Fun Lovin' Criminals - Rock City, Nottingham, 3/3/2017
by Dave Goodwin
published: 19 / 4 / 2017

intro
Dave Goodwin enjoys a nostalgic but not rose-tinted Fun Lovin' Criminals set in Nottingham
So, we had another chance to see one of the best jazz/hip hop bands of the moment as the Fun Lovin' Criminals played Nottingham's sticky Rock City. It's crazy to think that this tour they are on marks the 20th Anniversary of the release of the band's seminal debut, Come Find Yourself. Twenty years ago I was walking around singing 'Stick em up, punk' and the last time I saw Huey was at The Rescue Rooms on his New Yorkers tour where we caught up with him for an interview upstairs. Here he is joined by his two mates Frank Benbini and Brian Lieser in true Fun Lovin' style and as soon as they sauntered on to the stage it became aware that they still had their fun lovin' swagger. They played a sort of two-set gig with the full first album played in full first and a shorter set of other favourites played straight afterwards. Huey has lost none of his cheeky charm and the expletives came thick and fast as usual, but what amazed me most about this gig was his mesmerising guitar playing. I can't remember him being that good - he must have been practicing because the sounds coming out of his strings were sublime with not a note wrong. But it's not just about Huey. Both Lieser - who plays keyboard, harmonica, bass and trumpet - and drummer Frank are boss musicians in their own right. Frank hails from Leicester and has a side project with Naim Cortezzi called Uncle Frank (also featured in these pages in the past). Rock City was heaving and the news that drifted slowly around the crowd was that it was a sell-out. Judging by the upstairs rammed to the rafters that was most likely true. Huey was on top form from the outset, drifting on stage with his drink raised high in acknowledgement to the cheering crowd. Halfway through the first set he again raised his glass to the crowd and offered a few lines from the 'I Don't Give a Fuck' song which strangely contains the title lyrics over and over. Good fun. But mainly just as the crowd was foot tapping and nodding so was I. These boys were good in the day but they seem to have got better with age. A bit like a good Châteauneuf-du-Pape or a fine Stilton, let's say. They are very tight without being over-polished and very loose and laid back at the same time if that makes sense. The second set was shorter than the first, most likely due to the Saturday night curfew, but was still full of highlights. If you have never treated your ears to Huey apart from his stints on BBC Radio 2, then you should rectify that ASAP. I hear you'll get the chance pretty soon because the trio are back in the studio again so will they be touring with a new album? Let's hope so. Set One The Fun Lovin' Criminal Passive/Aggressive The Grave and the Constant Scooby Snacks Smoke 'Em Bombin' the L I Can't Get with That King of New York We Have All the Time in the World Bear Hug Come Find Yourself Crime and Punishment Methadonia Set Two Loco We, the Three Back on the Block Korean Bodega Love Unlimited Big Night Out Photos by Dave Goodwin www.davegoodwinimages.com
Also at Rock City, Nottingham
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 |
Academy 2, Newcastle, 30/6/2011 |
![]() |
Kelly Smith watches former Fightstar front man Charlie Simpson play an intimate, but brilliant show in one of his first solo performances at the Academy in Newcastle |
Corporation, Sheffield, 4/6/2011 |
Plug, Sheffield, 18/9/2010 |
features |
Fun Lovin' Criminals, Dome, Doncaster, 1999 (2012) |
![]() |
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 |
digital downloads
reviews |
Classic Fantastic (2010) |
![]() |
Vibrant-sounding first album in five years for the bestselling Fun Lovin' Criminals |
most viewed articles
current edition
Douglas MacIntyre - InterviewJann Klose - Sugar My
Sarah Cracknell - Interview
Jimmy Webb - (With support from Ashley Campbell and Thor Jenson), Cadogan Hall, London. 27/5/2022
Loop - Interview
Jarvis Cocker - Good Pop Bad Pop - An Exhibition of Objects and Keepsakes of Jarvis Cocker
Tom Newman - Interview
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Simply Red - La Marina, Valencia, Spain, 7/6/2022
Rolling Stones - Anfield, Liverpool, 9/6/2022
previous editions
Stewart Copeland - Police Deranged For Orchestra - Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 11/9/2021Music Festivals - Profile 2022
World Party - Interview
Sam Brown - Interview 2008
Cliff Richard - Vs Elvis Presley
Gypsy Dave Mills - Interview
Ruskin Arms - The Image That Made Me Weep
Cathal Coughlan - Interview
This Mortal Coil - Interview
Suzi Quatro - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Lucky Ones - Slow Dance, Square Dance, Barn DanceVarious - Heroes & Villains – The Sound Of Los Angeles 1965-1968,
Def Leppard - Diamond Star Halos
Gabi Garbutt and the Illuminations - Cockerel
Girls At Our Best! - Pleasure
Soup Review - Go and See
Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway - Crooked Tree
Dave Stewart - Ebony McQueen
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me: 20th Anniversary Edition
Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That...
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