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Goldie Lookin' Chain

Live @ Leeds Festival 2004 - Saturday, 28 August 2004

Goldie Lookin' Chain
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www.cd-wow.com "That's my run", said Hugh Grant in Mickey Blue Eyes as explanation of his endearing, but unusual running technique - "I thought you were doing a funny run". It brings a smile to our faces when we ponder whether the Welsh collective that is Goldie Lookin' Chain are just doing funny dances, taking the piss, or whether that is how they really dance. I fear they may answer "That's my dance". Either that or your dad's advice when you were a kid to stop pulling funny faces in case it sticks when the wind changes might become true of dancing ... still, I'm sure they don't dance like that in Newport when they are en route to "copping off with the birds" (as they so eloquently advise many young festival males to achieve this weekend). Funny as f**k? Safe as f**k.

The thing is, and I'm sure you're all very much aware by now: GLC are as funny as fuck. The music is refreshing too. Thinking aloud to myself, I can't see in GLC where the line is between comedy, irony and rap, although I recall similar discussions about The Darkness' arrival on the scene and look where they are now. Still, who cares?

Current single "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do" goes down a storm, with audience participation at an all time high for so early on - "woo woo woo" echoes around the main stage and wakes up a few of last night's hangover victims in the campsite. A real lunchtime festival welcome...

Next up and another wry smile as a batch of commercial artists get a bit of GLC slating in "Shit To Me": Madonna is apparently too old, and with a hook of "Ja Rule means shit to me. Fuck you Alicia Keys!" you can't help but notice the grins and smirks on thousands of faces. Will Smith and J-Lo get a lashing too. The slogan? "Buy British" - it's around this time that drug deals are attempted, and a little later on the announcement of pirated DVDs being on sale from the side of the stage after the show...

The Shamen and PJ & Duncan get a sample or two in late 80s pastiche "Roller Disco", followed by "21 Ounces", and then Vanessa Paradis and what sounds like the theme to Taxi. As samples and riffs are played back-to-back I struggle to keep up - I'm having too much fun to make notes - but I'm confident a couple more popular TV themes are filtered in and out as we enter conclusion.

The puerile "Your mother's got a penis" closes the show in a sing along fashion - cue more smiles - and given that I usually avoid watching bands on the main stage this was a welcome break to the norm. Who else would get away with such a title?

It might well be a pisstake of white suburban chav culture, and how long such an angle will keep the kids amused is yet to be seen, but when you see people having a joke and a good laugh sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

Even their debut album is titled "Greatest Hits".

As we contemplate whether GLC can emulate The Darkness' rapid rise to Main Stage headliners, we leave as Colin Murray announces the rest of the day's line up. Whereas The Distillers get the loudest cheer, The Darkness receive a resounding groan... fittingly, as we depart, I overhear one guy asking "I wonder whether they'll still be here in a year's time?"

Not sure who he was talking about ... though I hear already that GLC are an early bet for one of the headline slots in 2005!