Rob Jones sees the Newport rap crew lay on a treat for the youth of Abertillery in a special warmup show for their first ever headlining UK tour.

Should Irvine Welsh be looking for a new project, he need look no further than to compile a study on the wacky and wonderful world of nutty Newport hip hop chart champions Goldie Lookin Chain.

The work in progress would obviously be entitled Chainspotting, and between the numerous members of the bonkers band and their crazy crowd there is enough material for several sequels!

The gathered throng at the Abertillery Arena was about as diverse a selection of personnel as could congregate in the tightly packed venue.

The atmosphere was absolutely bouncing as the pumped up punters awaited the arrival of the local lookin' lads.

The crowd was fed Grandmaster Flash, Snoop Doggy Dogg, Sugarhill Gang and The Beastie Boys via the sound system prior to the arrival of the band.

However, the royalty of rap by passed the majority of the masses, because all they wanted was GLC!

The eventual arrival of the homeboy heroes sent the audience in to orbit, and the jump around, fist in the air, hip hop ethos took over the proceedings.

One young fan even had to wheel a solitary arm bandit to a better vantage point, to enable him to continue to play for the jackpot with one hand, point to the sky with the other, bounce on the spot, and sing every lyric without missing a word (quite an achievement, one must add!)

The jackpot for the Abertillery audience was the non stop entertainment afforded by the too many to count members of GLC!

The highlights of the new Greatest Hits album are delivered with a tongue in cheek charisma that the Chain have perfected with audacious aplomb!

The topical tunes just run one in the other with ease as the energy permeates around thebuilding.

The witty words of GLC (Great Live Comedy) offer an insight into The Streets of Newport, and contemporary culture.

The soon-to-be smash about a mother with a bodily part usually associated with a gentleman, guns and rappers, Jimmy Saville references, and disses for P Diddy, Alicia Keys, J.Lo and Ja Rule are just a random selection from the GLC funny files.

The combined chaos of the open air market shellsuit chic tallied to the manic mirth just adds to the hilarity factor.

One of the success stories of 2004, The GLC, Half Man Half Biscuit, manifesto for the hip hop generation is now in overdrive....and if you are there to quote the boys, 'You knows it!'

Insane in the Membrane, insane with Goldie Lookin' Chain!

Rob Jones - October 2004