Saturday
One of the things about The Session is it allows you to catch up with snippets of acts that you may missed elsewhere at the festival. Just such an example is The Chair. Missed them on the main stage, caught them at The Session, plus at the Session you get to see them perform with both Brian McNeill and Jeana Leslie.
The Chair are arguably a super group of Orkney's finest, including the whole of Saltfishforty in their number.
You've got to give credit to any act that can get an entire audience to make noises like a chicken so respect where it's due. Just because something is light-hearted it doesn't mean it's simple. There's plenty of switches and changes between the musicians getting to a full set, either at the festival or when they're next down our way.
Brian McNeill leads the crowd in a sing-a-long of "Bells Of Ontario" or at least I think that's what it's called. With just a little geeing up everyone seems to be joining in.
The reason for the quick song is that the stage is being set for a band that have redefined the approach to Scottish traditional music, the notoriously difficult to photograph Peatbog Faeries.
It's a Saturday afternoon so the lighting on the stage isn't anything like as complicated or aggressive as their natural night setting. It gives the set a different atmosphere and to a degree a different context.
It also gives me a fighting chance to photograph the band. I detract. I honestly think it's the best performance I've seen them give. They have always delivered passionate sets that show off the best aspects of their Scots heritage, but today you can see the music. See the passion on their faces as they express the music.
With that it's time for the mass ranks of The Session's performers, at least those that are still around, to come on stage for the finale.
There's been a real spark with The Session this year. I think partly because of the ad-hoc guest appearances that just happened. Some of the songs had literally had one test run back stage before being performed in front of the audience it's put an edge back, there's something creative in a little risk.
I also think that another reason was the age of the performers. There were a number of younger musicians that seemed out to enjoy themselves and their first experience of a big Cambridge Stage
It's absolutely chucking it down outside those that haven't managed to squeeze into a stage or the concessions tent or wherever are starting to take on the appearance of drowned rats. I bump into 2007 Fatea Lifetime Achievement winner Brian McNeill as he winds down from The Session. Brian also has the most credited back to back appearances at Cambridge Folk Festival.