Sunday
Stage 2 has a rising star of the alt.country scene gracing its presence. Caitlin Rose obviously has country music in her blood, but she also has the determination that whilst it's going to be major influence, it's not going to be the be all and end all.
She's got that story telling thing going in her songs, drawing in the darker themes, the flaws in the human condition, the places we'd rather not have a light shone into and she does it so well. That's also because she pulls in the more country rock sound in at times as well so when it does go dark it's less expected.
As with a number of country/Americana artists, I first became aware of her via SXSW, having seen and heard a lot more of her material, I have to say, she comes highly recommended and infuses her material with real personality, which does give it an edge.
There's been noticeably less country on the bill this year and it's mainly be rising acts rather than the more established names, but on the strength of this the selection process has been rigorous, I'm impressed.
Back to Stage One
Just as folk moves through the generations with western clans, so it does with African musicians. Femi Kuti is the son of Fela Kuti and as with the likes of Eliza Carthy and Justin Townes Earle, he has some family influence, but is keen to make his own mark.
Femi Kuti is one of the main artists credited with the creation of Afrobeat, but like his father, he believes that music can and should be used as a force for change, hence the name of his band, "The Positive Force" both inside and outside music, he's an outspoken critic of corruption in African politics.
The stage show is a spectacularly choreographed and arrange extravaganza of music and colour. Backed by a large band and three brightly clad backing singers, Femi is intent on getting the whole tent dancing. The gentle breeze has been replaced by a summer and your factor 50 isn't going to provide any defence.
This is loud and not just on the ears, there are bright colour clashes all over the stage. The musicianship is bang on and it's not being lost in the show. Femi, makes himself stand out by dressing down and looking casual, well that and a really good performance.
Whilst I'd like to see more, I also want to see Villagers. Villagers is actually singer-songwriter-multi instrumental hyphen junkie, Conor J. O'Brien and occasionally his cohorts when he's playing with other musicians.
Here he's on his own and if my wife had come to the festival with me, he would probably be getting fed a bowl of soup. I notice there's a keyboard on stage and am half expecting him to go up to it next, but he joined by one of his friends who takes up position behind it.
The songs are delicate, almost fragile. There is a sense of torment about the performance, but that is absolutely dwarfed by the sense of poetry that is emanating from the stage. You feel that he could literally strip everything from the songs, except the words and still have something you would want to listen to.
The switch between Femi Kuti and Villagers is probably the biggest of the festival, but both are linked by the passion they put into their very different performances. It is what makes this festival so special.
There is just time to get something to eat before the next crucial decision Mary Chapin Carpenter and the mad dash to Katzenjammer or sacrifice one to be absolutely sure. I opt just to go for Katzenjammer, even though prior to the festival, I'd never heard of tem, let alone heard them. The description in the programme has got me intrigued and if I don't like them can always come back and listen to Mary Chapin, even if I don't get the pics myself.
We're told that it's going to be first two songs only for Mary Chapin Carpenter, which seals the deal for me. I'm off to Stage 2.
Katzenjammer look to me like the Slits would have looked had they been a Norwegian festival band. The range of instruments of stage is staggering and even includes a bass balalaika. Even more staggering is the way this Nordic quartet keeps on changing instruments during the set.
At one point the drummer is stood on her chair playing a uke, next she's right at the front of stage playing a guitar. This is a band with absolutely masses of movement. The sound is part cow punk, part left bank party music, part vaudeville. Their sound appears to have been influenced pretty much by anywhere they may have stayed once.
They mostly sing in English, though it's accented, in a seductive sort of way. One of the band threatens to go to their album signing session naked. If this performance doesn't get them sold out, that sort of remark will, though it's all very tongue in cheek.
This is a band with in your face attitude and desire for everyone to have a good time. You could be anywhere from a bar Moscow to a tent at a shanty festival, such is their range of material, but where ever you are, you are going to have a good time.
This is for me and many others, the discovery of the festival. The photographers that have been down at Mary Chapin Carpenter get to the pit mid-way through song number three; all of a sudden it feels very crowded. After the first three songs, I like most of the snappers go around the sided to see the rest of the set.