The Zutons
Pretty much everyone I know, including myself, did a double when they saw The Zutons on the bill for this years Cambridge Folk Festival, but in some ways it's what Cambridge is about, challenging our preconceptions.
I'm sure there'll be comments about The Zutons not being strictly folk, but then nor is Cambridge, it's always mixed genres as much as metaphors, blues, country, Cajun, singer/songwriter, bluegrass, jazz, world, the list goes on.
Listen to anyone of The Zuton's albums and you'll notice a blues rock undertone to the sound, combined with more than a hint of the west coast and some glorious sax. You could argue the Zutons are at least as folk as The Byrds.
One things for sure if The Zutons are playing Cambridge it's because they want to be there, not rock 'n' roll whores out for a quick buck. Given an open mind, there is quite about The Zuton's sound that should push the Cambridge goers buttons.
Personally I think this has the potential to be a really interesting set and a booking that shows that Cambridge is not going to sit back on it's laurels, it's going to add something new to the mix to keep it fresh
A more interesting question would be are The Zutons ready for a Cambridge Audience? Either way this ones on the must see list.