 | | The Otto Show (pic: SIAB Studios) |
Otto Smart, aka The Otto Show, is sincere enough in his attempt to get things going but - tonight at least - he gives the distinct impression that his barely audible musings on horoscopes, t-shirts and pigeons would fare far better as poetry than they do as songs. Liz Green is an entirely different story. Captivating from the first note and simply dripping with originality, Green's talent is such that Glastonbury organisers promoted her to Pyramid stage opener. It’s easy to see why.  | | Liz Green (pic: SIAB Studios) |
With a voice halfway between Billie Holiday and Nina Simone and a rye way round a lyric, she seems full of innocence, yet wise beyond her years. Fuse this with her minimal and quirky jazz oriented melodies, and after 10 seconds or so, it becomes obvious why Mr Eavis felt so compelled to offer her main stage billing. Denis Jones is equally as good, but for entirely different reasons. A thoroughly modern take on the one man band, Jones does his thing by substituting a drum on his back for a portable sampler and a spot of beatboxing.  | | Denis Jones (pic: SIAB Studios) |
On paper, that sounds ever so dodgy, but thankfully it works exceptionally well and his songs and sound are crafted - literally - before your very eyes. Imagine an even more wistful Ray Lamontagne (from Manchester) and you're more or less there. Closing the show are the superb Cortina Deluxx. Simple songs sung with real heart make this small yet perfectly formed outfit a joy to watch, as the vocal talents of Jo Thomas are complemented by Jon Thorne on double bass and the quiet longing of Danny Norbury's cello.  | | Cortina Deluxx (pic: SIAB Studios) |
The most distinctive thing about this band is that all the tunes are incredibly, well, pretty, and each band member seems lost in their own world while playing. The audience are won over immediately and swoon with every shimmering note. Acoustic nights on rainy Sundays can all too easily go terribly wrong, but if What? The Folk! is the question, then Cornerhouse has come up with a more than reasonable answer. | 
