Bearded Theory flourishes on opening day

We have forecasts of torrential downpours in advance, texts of the early-birds setting up their tents in the rain, and the windscreen wipers on far too much on the journey up. So it's a blessed relief to arrive, exchange banter and hugs with old friends, and get the tent up all within a dry weather patch. On and off goes the rain throughout the rest of the day, but this is most people's first festival of the year, and last year's first proper Bearded Theory was such a success, so it was something we'd all been looking forward to a great deal. It doesn't disappoint, it has expanded nicely, the organizers have worked hard to keep everyone informed of what joys and practicalities to expect, and in hindsight this is the day when everything runs properly despite the weather's best efforts.

A first look round of the new location for this sold-out festival finds such delights, compared to last year's shoestring efforts, as a proper stage that everyone can see at, a huge dance tent, a good array of shops and stalls, and lots more space. But on with the show! Arriving too late for the Green Fairy main stage's grand opening, I'm there in time to catch the first electric act of the day. Zombie Met Girl have been touring smaller festivals for a few years now, playing dirty rock for those that have an open ear. Their name evokes B-movie music in my head, but to a lacklustre crowd they are alas not in top gear. Mind you, there a right no-man's-land of a gap between the stage and the crowd, something which irks a number of us, but compared to other Zombie performances I've enjoyed, the flailing singer is a tad tame and not quite meaning it enough. Even 'Chelsea Girl' is played a little slower than usual. But they do get the sun out.

Next up main stage, already an hour behind schedule, are Stockholm Syndrome. I'm attracted back from camp by their mighty racket, mixed in with tunes that sound familiar. Ah! Skunk Anansie that one, so they're a covers band, but no worries, I've always thought a decent covers act can always raise spirits and voices at festivals. And indeed, live at the main stage they're animated enough and have enough people interested through sing-alongs or riff-a-thons from the likes of Audioslave, Green Day and Muse. The first bit of festival dancing and moshing arrives too. They finish with a sadly-poor cover of 'Sex on Fire' but add a slight comic touch by changing 'sex' to 'beard', and so have done enough.

I next find myself in the Dance Tent, pleasingly surprised by Honky Dub's spacey dub. Considering how it's still early in the day, they impress enough for me to indulge in the first CD purchase of the weekend post-set. Apparently they had a central sarangi player, clearly I'm too mellow at that stage to be looking properly as it appears as a guitar to me, but the music and atmosphere is uplifting and relaxing either way.

Back outside, seasoned comedian Attila the Stockbroker is being given due credit with a main stage booking that is full of witty observations of life, in song, poem or rap format. We have a royal mickey-take of Eminem, entitled 'effin-eff', going on about how hard he is ('really really hard' apparently) and how that appeals to the 9 year-old NME readers. There's a tale of crustiness, 'Doggy on a String' set to the tune of some old Sandie Shaw classic, and in the apparent style of old folkie 'Crusty' Moore. And there is a respectful one about Joe Strummer, to show that Attila can mix the humour and the poignancy. But first belly-laughs of the festival, for a good 150-strong crowd, goes down very well.

I'm next catching a little of Bob Kickflip's 80s-tinged breaks and electro in the never-less-than-half-full Dance Tent. Then I'm over at the Something Else café, listening in on the open-mic gazebo. Armed with a warming coffee and with backside on a colourful and welcoming cushion, I realised to great delight that I've chanced upon an acoustic Zombie Met Girl set. Their brief set reminds me that they work so much better up-close and personal, even if only with vocals, acoustic guitar, and was it really a ukulele? Alas I only get two songs, something about a dog and then a Ramones cover that gets the 40-strong audience joining in heartily, but it makes up for earlier. Bumping into their manager the next day, I'm informed that it was a properly improvised set as they'd no idea that the café had a performance area. Foolishly, I fail to stop at that little place of comfy magic again before the infamous 'tornado' blows it away

Back on the main stage, 3 Daft Monkeys are playing a greatest hits set, familiar to all who know and love their works. It’s the new festival season, and I’m not sure they’ve changed their clothes from last year, but what-the-hey, they play their usual uplifting crusty-acoustic-folk, and they seem to have the benefit of Hawkwind's superb lighting making them more colourful than usual. And so it's 'Hubbadilla', 'One Fine Day' and 'Human Nature' for starters, a obligatory fiddle solo, and onto 'Let 'em In' which I've noted has a Bowie influence but is surely just very poor handwriting at this stage of the evening. They carry on with 'Guardian Angel' and 'Paranoid Big Brother' and I'm off, despite the loveliness of these tunes and the sizeable crowd, as I would like one fine day to hear something new by them.

Good job I leave too, Zetan Spore are belting it out on the Dance Stage, and their music must precede them as they have a very decent crowd in full flow. There's guitar and didgeridoo on stage, trying hard to keep up with the beats of their psy-trance. Now has the world gone mad? No, it actually is a cover of Hawkwind's 'Master of the Universe' and I'm left wondering if it's a special just for tonight? This they mix in with music freely available on their website and music that I don't recognise but utterly enjoy. One not to miss if you have the chance.

Seamlessly, Dreadzone Sound System take over the mic, MC Spee still with crutches but energetic as ever, and Greg Dread plus one behind the laptops. I'm itching to catch my first ever experience of Hawkwind, but manage to take in a version of 'Love the Life' and gain a clear understanding that this Dreadzone performance will be very bass-heavy.

Out into the rain, and Hawkwind are making a seriously loud but bright racket. There's plenty of hardened fans taking the experience in despite the depressing weather, some of whom seem to think they can talk to me endlessly about presumably Hawkwind's glory and that I'll catch even one iota of it. Don't know if that's standard practice at their gigs, but when I've got one in each ear I decide politeness no longer comes into it and I'm off for some food and shelter. That said, I did enjoy 'Orgone Accumulator' albeit a little bouncier than the version I know, and I'm reliably informed by those that know that it was indeed a cracking set with music from many of the eras. Plus not to forget that Hawkwind are headlining some seriously bigger festivals this year, so a mighty coup by Bearded Theory here.

I am a huge Dreadzone fan though, so it's back to them before the licence-imposed midnight curfew. I'm told they’ve not played any of their hits, but I'm there for crowd pleasers that rely mainly on borrowed bass-lines such as 'Jump Around' and 'Feel Good Inc'. Naturally we get a good dose of MC-ing; wouldn't be Dreadzone without various 'I say dread, you say zone' interplays with the audience. And for encore after an hour and a half’s set, Groove Armada's 'Superstylin' is borrowed big-time and we all bounce around once more.

We all go in search of post-midnight madness, unfortunately there's nothing found coming from the various stages, not even a fire at the Campfire Stage, which reflects a desire of this festival to show the authorities that they can do it right. Anyway, there's many a happy punter to converse with back in the campsite area, and so I float off into the night very happy with the festival's first day.

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