Fun Lovin' Criminals USA

“A melting pot of local flavours: hip-hop, funk, blues and rock, all tied together by a smokin’ groove. That’s how Rolling Stone described the music of the Fun Lovin’ Criminals years ago. The trio of Brian Leiser (bass, keyboards, trumpet, harmonica, vocals), Frank Benbini (drums, vocals) and Naim Cortazzi (guitar, vocals) promise the city under Špilberk a raucous show that seamlessly blends rap bangers and love songs.

When the Fun Lovin’ Criminals stormed New York City’s music clubs in the mid-90s, it felt like a hurricane. The unstoppable rise of the rap-rock pack was then confirmed by Come Find Yourself, a record launched into the world by a cannonball called Scooby Snacks. The track featured samples from Quentin Tarantino’s films The Gunmen and Pulp Fiction, so much so that the eccentric American director was even credited as a co-writer and received around a third of the profits. The record eventually found its greatest success in the UK, so it’s no surprise that three years later they had another album under their belt, this time 100% Colombian. They also took over the Pyramid Stage at the famous Glastonbury Festival with their infamous wild show.

The first decade of the 21st century was the band’s commercial peak, crowned by the formation of their own label, Kiloherz, and the decision to concentrate on touring rather than recording. For this reason, Classic Fantastic (2010) remains the last studio recording of original material. Since then, fans have had to make do with the covers album Another Mimosa (2019) and the previous year’s EP Roosvelt Sessions.

Brian Leiser (bass guitar, keyboards, trumpet, harmonica, vocals)
Frank Benbini (drums, vocals)
Naim Cortazzi (guitar, vocals)