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OK! This page is a bit of a work in progress! I don't really want to fill it up with old reviews of albums that aren't really interesting to anybody! The reviews will mainly be live reviews, so if you've seen FLC live, and want to write a review, please feel free to send it in to [email protected]! and I will post it on the site!
As we stood outside the venue, we could only wonder why. Why Bradford and not somewhere like Leeds? Why Pennington�s, a venue, which to be honest from the outside looked like it wouldn�t be out of place in a tacky seaside resort? And, why on earth were they still not opening the doors at 8:05? Written a review of the Norwich gig, really good gig, first time I haven't had to travel miles and miles to see them for years! Sorry no photos of this one, I just couldn't bring myself to take my camera, and also, it doesn't work in the dark! Norwich seemed an unlikely setting for FLC�s first gig in 6 months, a small city on the edge of nowhere, but it was a sell-out crowd that was up for a good time, and it is guaranteed that a good time was had by all!
I've written a review of FLC at the Manchester Apollo, 20/12/01 with pictures. Click the thumbnails to see larger versions of the pictures. I'm sorry the quality isn't perfect, some are better than others. I really need to buy a camera with a zoom!
Here's some other reviews and articles!
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Here's a review I've written of the gig in Bradford, another gig that was over all too soon, but well worth the journey!
Pennington�s, Bradford 25/7/02 � The randomness continues
Anyway, when the doors finally opened at 8:10ish, we wandered into the unknown of a venue which boasts the biggest singles� nights in the north of England! Expectations were frankly low, but to everyone�s surprise, inside, the venue was really cool! There were at least 5 bars, lots of bright flashing lights and it gradually stepped down in levels towards the stage. The ladies� toilets were another surprise, complete with sofas, fountain and goldfish! Yes, goldfish!
Anyway, on with the show. As we waited for the support act � Baby Genius to come on, we were informed that the venue and bars were staying open for a school disco afterwards and into the early hours of the morning! What a way to end an FLC gig! Baby Genius came on stage at about 9:00 and started to set the mood. After a couple of songs, they paused and introduced their first guest � none other than Huey! Complete with MC large t-shirt, Huey came on for one song and did a bit of a guitar solo. He then disappeared, and Baby Genius carried on with loads of crowd support. When it came to their last song, they introduced another guest musician; this time it was Fast�s turn to play trumpet! Baby Genius went down really well and got the crowd going.
It was gone 10:00 by the time FLC came on stage, but they were given an amazing welcome, and seemed in high spirits. They�d got changed since their appearances with Baby Genius, and they opened with �Where the bums go� with full crowd participation. Huey then asked Mackie to take it away, which meant �Korean Bodega�. Next was �Bombin� the L�, followed by �Loco�, to which Huey got the words all muddled and gave an �I hope nobody noticed that� look. �Loco� then seamlessly became �King of New York� and Huey looked genuinely surprised and impressed by the volume of the crowd�s singing! �The View Belongs to Everyone� was introduced as being about the truth, and is a song which they appear to really like playing live. �The Grave and the Constant� thankfully seems to have been permanently reinstated on the setlist, and was played next. Then without a pause they started �Run Daddy Run�, although Huey had to do most of this with no guitar as something had gone wrong, and there was no break in the lyrics for Skills to give him a replacement, this didn�t seem to matter too much though.
After a brief interview for a joke, they played a new song � �Party Dress�, another lively, rocky song, which seems to be the style of the new album they�ve been working on. Very different to anything off �Come Find Yourself�, or in fact any other past FLC album, but still them and still very enjoyable. Next was time for a little groovy dancing along to �Bump�, which was followed by �Love Unlimited� with cool lights and a lot of love! Then everyone goes wild and beer starts flying through the air as �Scooby Snacks� starts and the beer didn�t stop flying until the song was over, it really was amazing! Then it was time for another new song - �Runnin� For Cover�, which really does rock!
