Squirreling his way in: Chipmunk at T in the Park 2010 Pic: © Drew Farrell
Important things to know about Chipmunk, who opens the Main Stage on a piddingly dull and drizzly Saturday lunchtime.
First up, he speaks over the music, in a practice the kids call 'rapping'. Check it out, it'll be all the rage in a few years time! Apparently he’s also aligned with the grime scene that also produced Dizzee Rascal, though he seems a little, well, too safe and cutesy and cuddly to have been moving around in such incendiary circles.
Second, he has a backdrop that proclaims 'I Am Chipmunk', just in case we forget who he is. (It’s also the name of his album, so I’ve heard.) There's also an image of him sitting atop the 'A', just in case we forget a second time. This kind of due diligence on his part should be cherished.
Third up, I think I'm actually enjoying myself here. Am I? Remaining remarkably breezy throughout, things go a bit ska with single Diamond Rings, a live drummer and bassist providing brisk catchy accompaniment as Chipmunk gees up the crowd, the infectious chorus line being fired out via the backing track.
Fourth, he's attracted quite the crowd for 12.15pm (as I type), especially for conditions that could only be described as pleasant if you’d just been to South Asia during Monsoon Season.
Fifth, he breaks into top ten single Until You Were Gone, and its slinky vibe is pretty perfectly suited to a sunny, lazy festival Saturday. If there is a God, He has surely forsaken Chipmunk's audience. Though not the rapper himself, who has been blessed with a hoodie. What does it all mean? I guess we’ll never know.
Sixth, I used to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks ALL the time when I was a kid, and this impostor decked out in jeans, tracksuit top and classy shades looks nothing like a chipmunk. He doesn't even sing novelty songs in a headache-inducing high-pitched squeak. (I'm still enjoying him, mind you.)
Seventh, Chipmunk goes on to ruin Elton John's Tiny Dancer, with that version he and DJ Ironik did. Still, Elton ruined that song himself retrospectively thanks to that abominable 80s period of his (though both he and the song were strong enough to power on through), so why shouldn't someone else have licence to as well? He gets a pass from me, anyway.
Eighth, “When I say one, you say more!” hollers Chipmunk. The crowd accede to his request, though the powers that be still try to shoo the adorable rodent impersonator offstage.
They fail though, and he finishes up with number one civilisation-conquering mega-smash hit Oopsy Daisy, which repeats his now-familiar formula of some markedly palatable melodic R&B backing, a bit more nifty rapping and then some smoothly delivered female vocal melodies fired out that are readymade to get the crowd singing along. All in all, I think I rather enjoy this sort of stuff, let's hope there's a cassette tape of it I can buy somewhere!
