He's Still Got It!

Last night found me in KOKO Camden watching the Fun Lovin' Criminals. I last saw this band in 2003/2004 at Brixton and then Kentish Town Forum and they were awesome. So when my mates J and J offered to pick me up a ticket for this gig I snapped their hands off! My only fear was that they wouldn't be as good; that age would have been unkind to them; and most of all that I just wouldn't enjoy them anymore.

No worries on any count! The evening was all I could have hoped for.

The venue alone is a quirky and funky little place. KOKO is an old Theatre and still retains the royal boxes and ornate decorations in rich crimson and gold. I've seen several gigs here ranging from Roisin Murphy who was brilliant to Noah and the Whale who weren't! There's a weird smell about the place and sometimes the sound can be distinctly average but it's definitely different and interesting.

From the minute the band arrived on stage, the atmosphere was electric. The enigmatic and charismatic lead singer Huey had us in the palm of his hand. Huey went through a pie eating phase in his life a few years ago but boy is he back in shape now! And his caramel soaked gravel lined voice sounds better than ever!

This band has had a bit of a reputation for indulging in chemicals in the past and because of this, some people have overlooked their very real musical talent. Yes Huey is sexy, yes he has stage presence, yes he is a fantastic front man but he's actually a damn fine guitar player too. The same goes for Fast (who neither J or I remember being this hot 7 years ago) who had a staggering array of instruments to choose between including keys, guitar and brass. And even the drummer Frankie pulled a great tune from a guitar as well. And, they all sing!

We stood back and watched as three talented guys pulled out material old and new while having the time of their life. They looked like three good mates who had met for a jamming session in their mates garage. Relaxed and clearly having a ball, the onstage banter was funny but affectionate.

The crowd was a real mixed bag in terms of age and style. There were young, hip and trendy things with achingly cool asymmetrical hair cuts, there were oldsters in polo shirts and slacks, there were young professionals with laptops hugged to their chests and there were eccentric types who inevitably start the action in the mosh pit and then spend the rest of the night avoiding a thumping. Despite these differences, the common factor was nodding heads and sheer enjoyment. This band are great!

I'm rubbish at recalling the order of tracks and even opening numbers but I do know the set list included Passive/Aggressive, The Grave and the Constant, King of New York and of course the crowd pleaser and cue for mass jumping Scooby Snacks. The boys were dragged back on stage for a storming encore featuring Roots Manoeuvre before the finale of Fun Lovin' Criminals and We Have All the Time in the World, which allowed Fast to showcase his gorgeous sounds on the trumpet. What a way to end a show.

We left KOKO in the usual post gig way, slightly fuzzy in the ears and dying to dissect the songs and set. The one thing we were totally agreed upon - 'Huey - he's still got it!" And if you don't believe us, you'll have to check them out for yourself!