Order of events becomes a little fuzzy at this point! I think they played �Swashbucklin� in Brooklyn� next, which always goes down really well, and then it was an old favourite in the form of �Up on the Hill�. Next, they played �Coney Island Girl�, which just seems to get quicker and quicker every time they play it! After this they played �Smoke �em�, and then paused for a bit of dancing along to Kylie�s �Can�t get you out of my Head� before �Big Night Out�, very amusing! �Big Night Out� rocked more than I can ever remember it rocking, it was truly fantastical! Then they disappeared, but it wasn�t too long before they were back.
The encore kicked off with Huey running onto the stage waving a towel and grinning and waving madly at everyone. He calmed down just enough to play �The Fun Lovin� Criminal�, with really cool introduction and plenty of audience participation once again. �Half A Block� followed, and then all too soon it was time for �We Have All the Time in the World�, played really well, and with more cool lights. Then it was over and they were gone once more. Another fantastic gig, played the way that only FLC can play. A memorable evening filled with smiles and jokes and laughs :oD
UEA, Norwich 12/6/02
Support was provided by Scapegoat wax, a far cry from Super Bad Brad, it has to be said! They entertained us for over half an hour with their blend of rock and hip-hop (that was nothing like the commercial, shall we say pants stuff we are bombarded by everyday), which was appreciated by the crowd.
It then seemed to take hours for Skills and everyone to set up all the equipment for FLC, but eventually the light of the cigarettes could be seen through the darkness coming onto stage. They immediately started off with �Where the Bums Go�, which prematurely halted due to a problem with Huey�s guitar, which was soon fixed and they were able to get on with the show. Huey wearing black flares, a white short-sleeved shirt, and white shoes (and a necklace made of beads), Fast in a black suit and tie and Mackie with an open short-sleeve shirt and vest. The crowd were having fun and there was a lot of audience participation. They then moved on to the now accustomed combination of �Loco� and �King of New York�, which really set the mood for the evening. Huey then went on to talk about his �education� in the marines, before introducing �Korean Bodega�. It was only when Huey started playing �Korean Bodega� and Fast and Mackie started playing �Smoke 'em� simultaneously that Huey realised his mistake! They stopped, and then re-started, this time all playing �Smoke 'em�! Then it was �Korean Bodega�, cool as always! They then played �Bombin' The L� and got the crowd rocking! I�m pretty sure Huey told a joke around this point in the set, and it was a real cringer, involving old people and arthritis, I�ll say no more!
Then it was time for the ultimate �oldie but a goodie� - �The Grave and the Constant�, which effortlessly turned into �Run Daddy Run�. Next was the �song about buying dope�, you guessed it � �10th Street�! �Southside� followed, and is apparently Fast�s favourite song. After this it was time to all calm down a little, for �The View Belongs To Everyone�, which seems to have become a permanent part of the setlist since the end of last year. Technically brilliant all round, I don�t know how they manage to get better every time! Then the party really started with �Bump�! A little bit of dancing from Huey and then it was onto �Love Unlimited�. A mad �Scooby Snacks� followed, and it was clear to see that FLC were back! Huey then introduced a new song called �Running For Cover�. It was played very well and was a bit more in the rock stylee than anything on �Loco�. The song went down very well, and we will hopefully see it on the new �Bag of Hits� album very soon! They kept saying how they hadn�t played for 6 months and that we were making them very happy � I�m not sure the grin left Huey�s face all evening! However, one familiar face was missing, there was no sign of Mateo anywhere� Huey later explained that Mateo had been banned from travelling with them due to drugs offences in the US, naughty boy! After a rocking and very quick "Coney Island Girl", they played �Swashbucklin� in Brooklyn�, which progressed seemlessly into �Up On The Hill�. After this, Huey showed his gratitude by explaining that they don�t do this all for themselves, which was the cue for �All For Self�. Next, was an absolutely wicked �Big Night Out�, which was a fitting end to the main part of the set.
