Limp Bizkit, A
6 September 2003
Finsbury Park, London

This gig, put on by Carling Live, was apparently to make up for Limp Bizkit`s late withdrawal from the Download Festival earlier in the year. 30,000 free tickets were up for grabs, or rather with £1 a ticket booking fee through Ticketmaster. Considering the tickets were released mid-week and you needed a credit card to book them, it was no surprise that on entering the park the crowd was noticeably older than what you`d expect at a Limp Bizkit gig. I recall a flurry of e-mail activity the afternoon the tickets were released with many people with no interest in Fred Durst`s mob snapping up their maximum allocation of four tickets on the off chance of a strong supporting cast or simply a free afternoon in the park with mates.

So, to those supports and with initial rumours of acts the size of Deftones and Staind, the actual bill is pretty light weight. I didn`t even bother turning up for the likes of This Girl, Biffy Clyro or Inme and as we enter the arena the so called "surprise guests" The Cooper Temple Clause are on stage. Having known they were playing in advance this was hardly a surprise nor do they yet warrant that kind of label.

Having only heard two tracks previously, The Devil Walks In The Sand on a compilation CD and latest single Promises Promises on CDUK the very same day, I can`t say much about the set other than both were played. Also, we spent their set wandering round the stalls, locating friends and beers, but they did make for OK background music. Background being the word, as the sound was very quiet all day, though with it being a free festival I suppose they weren`t blowing big bucks on a big PA.

A are a band where I don`t mind some of their stuff but have found their albums a bit patchy. A few albums in however I was hoping that they would have amassed enough quality material for a decent set and was pleased to discover they had.

Appearing in front of a beach scene backdrop, it was a shame the weather today didn`t match that scene but A`s music was all summer. New song The Second Coming opened proceedings, followed surprisingly by biggest hit Nothing. At this point I decided to take a quick look nearer the front to discover the front and rear sections of the crowd had been separated by a barrier. As had happened at Ozzfest in 2002, in A`s case the crowd by the barrier seemed to be more enthusiastic than those who had been lucky enough to make it into the front section. Jason Perry spotted this and decided to take the show to those behind the barrier, heading off through the crowd during I Love Lake Tahoe.

Having been chased back to the stage, ironically, an on-stage monitor caught fire during new song Worst Thing That Can Happen. With that extinguished, it`s on with the set with stand-out moments new single and TV advert tune Good Time and hit singles Starbucks and Took It Away. Monkey Kong closes a very cleverly paced set.

A Set List:
Second Coming / Nothing / W.D.Y.C.A.I. / Shut Yer Face / I Love Lake Tahoe / Worst Thing That Can Happen / Good Time / The Distance / Starbucks / Full Pelt / Took It Away / Monkey Kong

At this point things seem to be running well ahead of time and we wonder whether there`s going to be a surprise guest until were told from the stage that Limp Bizkit will be on in 1 hour - right, time for a few more beers then. The event was being taped by MTV and it seems the hour was designed for the build up program and this would not be the last time the MTV coverage impinged on the gig.

It`s dark by the time Limp Bizkit finally take the stage with new single Eat You Alive, though without the benefit of big screens it`s difficult to see anyone on stage unless you were in the front section. Everyone around us is asking, "Where`s Fred?", until somebody eventually someone spots he`s down the front on one of the security guy`s shoulders.

Hot Dog and all it`s "f-ing" follows and despite the low volume Limp Bizkit are rocking along nicely, which continues with My Generation. Then there`s an extended DJ break. Something wrong we wonder? Whatever, after a couple of minutes there off again with Break Stuff and My Way which sees Fred invite four kids up on stage to rock along with the band.

Former Snot guitarist Mike Smith has big shoes to fill left by Wes Borland but he does the job well, although without the same presence of his predecessor. But, DJ Lethal is being worked hard as here comes another break in the set. At this point we realise we`re waiting out MTV advert breaks and the penny drops that we`re actually at a live TV promo for the new Bizkit album, Results May Vary. I could settle for that as the event had only cost £1, but the wind is repeatedly taken out of the set and by the third time this happens Limp Bizkit are finally unable to resuscitate it.

Without these breaks this could have been a pretty good gig as the set list is well balanced, spacing out new songs such as Underneath The Gun and the cover of The Who`s Behind Blue Eyes with crowd favourites like Nookie and Take A look Around.

After yet another break Durst returns for a solo version of Nevermind, which was frankly boring, before the set is wrapped up by the shouty version of George Michael`s Faith. Everyone stands there waiting for number one single Rollin` as a firework display commences and stage hands start packing up the stage. But there`s no return, which post gig is put down to leaving the crowd wanting more, but one wonders whether the MTV slot had come to an end before they had time to play it.

A missed opportunity this one I feel for Limp Bizkit, whereas A stole the show.

Limp Bizkit Set List:
Eat You Alive / Hot Dog / My Generation / Break Stuff / My Way / Underneath The Gun / Nookie / Behind Blue Eyes / Take A Look Around / Full Nelson / Nevermind / Faith