Public Enemy @ The Liquid Room, 2 Oct

Fuck George Bush! Fuck Dick Cheney! Chuck D chants, "…and Blair, and Blair," he pre-empts his be-clocked accomplice with a whisper. "Yeah, and fuck Lionel Blair!" Flavor Flav continues. Chuck despondently shakes his head, and nobody can tell whether Flav knows his politicians from his fellow farm dwelling celebs. This is classic Public Enemy; a balancing act of Chuck's eternal political dogmatism and Flav's inimitable hype man bravado. With a DMC champ behind the decks and a full live band injecting a fresh perspective into She Watch Channel Zero!?, Give It Up and Black Steel throughout an uncustomary curfew-breaching Liquid Room set, the back catalogue is well represented, with time even being afforded for Flav and Griff to tout some lull inducing solo wares. And, as the encore concludes with a rabble rousing jam and the flailing samurai swords show provided by their allegiant henchemen, the Security of the First World; it's impossible to imagine a world without PE. But we probably could have done without that flash of Flav's balls. [Dave Kerr]