Corn-Mo is a happy chappie.
When you're asking for information about one of the acts on the bill and you are informed that "He's great, completely insane but he puts on a really good show" it leaves you a bit uncertain about what lies ahead. Firstly, is he actually insane? That might not be the best environment for an artist who is suffering like that. Then again, Brian Wilson and Daniel Johnston have overcome issues and their work manages to stand the test of time so it was decided to let Corn-Mo be judged on his music, rather than any preconceptions.
Walking onstage and strapping on an accordion, Corn-mo struck you as what Meatloaf would look and sound like if he started taking happy pills and stopped writing awful songs that have really long titles. The first song was reminiscent of a sea-shanty but I suppose the fact it was played on an accordion meant it was unlikely to sound like anything else; the instrument does have a very unique sound. The vocals were warm and welcoming and filled the sound out well, which was good as he performed solo.
After moving onto the keyboard, the songs were being introduced with endearing anecdotes, including one about his grandfather which probably doesn't need repeating on a website like this but it was extremely funny. However, as the set continued the crowd seemed to be taking more enjoyment from the meandering stories and light backing as opposed to the actual songs. It's not to say that the songs weren't good, they were likeable but the personality of the artist strongly came through in his stories.
The track 'Thank You' was dedicated to the crowd and featured a guest trumpet player, giving the song a rag-time feel which positively swung and again, had the busy crowd nodding and swaying appreciatively.
Returning to the accordion for a cover of Queen's 'We Are The Champions' (dedicated to the Scottish national team, which was a nice touch, if quite over-stated!) was a fine end to the set, with Corn-Mo's warbly vocals adding a touch of fragility to a song whose original version was a pompous hideous track by a hideously pompous act.
It's unlikely that you'll go out of your way to track down the music of Corn-Mo but if he happens to cross your path, stop and chat for a while, he's completely harmless and he will put a smile on your face.