Sunday

Social duties carried out it's back to the mainstage. The main paths are still a little slippy, but a good breeze and the sun are starting to dry it out. Tops are starting to come off as people switch back to Summer. Everyone's taking precautions and the umbrellas and coats aren't far away.
Coope, Boyes & Simpson are starting to go through their vocal dynamics. Again you are left with the impression that here are another folk act that aren't totally happy with the Labour party that they'd helped get elected.
When voices are capable of being used like this, who needs instruments? It's been quite a mellow day so far a feeling that's going to be added to by the next group, The Alison Brown Quartet and the first bluegrass of the festival.
Well it's sort of bluegrass; it has some bluegrass instruments in it. The programme used the words classical and jazz so the warning signs were there.
Alison used to be an accountant and this was corporate bluegrass at it's worst. No raw cutting edge, no real people stories. This was music to eat to in restaurants and then you would probably ask the waiter to change the cd after the starter.
I like bluegrass, but I like it raw and with passion. There is an element of bluegrass that should be about energy and expression and for me that just wasn't here.
Cara Dillon is making her mainstage debut together with collaborator Sam Lakeman and brother Seth. They've played the festival before in other guises and Cara played a showcase last year that packed out the Club Tent.
The set starts off slightly stiff, but pretty soon everyone seems to relax and the music takes on it's usual more emotive quality. Cara and co have been growing in stature, a great album has gone a long way towards their enhanced reputation, but it's appearances on the road that have provided both the foundation and cement.
Cara's voice has still retains a delicious Irish lilt that just dances around with the instrumentation. The choice of material is exceptional both traditional and self-penned.
If it's in hands like these the future of roots based music is in safe hands.
From the sublime to the Dubliners. No that's not fair there is still a huge market for this traditional style of music, but to my mind it hasn't really moved on.
There's a substantial section of the crowd that disagree with me. Despite the rain the crowd move towards stage and it expands out into the wet. Everyone seems to enjoy themselves.
That said it's easy to get a sing-a-long going when you're singing traditional songs that everyone knows. The drinking songs went down well, but I'm going to take advantage of the break in the weather to go and catch The Be Good Tanyas again, this time at the Radio Two Stage.