rap soldier that he is.

The crowd of Wu-Tang die-hards seemed equally unfazed by the distraction. If anything, they may have even been even more puffed up — no pun intended — by the fact that their communal bud consumption was bombastic enough to trigger an alarm. GZA interacted with the audience like they were old friends, even going so far as to hand off a bottle of water to a drunk kid down front who “looked perplexed.” He peppered his set with both solo material and Wu-Tang classics, leading a virtual sing-along to such crowd faves as “Legend of the Liquid Sword,” “Dual of the Iron Mic” and “Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber – Part 2.”

Elana Jefferson edits The Denver Post’s Room section.