Saturday
The question is how do you follow that? The answer? A bit of Cajun and Texas/Louisiana swamp pop. The Pine Leaf Boys have proved to be one of the big hits of the festival, but this is the only chance I've managed to see them.
The two songs they play show me how much I've missed. They kicked off with country classic "Jambalaya" and end with the Cajun waltz, "She thinks I Still Care" which sees Brian dancing with one of the backstage team.
Matt Tighe and Joe Devine are brought to the stage. These are two youngsters I know from seeing them at festival workshops over the years. It's a real pleasure to see them step onto Stage Two in their own right. They make the most of the opportunity by knocking out a jig and two reels with the full support of a Cambridge audience clapping along. Hopefully it won't be long before we see them here booked in their own right.
Irish supergroup The Unwanted are up next. Fronted by Cathy Jordan with Rick Epping and Seamie O'Dowd. Cathy's bodhran drives the tunes forward with Rick Epping swirling in and around on the gob iron. There's one short section where he's rapidly switching between two in different tunings.
I'm coming to respect Seamie O'Dowd as a guitarist the more I see of him. He plays in an understated style, but boy is it quality. He's one of those people that takes a band from being good to great without needing to step into the limelight.
Polka time with Denmark's Habadekuk who have pretty much only just arrived on site and then gone straight on stage. The pace steps up to frenetic so much seen already and it's still only just past the first hour.
Habadekuk drive the pace forward with a high energy, high octane blitz over three numbers, two traditional and one written from within the band. Cathal Hayden passes me a bottle of water over the barrier so I suspect a visit to the stage by Four Men and a Dog at some point. In the mean time it's nought to sixty and then to ninety instrumentals on the stage with a few sudden breaks to keep you on your toes.
By popular demand amongst the back stage team, Matt and Joe are brought back on stage for another number. This is ranks in hen teeth territory for being unusual for the way the session moves, not that I'm complaining no siree, it's absolutely fantastic for the two young lads.
I've pushed the talent of Matt Tighe before and Joe Divine does for youthful guitar playing as Matt does for fiddle. Keep your eyes and ears out for both names these two are something special.
Fay Hield & The Hurricane Party are up next having just hightailed it across from Stage One. In reality it's the Fay Hield Trio as Rob and Sam are the only two to have joined Fay in the sprint.
Immediately the body count makes a dramatic rise and there's a notable drop in the moral tone. Sexy ghosts and flesh eating worms make an unexpected entry into the songs. It's one of the things I love about folk music it's just how jaunty really dark songs can sound and Fay Hield is a dark mistress of the macarbe.
As anticipated Four Men And a Dog take to the stage with a bonus fiddle player taking a quick skive from Altan. This really is Irish music at it's best you can feel the enthusiasm sweeping from stage in waves to be met by appreciation heading back the other way in droves.
This is followed up by what Gino describes as an Italian love song, but which sounds pretty much like rock and or roll. His larger the life personality blasting the audience into a frenzy of clapping taking on the roll of rhythm section.
It's morph time again, in the drop of a hat the band are back into a strong, hot Celtic vibe.
The final number sees Gino joined by his stunt double, Brian McNeill, mean while the Unwanted sneak back onto stage on the other side to make one of the greatest Celt supergroups this side of well goddess knows when.
Mike Harding gets in the pit just to watch in absolute awe. Everyone watching knows it will be years if ever we see this particular blend of musicians together again and we're going to savour every last second.
Treacherous Orchestra lost out to The Destroyers last night, so it's time for another one of my festival catch ups by capturing them all in their shortened glory here.
A time check would suggest that it is going to be shortened glory, but long enough to get a flavour of the whole. I also suspect it won't be long before they are joined by the massed ranks of those still backstage for the mass finale.
All in all, though I think I say this every year, I think it's one of the best I can remember. Thanks to both Brian and Jacqueline for allowing me the privileged of staying in the pit for the entire session.