Baxter Dury, Sleaford Mods and Fat White Family shake up the scenery at South Facing’s first weekend

There are few sights likely to toll the metaphorical bell of lockdown ending more vigorously than that of a soggy Lias Saoudi, disrobing to his pants in front of a cheering crowd.

Wading into the moat that separates South Facing’s temporary stage from a barrier of happy punters (the lovingly-nicknamed ‘Rusty Laptop’ structure that famously housed gigs from the likes of Bob Marley back in the day will not be restored back to full usable health until next year, meaning a stand-in has been erected across the bulk of the lake), the odds of the Fat White Family singer being the first in the pool were, let’s face it, not worth the return.

However, though watching Saoudi writhing and contorting in his kecks is par for the course at a Fat Whites show - this is a band who recently re-pressed their debut on a special dick-ture disc (a picture disc covered in penises) - there’s something extra amusing about seeing the whole delightfully grotty spectacle in these particular surrounds. Kicking off the month-long series of events that comprise London’s newest inner city summer day festivals, Crystal Palace Park is home to misshapen dinosaur statues, a jolly boating lake and, now, a group of saxophone-parping miscreants dredging up the sleazy kicks of ‘Touch The Leather’ and an ‘orrible, sprawling ‘I Am Mark E Smith’.

Earlier in the afternoon, The Orielles - one of a clutch of Heavenly Records bands at this label-curated day - make for a slightly more restrained yet satisfying spectacle, their crate-digging musical splicing unfurling over cuts from last year’s ‘Disco Volador’ and beyond. But if there’s one man that’s evidently missed the thrill of the stage more than anyone, it’s Baxter Dury.