Strummercamp is the friendliest festival on the circuit

Saturday starts with the main stage having a few sound problems, but the guys from TNS records, a local underground punk label that have slowly taken over the second stage at this festival (it is now known as the TNS stage) have us entertained in the meantime with the likes of The Hostiles, Sense Of Urgency, and Faintest Idea. There are some great, talented, tight bands here but after a while they all seem to be the same sort of band, sounding the same, young kids with an original three band set up plus a saxophone of trumpet and trombone.

Don't get me wrong, I like ska punk, but maybe they could have been shuffled around in the set so that it doesn't appear to be just a ska punk stage. As I head over to the main stage the first band on, Stand Out Riot, are a similar sort of thing, but luckily for me Bootscraper on the TNS stage bring a bit of Agro-Folk to my ears and the excellent No Thrills play some good old Oi! Punk on the main stage. They even change the lyrics to 'Punk Rock Til We Die' so that there is no swearing in front of the kids, bless!

The festival crowd are a mixture this year, I believe with the growth of the TNS stage and the number of young guys who play in it has brought a lot more youngsters to the festival, with the main stage still housing most of the regulars (a really friendly bunch, they are like family after 5 years!). The place is the friendliest festival I have been to without a doubt though.

Chomsky Allstars are featuring just their singer / guitarist Chomsky and bassist Frankie Coia today, but they sound really catchy with the bass line filling the gaps in the guitars reggae strums. 'Bad Moon Rising' is a song for the folk of Louisiana, who Chomsky says are "being shit on again."

Over on the TNS stage are probably the most liveliest band of the weekend, Revenge of the Psychotronic Man. in the time it takes to say their name they have played a cover of the Clash's 'White Riot', such is the speed of their "stupidly fast punk". As it's the bassist's birthday he asks for a human pyramid, and after a few moments hesitation the crowd oblige, with 10 people forming an impressive mountain of bodies (though some could have brought a belt along, one poor kids trousers were around his knees. Ooo I sound old saying that!). Not only did they perform this, they also had a human wheelbarrow race in the mosh pit. The band are really good, so fast that you can not tell what they are saying, but really comical in between and with songs like 'I Know A Cracking Owl Sanctuary' what more could you ask for?

Rodney Brannigan, the man who plays two guitars, is simply amazing! I have seen Jon Gomm do the virtuoso thing really well, but this guy plays two acoustic guitars at the same time, one held normally and one upright. Pure genius. Drunken Balordi are a welcome addition to the line up with their folk punk, and nice guys to meet too! TV Smith, formally of The Adverts, returns to the festival again to play more solo work, and the main stage ends with Spear of Destiny, a great way to finish the first full day of Strummercamp 5.

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