Jeers Battle with Cheers – Selfish Cunt at Strawberry Fayre, Cambridge 02.06.07

Posted by LoveHowlMuse on June 5th, 2007

Photos and review by X3X2X

Martin Tomlinson, lead singer of “Selfish Cunt”, was arrested on June the 2nd 2007 for allegedly racist lyrics following an incendary live perfomance on a baking Saturday afternoon at Cambridge’s traditionally family orientated Strawberry Fayre. Following crowd jeers, violent bottle throwing, audience complaints to stewards, and two rapidly restrained yet highly irate stage intruders, police swiftly moved backstage to detain and question Tomlinson following S.C.s thrilling performance on the East Stage at one of the country’s last great free festivals.

The mixed age crowd were stunned by his refreshingly lewd Alice Donut / Iggyesque stage theatrics which included masturbatory and scatalogical mimes to lyrics like ‘cum stain’ and ‘when the shit hit the fans’. A seemingly possessed Tomlinson, stripped down to his underpants, socks and a t-shirt proceeded to tear down the ‘love music / hate racism’ banner which the organizers had placed at the back of the stage. He then launched into the song ‘Batty Boy’ which at first shockingly seemed to be attacking, in no uncertain terms, a black audience presence from a white supremacist viewpoint. This viewpoint was abruptly subverted when the distinctly camp singer began to make homophobic, first person references within the lyrics.

Someone in the crowd, missunderstanding the ironic lyrics hurled a glass bottle at the stage with such force that it shattered against the back wall of the stage, missing drummer ‘Bambi’s’ head by inches. If this first bottle had connected, S.C.’s drummer would now be seriously injured in hospital. It was a violent reaction to what was a thrilling, albeit dangerous artistic statement. The atmosphere intensified whilst a smiling Tomlinson seemed oblivious to the self righteous, drunken morons and shocked bystanders in the audience. Jeers battled with cheers as the assault of missiles increased and the show was rapidly halted. Was such a perfomance appropriate for such an event, at such a time: “Hell no! But what an amazing show!”

Following the organisers swift and heartfelt attempts to calm the audience and restore the events exemplary reputation, Cambridge’s very own “Wave 67″ rapidly took to the stage to restore the atmosphere to it’s usual form of heady celebration. Despite battling a few technical hitches during their inspired and intense cover of the Eurythmics first single ‘Never gonna cry again’, ‘Wave 67′ featuring Ex-’Cubanate’ and underground dance producer / maestro Phil Barry, accompanied by Tranzgenix guitarist Tim Slater and drummer Nicky Butt, regenerate the afternoon, with a stunning selection of tracks from their unreleased, still untitled debut album including ‘Sirens’, ‘The sun don’t shine’ and the massive potential dance anthem ‘Rise’.

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