TEN years in and there aren't many acts who could take issue with Andy Cato's claim that "as live dance bands go Groove Armada are right at the top of the tree."
And when he tells you the band has already played to 70 crowds of more than 40,000 people this year the scale of the GA operation takes on a new dimension.
"I've seen bigger crowds a few times and bigger stages once or twice, but in terms of reaction from the people there's nothing to touch us," adds Andy, who's equally happy that GA's show at the BIC's Solent Hall tonight Monday will be an intimate, by their standards, couple of thousand.
The confidence is well-founded. The band's repromoted Greatest Hits offers casual fans another chance to get their ears (and feet) around chart stormers such as I See You Baby, Hands of Time and the early landmark At the River, with its ultra-cool Patti Page sample.
But dyed in the wool GA nuts will be frothing to get hold of the GA10 tenth anniversary release that rounds up rarities, remixes, b-sides and some special treats on two discs.
"It's the first chance we've had to get all our favourite tunes on one set and they're not always the ones that are on the radio. There's a disc of uptempo stiff and another 74 minutes of mellowness on the other one. I'm really pleased with it," says Andy.
Groove Armada have not always been top of the critics' pile, but given their chart success, the continued appeal of their own Lovebox festival and a massive live audience, do you think Andy gives a stuff?
"Look, when we started out we were on a label whose main concerns were Steps and Britney Spears so we were largely left to our own devices and didn't always get the support we could have had in terms of promotion. Now that the record industry is all but falling in on itself the only thing that's left is the live thing and that's where we come into our own.
"The last ten years have been so mental we haven't really had time to sit and ponder it, but Tom and I have got a chemistry that works well in the studio and the live band has been together in this form for four or five years now so we've really got a thing going."
GA's pliable live sets mean that no two nights are ever the same. Live dance acts have always struggled to get away from the inherent problem that the best thing about live music is that is is flexible and spontaneous, while the best thing about electronic music is that it is programmed and relentless.
"Yes, that has taken some time, but we're on it now. For instance, our drummer is responsible for all drums so that even if it's four on the floor house stuff he's good enough to do it all. It means if we get into something on the night we can just go with it. I'm telling you, 2008 is going to be the year of the ultimate GA live album, no doubts!"
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