Friday
The next genre switch brings Justin Townes Earl to the stage. Like his father, Steve Earle, Justin is a singer/songwriter in the Americana genres, but it's here that the similarities begin to end, whilst Steve ploughed a country furrow, Justin went more for blues and old timey.
His unconventional upbringing and well documented encounters with addiction have brought him the sort of material that many mortals can only hope for. The key is he knows how to use it, pretty much holding the audience in the palm of his hand.
He's supported on stage by Robert Lovell and the delicate balance of the two guitars is at times mesmerising, drawing startling contrast to the violence inherent in the lyrics, be it physical or emotional.
There are times when silence is the only response to what you're hearing, hearing Justin Townes Earle singing some really dirty blues commands that sort of respect, well until the song finishes and at that point you can make as much noise as you like and it seems like it that would be quite a lot.
Justin Townes Earle is a top league songwriter. He has the capacity to genuinely move you, whilst not exactly feeling his pain; he has a real knack for placing you at the scene of the incident.
Next I'm off for my first visit to the new emerging artists stage, named The Den. It's away from the main festival site so another chance to blow some of those calories.
The Den is a large red marquee affair which is decorated to look like a lounge at the stage end. The previous act, Nick Hart, an urban poet by the sound of things is still on. The venue is maxed out on capacity so I listen to him from outside. I enjoyed what I heard, but it was a little bit novelty, almost George Formbyesque.
There's the usual toing and froing between artists, but looking at the venue, it appears that there are some people set here for the day and at least one person reading a newspaper that it appears simply doesn't get the concept.
I manage to find myself a vantage point and wait for what is a very quick change, previous artist unplugs, new artist plugs and its all go from there.
Regular readers of Fatea Magazine will know that I've got a lot of respect for Sean Taylor, he's one of the finest acoustic Blues players of his generation, he's got a very personalised technique, which at times includes a double capo, which is a real surprise the first time you see it, as a number of the audience subsequently found out.
There's a short bit of banter with the compere and we're off. By the second number, the woman with the paper has put it down and is staring at the stage with a look of amazement on her face, score one to the good guys.
Sean has an amiable demeanour on stage that sometimes seems at odds with the sometimes really dirty blues that come out of his mouth and his guitar. I'm not sure that those that were encamped in the Den were expecting anything like this. Once again it was standing room only, so obviously a lot of people were.
I'm not all of those that weren't got it, there were a number of looks of bemusement, I guess simply because they'd never seen or heard anything like this before, but I hope they will again soon. As for the rest of us, time to appreciate a top performance.
And now, as they say, time for something completely different Ceilidh. "Ceilidh" also happens to be the title of the new album from Tickled Pink, who Eliza Carthy described as "The best experimental rocking ceilidh dance band this side of anywhere" and with some justification. There can't be that many bands that can take the Doctor Who Theme tune and turn into something you can do a four hand reel to, Tickled Pink can.
It might just be the gap of a year, but there seems to be a lot more dancers here, right across the age ranges, young teenagers that don't appear to have been dragged here kicking and screaming by their parents, but who are here of their own volition, simply to dance and have a good time. They are joined by their older teenage counterparts and pretty much all other ages up and down, though to be fair the baby with the ear defenders was mostly being carried : definitely a family festival.
Simon Care, et al, aka Tickle Pink start with a couple of instrumental numbers to get the atmosphere going, before being joined by a caller to make sure, the very packed dance floor has a really great time. They follow the standard pattern, start simple, so everyone can feel their way in and then gradually add more of the fancy stuff. I take the opportunity to have some tea and down a lamb curry, more calories to burn.