It's early Saturday evening and dark skies are swirling over Guildford. It takes the arrival of Cast to serve as a reminder that this is a festival and not a Town Show. "We're gonna play about seven songs off our new album," John Power almost apologetically announces at the off.
He should apologise, although in fairness the abysmal mess that is their new album 'Beet Root' sounds slightly more coherent live. Unfortunately, the pseudo-spiritual lyrics, lumpen beats and a flute all point to the fact that Cast are a band rapidly running out of ideas.
All's well, though, after they've got the new songs out of the way and begin a journey through the singles. Sprightly run throughs of 'Beat Mama', 'Guiding Star' and 'Free Me' see a weight almost visibly drop from their collective shoulders and smiles replacing concentrated frowns.
Closing with the triumvirate of songs that made their name - 'Walk Away', 'Fine Time' and 'Alright' - sends the crowd away happy but leave the lingering feeling that Cast 2001 have little more to offer than Britpop karaoke.
Tonight's headliners James survived Britpop and now find themselves arguably more popular then they've ever been. And despite declaring on this very website that they're not "a safe bet" that's not the impression their audience gives off.
Aside from Tim Booth's manic, man-battling-internal-demons dancing, this is pop, albeit cloaked in stories of sexual politics and paranoia. It's pretty fine pop, too, with the opening 'Say Something' firing the audience into a sea of hands as rain begins to cascade from the sky.
Tracks from new album 'Pleased To Meet You' are slotted in alongside the hits in a festival-friendly set that ebbs and flows - from the slow whirl of new song 'Senorita' to the euphoric high of 'She's A Star'.
'Born Of Frustration' sees Booth missing his cue but he soon makes up for it by spinning around like a dervish, hand cupped to his face as he screams out the track's signature "Woo-woo-woo-woo".
They even deign to play 'Sit Down', although the verses are delivered in a subdued fashion which only reinforces the anthemic nature of the chorus. As the crowd sing and jump, the band stare out with barely concealed smiles of pride.
As they take their bows at the end, the band look mightily pleased with life. "We didn't deserve this," Booth admonishes the crowd, perhaps too mindful of a few glitches. He's being unfair as, a few drawn-out jams aside, they plundered their back catalogue for maximum crowd pleasers.
James may not have the credibility of their contemporaries, but when it comes to pure pop with a sting in the lyrics, few do it better. And that's why they're so loved.
