Now in its 70th year – and under the new management of directors Tash Daly and Jason Knight – Sidmouth Folk Festival felt in rude health as the pre-Festival special concerts unfolded at the Ham marquee on Thursday, August 1.

After Fisherman’s Friends had opened proceedings in the afternoon, it was the turn of the unconventional septet the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain (UOGB).

Impossible to pigeon-hole, UOGB have a huge musical repertoire. During their two-hour concert, we heard elements of folk, pop, rock, jazz, soul, disco, heavy metal, punk, Britpop, easy listening, classical – you name it, they did it … or a fair approximation of it. And all this on seven ukuleles!

Mind you, they’ve been at it a while. UOGB formed in the mid-1980s, initially to play a one-off pub gig. The ukulele – an often-maligned instrument – was chosen as it had no repertory of its own, allowing the orchestra free rein over a wide range of musical genres.  They also look the part, with each musician attired in formal evening dress.

Thirty-nine years later, with hundreds of concert appearances and nearly 30 albums, they’ve clearly found a winning formula. This, their third appearance at Sidmouth Folk Festival, was a triumph that wowed the crowd and brought a standing ovation. Their feelgood performance also brought many smiles, due to UOGB’s deadpan introductions, comic interludes, dance sequences and adept musicianship.

Personally, I found their two sets a little tiring and felt they flagged in the second half. Nevertheless, there were some brilliant highlights, including “Cakes & Buns & Sausage Rolls” – UOGB’s hilarious take on Ian Dury’s “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll” – a “Life on Mars” medley, featuring snippets of “My Way”, “Born Free”, “For Once In My Life”, “Substitute” and “One Day I’ll Fly Away”, and an inspired version of The Rezillos’ “(My Baby Does) Good Sculptures”. But my favourite moment was their blistering take on ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’”, complete with twirling ukuleles, aping the record’s original video.

Was it folk? No, but it was a great evening that kicked off this year’s Sidmouth Folk Festival in memorable style.