They returned to the stage after barely 2 minutes, however, there was a very strong, and very suspicious smell that circulated the room when they came back� hmmm, any guesses what they�d been doing?? They then started with the amazing introduction to �The Fun Lovin� Criminal� that we first saw at the December shows. Huey looked taken aback by the crowd participation during this, he barely sung the chorus himself once! �A little sole jam� came next in the form of �Half A Block�. Next came �Blues For Suckers�, which they thankfully seem to have brought permanently back into the setlist. Then it was time for a final farewell with �We Have All The Time in the World�, a wonderful end to a wonderful evening. They said they were playing to wish us all a happy summer, and they definitely brightened up a few summers. The big question is: �When are they coming back??"
Manchester Apollo 20/12/01
Huey could be seen djing in the background as the final sound checks were done for Courtney Pine. Then looking rather like a big banana, Courtney (with his band) came on the stage and treated us to his amazing talent. Lord knows how he does it! Anyway! Mateo started to dj and any hopes for an appearance by Super Bad Brad were almost lost, however, Brad did do a brief set! It was quite obvious that he�d been told to make it quick though, and to top it all off the beat box stopped working mid-way through. Always the true showman, Brad walked to the front of the stage and sung Ave Maria with no accompaniment, before walking off without a word!
On to the most important part of the evening! It had been 9 months since the last time I�d seen FLC, but oh my God, please don�t be so long before the next! Mateo introduced them and after the greetings, they launched straight into �Where the Bums Go�, followed by �Loco�, which went slightly wrong, but they covered it well and continued into �King of New York�. We were then treated to 2 of the 4 jokes which Huey shared with us during the course of the evening, he was definitely on form! The songs continued with technically brilliant versions of �Smoke 'em�, �Korean Bodega� and �Bombin' the L�. �The Grave and the Constant�, which made a welcome return to the set after what must have been several years was next, followed by �Run Daddy Run�. �10th Street� came next and was followed by another joke, oh yeah! We were then asked to shout along to �Southside� if we knew it, and the crowd was having a really good time. The heavier part of the set ended as Huey introduced �The View Belongs to Everyone�, by thanking everyone for the kind words said about their city recently and that it would take more than that to beat them. This was a song they had never played live before this tour, but it was wonderful to see.
Next, they played �Bump� and Huey obviously hadn�t forgotten the dance from the video as he danced along to the chorus. Next up was �Love Unlimited�, which had great audience participation, although possibly not quite as much as there was for �Scooby Snacks�, which was what they then played! A very quick �Coney Island Girl� was followed by �Sugar� and �Swashbucklin� in Brooklyn�. �Up on the Hill� was next, then Huey muttered something about not doing things for himself as they surprisingly played �All for Self�. �Big Night Out� marked the end of the set with amazing style and wonderful sounds.
They (of course) came back for an encore starting with a guitar solo into �The Fun Lovin� Criminal�. After a lot of shouting, Huey finally noticed a couple of Santa style hats which had been thrown onto the stage, and it didn�t take much persuasion before both he and Fast were wearing them. However, Huey informed us that Mackie would not be putting on the third hat as �Mackie doesn't wear hats� (bollocks)!
They continued and played �Mini Bar Blues�, (still wearing the hats), before Huey decided it was to hot and put the hat on the end of his guitar, before giving it to someone in the crowd!
We were then treated to �Half a Block� and �Blues for Suckers�. The crowd tried hard to get Fast to tell a joke, but Huey informed us he was too shy, and so told yet another joke that is too vulgar to repeat! The show all too quickly came to an end with �All the Time in the World�, with full audience participation. After best wishes for Christmas and the New Year, they were gone. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Here's a cool article to start with, I will look for more as soon as I have time to, but this is interesting!
There's another review of the Manchester Apollo gig from 20/12/01 on the BBC website, it's a really lovely, cool review!
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