The saying goes that good things come to those who wait. This is very true tonight at La Belle Angele, as the Kurupt FM boys finally come on stage at 2am. It’s the longest I have waited for anybody, and I’m glad to report that it’s worth every anticipated second.
With an explosion of energy, frontman MC Grindah and his sidekick Beats open with their single ‘Suttin’ Like That’… and the stamina-rich crowd love it. The long-time friends have a natural connection on stage, and their performance boasts this in every bouncing beat and stretched out syllable. I’ve been to La Belle Angele a few times since it was rebuilt after a huge fire in 2002. I can’t comment on the reception to such acts as Oasis and The Libertines that played here back in the day, but this is an audience as hyped up as I have ever seen.
Having recently signed to XL Records, the fictionalised Garage group have evolved from their award-winning mockumentary television series People Just Do Nothing about a pirate radio station broadcasting out of a high-rise flat in Brentford, and now sell out venues and festivals across the UK. They recently won a BAFTA Award for Best Scripted Comedy. Not bad for some Cockney lads that started out filming themselves on YouTube. They have been endorsed by big hitters such as the Godfather of Garage, Craig David, and BBC Radio 1Xtra heavyweight, DJ Target, proving that these comedians are no joke.
My favourite character on the show is the failed-but-strangely-lovable entrepreneur, Chabuddy G. After a succession of freestyle MCing to different tracks mixed by surprisingly talented DJ and also scriptwriter Steves, things calm down a bit and it’s announced that it is actually Chabuddy’s birthday, and the more-than-willing audience are encouraged to sing for him. The Champagne moment is when the self-proclaimed ‘Best MC in the Galaxy’, Grindah, sprays, well, Champagne into the crowd. I’m not close enough to taste the vintage, but my sources tell me it’s definitely fizzy.
Every group has their share of super fans and Kurupt FM aren’t shy of a few groupies. I even come across one girl who proudly has their radio station’s frequency, 108.9, tattooed on her forearm. Now that’s dedication. I’m not suggesting you get a similar tattoo, but if you happen to be in a city hosting the Kurupt FM tour and you enjoy a (very) late night, this is for you.
To get tickets, please visit www.kuruptfm.com (Brace yourself, Chabuddy G built this website).
Author Bio:
John Harfield is a travel writer and photographer based in Edinburgh and one of our regular contributors.
Photographs by Ben Glasgow
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