Chumbawamba are not very good. Everyone knows that. They even proclaim it to the assembled throng before they come on stage. A cornucopia of sampled slaggings take the place of an intro tape. Even the gods dislike Chumbawamba. Their arrival on stage coincides with the start of a heavy downpour.
It's unfortunate, then, that their live show is a brash, larger than life cartoon extravaganza, entertaining, with more costume changes than Madonna (and this whole weekend is a damn sight cheaper too). The gold lame televangelists and cigar smoking, whisky swilling, high kicking nuns are just the start of it.
They play that hit, of course, and then the sun comes out. Four-year-old children know the words. Illiterate hooligans know the words. Your mum knows the words. Chumbawamba, then, proper pop stars. I wonder what happened to them?
Meanwhile, over on the 'unsung heroes' stage, Tompaulin, with their clever and rude lyrics, and a girl with a child's mouth organ (do those instruments have a proper name?) Tompaulin are travellers from a parallel universe where The Beautiful South are good and The Wedding Present happy: ie: a much better world. We must greet them, and make them feel welcome.
After playing their new Fierce Panda single, 'My Life as a Car Crash', the band then launch into a cover of Strawberry Switchblade's classic 'Since Yesterday', and when Stacey McKenna sings, it's as sweet as syrup dripping down your throat.
