Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

A question. Who's not having a good time today? The audience are all lit up, the artists are grinning, the security people are light-hearted and that big old smiley sun keeps making an appearance. And what about those organisers? Many of the G Sessions firm have been working this idea for seven years now - in the face of difficult circumstances, bad weather and bad faith. At times, it seemed like every petty bureaucrat was trying to halt the fun. But today, July 21, 2007, it's utterly unstoppable.

This year, they've got an outdoor stage, and the site itself has changed slightly, all the better to see those awesome hills. Meantime the bill has grown stronger, the campsite is rocking to the max and the busloads of people arriving from Belfast and Derry is way more impressive. Numbers are up three hundred per cent. Smile away, fellas.

It's a festival to meet new pals and to shoot the breeze with old acquaintances. The campsite is pretty enough during the day, so that's also worth spending time in. At night it will be fully of noise, havoc and bawling nutters, but let's not go there yet.

Anyway, we don't get to see all the acts today, so apologies. But Triggerman were top value, lashing up the volume and provoking some early mosh action. Cat Malojian brought the banjo and the delicate tones. The countrified action was amped up later by The Delawares. Rock and roll was in plentiful supply, delivered by The Black Tokens, The Beat Poets in stage diving mode and the coiled splendour of Fighting With Wire. Skruff were a highlight for many, namely their faithful, bouncy rent-a-crowd, who seem to know every single word. But that's hardly a surprise - those choruses are to die for.

There's a steady queue at the Nippy Chippy van, while the bar is unable to quench the collective thirst. Their tonic wine cocktails are such a wow that Oppenheimer will rename their big tune 'Buckfast In NYC'. Meanwhile Ciaran Gribben is doing well in his post-Leya phase, looping the effects into 'Personal Alcatraz' and making capital out of his Castledawson roots. 'Tilly's Cowboy' is a window into his mother's era, to a world of Cremola Foam and simple joys on the radio.

Henry McCullough gives the night a legendary air, as he strikes up 'Failed Christian' and the guitar aficionados are overcome with bliss. In the tent next door, the Deep Fried Funk people are playing some choice selections while Duke Special is preparing for the finale.

And it's another mighty moment. Peter winds it up with 'Brixton Leaves' and then steers us through his best-known moments. There are covers from Razorlight and Elliott Smith while Chip Bailey falls off stage during 'I Let You Down'. The mountain air is getting cold, but people are purely elevated, doing little pantomime skits to 'Last Night I Nearly Died' and losing themselves in the music and the moment. Awesome.

Stuart Bailie & Rigsy
Photos by Stuart Bailie