The Fun Lovin Criminals are professionals through and through, the best entertainment out there...
The atmosphere in the XFM tent is the most vibrant and excited that it's been all day the festival over. Over on the mainstage KT Tunstall has just finished her set and David Gray's coming on to quietly see the night out, but at XFM the Fun Lovin Criminals are coming onstage to the sounds of the A-Team theme tune and then Huey stands at the front of the stage in a true rock-star pose with a Van Halen-esque guitar and proceeds to blast our national anthem out violently and brashly, evoking memories of a certain mister Hendrix and his star spangled banner.
"Hello friends." Huey greets us and then the grinding onslaught of the first song commences, blending hard-driven guitars with gorgeous bass and piano loopings, loopy drums and their seminal staple style. It's great to see a band who've been so revered, respected and established in the music industry for quite a long time now still playing with the energy and enjoyment you'd see at a first gig. And they're the real deal too, smoking cigarettes and drinking beers whilst playing, and looking like charming drug-barons from Columbia in their sharp suits and trim appearances.
There's a constant smile on their faces and a good-humoured nature about their gig, they drop funny samples into the mix and get a whole load of sounds going, for just three people onstage, and it's full and fun to the maximum. Bassist Fast is in charge of getting the backings going, banging out the basslines and terrifically trumpeting out the horn accompaniments. Steve-O on the drums ties it down with some magnificently hard-hitting beats and Huey grooves out the guitar and articulates some ace little lines with his vocal contribution.
'I Can't Get With That' is awesome and has everyone dancing away with their paper cups filled with beer and real ale. 'Love Unlimited' with its allusion to Barry White and his life-saving, ex-wife-returning music is super-cool and has everyone shouting 'It's Alright' over and over. It turns totally smooth and sexy when 'Loco' is ripped out, and of course, the highlight is 'Scooby Snacks', for a newcomer to the Fun Lovin live experience, it blows you away to hear that song played by the group in front of you and have everybody around you, with no exceptions, dancing and singing along is something extraordinary.
Their gig is fucking fun, energetic, memorable and glorious entertainment. Go catch a whole one, it's highly, highly recommended.