Celebrating its 70th anniversary under the fresh leadership of directors Tash Daly and Jason Knight, the Sidmouth Folk Festival began in high spirits with its pre-Festival special concerts at the Ham marquee.
The festivities commenced with an afternoon performance by Fisherman’s Friends, setting the stage for the evening’s entertainment. The unconventional Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (UOGB) then took the spotlight.
The UOGB, known for their diverse musical repertoire, delivered a two-hour performance that defied categorization. Their set included elements from folk, pop, rock, jazz, soul, disco, heavy metal, punk, Britpop, easy listening, and classical music—all performed on seven ukuleles.
Formed in the mid-1980s initially for a single pub gig, the UOGB embraced the ukulele, an instrument with no set genre, allowing them to explore various musical styles. Their members, dressed in formal evening attire, add to their distinctive image.
Nearly four decades later, with hundreds of concerts and nearly 30 albums to their name, UOGB has found a successful formula. Their third appearance at the Sidmouth Folk Festival was a resounding success, earning them a standing ovation. Their performance, filled with humor, comic interludes, dance routines, and skilled musicianship, brought many smiles.
Highlights included their comedic rendition of Ian Dury’s “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll,” retitled “Cakes & Buns & Sausage Rolls,” a medley of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” featuring snippets of “My Way,” “Born Free,” “For Once In My Life,” “Substitute,” and “One Day I’ll Fly Away,” and an inventive version of The Rezillos’ “(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures.” The standout moment was their energetic cover of ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” complete with twirling ukuleles mimicking the original video.
Though not strictly folk, UOGB’s performance was a fantastic start to this year’s Sidmouth Folk Festival, setting a memorable tone for the event.
