A Ramble Round Cherry Hinton

Saturday dawns. The slightly overcast sky indicates that it's likely Stage 1 is staying inside. This year's Junkkulture t-shirts are donned and it's off down the Unicorn for breakfast. Keith's "Just round the corner," turns out to be a good walk for an overweight and unfit hack.

Breakfast is great value and well worth the walk. There's nothing quite like an English breakfast when you've got a long day ahead of you and Saturday at Cambridge tends to be the longest. One of the reasons for this is that the music starts at mid-day and the partying goes longer into the night.

Back at the site, juggling has already begun, as have a number of workshops both official and spontaneous. With many people only just starting to stagger from their tents there was enough time to get a newspaper and see what was going on in the world at large.

As anticipated, Stage 1 will be staying indoors all day. Stage 2 runs an extended session throughout Saturday day. Various artists showcase their talents in various settings. Some perform with their regular band, other's take the opportunity for a solo shot or with friends. This year, the Session is being hosted by the Blues Band's Dave Kelly.

Having met up with a few friends we decided to wander round to the folk tent to see who had been signed up for the afternoon sessions. As luck would have it, we bumped in Fraser Nimmo, a veteran of the folk scene.

Fraser is an artist that provides the backbone of the folk movement. He has over the years played on all the Cambridge stages. Most years see him playing the folk stage. An accomplished songwriter and performer, Fraser has been performing on the circuit for a good many years. Unlike a lot of those performers, he has, on the times I've seen him, always come across as an artist who still enjoys what he's doing. Had the fates been slightly kinder he would be better known outside of folk circles, regardless of this, he is a man that knows how to tell a tale.

There are a number of long established artists that just go through the motions, it's not a charge that can be levelled at Fraser. He manages to keep fresh and continues pushing his own frontiers. He has just released another album, a copy of which finds it's way into my camera bag.

Having noted the afternoons acts, there's time for a crepe before checking in with press liaison and sorting out the interview schedule.

First act up on Stage 1 are Tartan Amoebas, hailed as the `new face of Scottish folk music', initial reaction is that it's not a lot different from the old face of Scottish folk music. They're playing again later in the festival, as well as releasing their new album here. Dave Kelly on the other hand is only playing the one set so it's off to Stage 2.

Dave is an accomplished blues guitarist with an ability to captivate an audience. Whether playing with the blues band or solo, there's more than enough tricks in his repertoire to catch your attention. The expression on his face shows that he's enjoying the session. His songs together with his banter create the impression that he's playing in his front room entertaining friends, rather than in front of hundreds of people. The result is a set that is truly intimate.

The crowd's response was superb. At times you could almost hear a pin drop. That only enhanced the contrast with the applause at the end of each song. Dave Kelly showed that you don't have to turn the amps up to eleven to be a guitar hero.

Another walk sees me back at Stage 1 to catch the great Eddie LeJeune & The Morse Playboys. Eddie is arguably the greatest living Cajun accordionist still playing today. He has a style that readily identifies his music and separates him from most of his peers.

I quite like Cajun music, but only up to about a thirty minute threshold, Eddie LeJeune is one of the few artists that can take me through that barrier. One of the reasons for this is the sheer variety of tunes he has available to him. A lot of the bootleg Cajuns are able to produce sounds that seem authentic, there is a spirit in Eddie's work that sets it apart.

The set starts slowly before faster numbers are introduced. The effect is a complete Cajun experience condensed into just under an hour. On the bayous, sets last hours and the build up is slow because it's the only way to maintain the set, there isn't the scope to do that here.

Typically it's the faster numbers that are better received. A number of people seem keen to tryout new dance skills picked up in the workshop the night before. All too soon it's over and for me a hint of regret that you couldn't quite catch the whole element.

Great Big Sea are next up, once again going for the blistering pace of the night before. A number of songs from the previous set are repeated, this time picking up better participation. For me the interview trail beckons again, but the rest of the audience are definitely up for this. Dancing and bobbing up and down being the order of the day. For some it's just a bit too close to the end of lunch as they sprawl on the ground, only to be moved by the first spits of rain.

Saturday Continued...