Goldie Lookin' Chain

It's been years since I last went to the Lemon Grove and the place has had a bit of a makeover. The venue is now refitted and they've added plasma screens. Bonus we can now watch the Champions League match while the warm up acts are on. It's also much bigger than I remember it with another large room the other side of the bar where their own humorous brand of merchandise of lighters, tracksuit tops and 'safe as f**k' T-shirts are being sold and by the box load!

The first act HDG are pretty unremarkable, but fairly decent rap, so I spend some time sampling the student priced beers and chatting to the fans dressed up in Adidas and with home made jewellery and plastic bling! It's not just one or two either that have made the effort about half the bar is full of people making it look like Mike Reed is hosting a bizarre adult edition of Runaround here! Although most of the burberry is clearly not worn usually and the number of 'chavs' is much lower than I was expecting in fact the audience looks, primarily, a hip hop one.

The second act Skinnyman is very good and he gets the crowd frenetic for the imminent arrival of the GLC! One by one they take to the stage and there's loads of them. More and more and more arrive with mics and they treat us to all the well known tunes as well as a couple I've not heard before. Their actually quite capable rappers and alright there appear to be a few 'Bez' types on stage but they help set the scene with their multiple choice of hats and their alarm clocks around their necks, British rap is alive and well and funny as hell.

The crowd are clearly lovin' it, as we all put our hands in the air, we're treated to some breakdancing and they create a very 'nice' atmosphere. By that I mean the jokes put everyone in a good mood, clearly much of the audience knows the words and so join in and everyone's enjoying the stoner comedy and the pungent smoke. They may be one of those joke bands who could possibly be gone in a year or two, but they've clearly been around for a while and look older than I was expecting. I hear that they used to support Super Furry Animals before they made it big.



I don't know all their names but they all rap, some more than others, they punch the air to the infectious beats, they read out the signs in the audience and pinch the best crazy accessories from the crowd. And there's a lot of them, alright maybe not as many as So Solid, but all the same it's the most people I've ever seen on stage without instruments. It's like a 'Council boy band' and it would appear many of the girls in the crowd have their own favourites. But any similarity to the Westlifes or Boyzones of this world means surely these ladies need to visit Specsavers!

Their material is such that you can't help but relate to it, as though one of the kids in your class at school is on stage, they have points of reference we all understand and can relate to. Okay it may be a bit anarchic and a bit of a confused mess on CD but it works live and the backing beats are great, well chosen to get us all moving. As long as they stick true to their original formula they can at least secure the student scene for some time to come. Although looking around the audience many of them were last in education a good decade ago.



I'm thinking while they present Half Man, Half Machine 'are they joking?' Are they taking the mickey out of the chav generation or are they in full support of it? I assumed it was a joke, but seeing them live they have more credibility. They really are 'Townie Council-Style' and they really do mean everything they say! No surely it's just the effects of the cheap student beer!

I'd recommend anyone go and see them, despite the language they are very unoffensive, they're a decent well polished live act, you'll have fun and be entertained. Which is what at the end of the day you've paid for. Oh and it helps if you know the catchphrases and the tunes, so download them and get dressed up in your best early Eighties rap gear. You'll have a great time with the GLC, safe! Whether they can remain 'Safeasf**k' remains to be seen. But they've clearly achieved cult status and you knows it!



The Set:
No Joke
Self Suicide
Newport In Da House
S*** To Me
Half Man Half Machine
Soap Bar
Roller Disco
The Maggot (Afta Midnight)
Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do
Mystikal
Mike Ball
Biggy Smalls
Rain Song
The Maggot
21 Ounces
Taxi
You Knows I Loves You
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Your Mother's Got A Penis

There's more photos of this gig here.

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