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I certainly can pick my moments. It was possibly the wettest day of the year when I met Paul Griffin, lead singer of The Love Child Electric, and he didn't look himself.

"Slight problem," he said, "I was in a head-on car-crash this morning, and I'm still in shock." He handed me a sample CD of the band, and I bought him a 'medicinal' brandy in return. After listening to the CD, I was sure I had got the better deal.

The Birmingham band's style covers an eclectic mix of musical genres which has made them one of the must-see acts of this year's Rootsville Festival at the Custard Factory in Digbeth.

Paul prides himself on not one song being too alike. "I have to get something out of every performance; I want it to stay interesting," he told me.

With a violinist, drummer and pianist in addition to Paul's guitar, the band combine a variety of influences to perfect their sound. "We can be quite heavy at times, but also pretty funky and have really emotional sombre songs," he said.

Honest humility

"Folk acts are technically skilled musicians; we try to use the skills that we've learnt classically or in jazz to embellish the music. It's about finishing a product and playing it to people, seeing what they think, testing them a bit – if I can – and for that reason it's nice to be surrounded by so many good musicians."

Community spirit

"We're going to keep gigging in Birmingham. We want to become firmly part of the Birmingham scene, and don't want to overplay; everybody likes to be part of something undiscovered."

He finished by speaking fondly of the 'maverick' status some artists maintain; adding that the trappings of fame didn't interest him. "I like where we're at. Virtually unknown, it's a nice place to be!" He laughed.

"It's the first time I've been part of, or near to, a buzz in Birmingham. People always say there's a buzz in a town, but unless you're part of it, you don't know what they're on about."

Rootsville should give you that chance to be part of the 'buzz' The Love Child Electric and many others are currently part of in the second city.

This is the first year the Festival will take place at the Custard Factory in Digbeth. Many of you will remember its predecessor The Roots DeVille Festival of last year, but organiser Kent Davis assured me this year's equivalent will be bigger and better.

"The whole idea of Rootsville is to represent the range of different ethnicities that reside in the city through music." Kent said.

Accessible Festival

"Birmingham, and the Custard Factory in particular, has a unique selling point. This kind of festival in one place on one day in a Victorian industrial setting is amazing and speaks highly of what Birmingham can achieve.

"It's a festival, but it's accessible, being only a ten minute walk from the train station."

Likewise Paul recommends jazz saxophonist Kinch, but also highlights Steve Gibbons and to look out particularly for "The Destroyers, who are amazing...and bonkers."

The Rootsville Festival runs from midday on Saturday 30th June until 6am Sunday 1st July at the Custard Factory in Digbeth.

The event is free until 6.00pm; Β£20 a ticket after 6.00pm. The Love Child Electric will be playing the main stage under the arches from 5.15pm.

Visit www.rootsvillefestival.com for more information.