Fun Lovin' Criminals - Fun Lovin' Criminals, Dome, Doncaster, 1999
by Peter Allison
published: 23 / 6 / 2012

intro
Peter Allison, in our 'Gig of a Lifetime' series, writes of going to see New York hip-hop/alternative rock trio the Fun Lovin' Criminals in 1999 for the first time at the Doncaster Dome
This was always going to be a tricky column to write. I have been fortunate enough to attend a diverse series of classic gigs in my lifetime. Should it be Rammstein, as who else can detonate, incinerate, and otherwise systematically destroy their own stage (so much so that afterwards the Nottingham Ice Arena had to be closed for three days to let the ice refreeze)? Should it be the timeless Riders of the Storm (formerly the Doors), who played a stand-out set in Sheffield's Corporation, at which keyboardist Ray Manzarek commented, "In the 60's we took LSD to make the world look weird. Now we take Prozac to make it look normal." In all honesty, however, it could be none other than the first time I saw the Fun Lovin' Criminals play live. Ever since listening to their first albums 'Come Find Yourself' and '100% Columbian', I had been wanting to see the Fun Lovin' Criminals. Its members had – and still have - a reputation as being the coolest guys in rock, and their music was eminently identifiable. They are a band like no other. During my final year at Sheffield University I at last had the opportunity to watch them play live, and persuaded two friends to join me for the night. Doncaster Dome (or the flashing nipple, as it is locally known) is not an ideal place to see such a quintessentially New York band. For the starters, the gig was in a sports-hall, which was still marked out for basketball, and we had to walk-through the sports centre to gain access. As atmospheres go, it was distinctly lacking... The opening band was an unusual choice, yet nonetheless a successful one, as the cyber-trance Indian Ropeman warmed the crowd nicely. Despite the band's front-man staring down the entire crowd, Indian Ropeman succeeded in having everyone bouncing along to their beats. After a thirty minute change-over Huey, Fast, and Mackie (who would later leave the FLC) finally strutted onto the stage. Huey, with a twinkle in his eye and a roguish grin, demanded, “Everybody be cool, this a robbery”, the opening lines from 'Scooby Snacks'; to which everyone shouted back the following line to Huey's obvious approval. In fact Huey's obvious pleasure, at the enjoyment their music brings (he often extends songs that the crowd particularly like) is what make the Fun Lovin' Criminals such a great band to see, The Fun Lovin' Criminals are a band who consistently play better the more a crowd enjoys themselves. That night, although a significant proportion of the audience seemed to be people just out for a Saturday night, Huey and the boys played an awesome gig. Despite the chilled out nature of their music, the Fun Lovin' Criminals had the entire hall bouncing along to their music - even their chill out tracks! The set list has been lost to distant memory, but what stands out from that night are the ancillary moments. These include Huey quipping between tracks and commenting how he was setting up the Huey School of Jokes. The whole band would also enact scenes from iconic gangster movies between tracks as well. These moments between songs, where the band engage with the audience, added to the fun nature of the night. After a fantastic ninety-minute set, including a ground-shaking encore, I staggered out of the sports-hall into the cool April air, to collapse onto a patch of grass. I was exhausted, had sprained both my ankles, and was dehydrated, yet still I couldn't be happier.
Picture Gallery:-


interviews |
Interview (2011) |
Peter Allison speaks to iconic hip hop/rock trio the Fun Lovin' Criminals about their fifteen year musical history and new triple live CD, 'Fun, Live, and Criminal’ |
live reviews |
Rock City, Nottingham, 3/3/2017 |
![]() |
Dave Goodwin enjoys a nostalgic but not rose-tinted Fun Lovin' Criminals set in Nottingham |
Academy 2, Newcastle, 30/6/2011 |
Corporation, Sheffield, 4/6/2011 |
Plug, Sheffield, 18/9/2010 |
digital downloads
reviews |
Classic Fantastic (2010) |
![]() |
Vibrant-sounding first album in five years for the bestselling Fun Lovin' Criminals |
most viewed articles
current edition
Sarah Cracknell - InterviewDouglas MacIntyre - Interview
Jann Klose - Sugar My
Jimmy Webb - (With support from Ashley Campbell and Thor Jenson), Cadogan Hall, London. 27/5/2022
Jarvis Cocker - Good Pop Bad Pop - An Exhibition of Objects and Keepsakes of Jarvis Cocker
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Loop - Interview
Rolling Stones - Anfield, Liverpool, 9/6/2022
Tom Newman - Interview
Simply Red - La Marina, Valencia, Spain, 7/6/2022
previous editions
Stewart Copeland - Police Deranged For Orchestra - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 11/9/2021World Party - Interview
Cliff Richard - Vs Elvis Presley
Music Festivals - Profile 2022
Sam Brown - Interview 2008
Dire Straits Legacy - Interview
Paul Clerehugh - Interview
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Ruskin Arms - The Image That Made Me Weep
most viewed reviews
current edition
Def Leppard - Diamond Star HalosLucky Ones - Slow Dance, Square Dance, Barn Dance
Various - Heroes & Villains – The Sound Of Los Angeles 1965-1968,
Dave Stewart - Ebony McQueen
Gabi Garbutt and the Illuminations - Cockerel
Emile Sande - Let's Say For Instance
Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That...
Soup Review - Go and See
Girls At Our Best! - Pleasure
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me: 20th Anniversary Edition
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart