Noisettes continue to shine as the sun sets over Blissfields

You're probably bored of hearing about the weather by now, but we've had so much of it that has been out of the ordinary, and I'm afraid I'm going to mention it one last time – but not to tell you how bad the weather is, but rather to say how bloody lucky Blissfields has been again this year. In the six years I've been to the festival, I can't remember a bad year, and even when it threatens to go bad, they always seem to pull it out of the hat in the end. This year was no exception, and so it was under a bright sunny day that we went down early to see the first act.

This year was another first for the festival in 2012, with its first wedding on the mainstage, the event was officiated over by festival organiser Paul Bliss who blessed the couple in front of their friends, family and several hundred bemused and slightly hung-over festival goers.

Once the nuptials were out of the way, it was back to the music. And opening the stage was The Mini Band. For those of you who have never come across them before, they are a six-piece rock band that have a particular twist – all the members of the band are between eight and 11 years of age. While this may sound like a novelty act, and you would be right to think that, the thing that elevates them above the likes of St Winifred's School Choir, apart from they don't perform 'There's No-one Quite Like Grandma', is that the level of musical ability is far in excess of a lot of the other bands on the stage this weekend. Despite being only slightly bigger than the instruments they play, the mastery of their instruments is genuinely outstanding. Soon you forget that you are watching kids play, and get into the thrill you get when a group of talented musicians perform together.

The Mini Band weren't even twinkles in their parents eyes when Pronghorn started playing together in the early 90s, since then they quickly became favourites on the festival circuit for their energetic folk-punk. This was the first time they had played at Blissfields and their relaxed and informal style fit the festival ethos perfectly, so I don’t think it will be their last.

Sometimes the best music is stumbled upon when you're not looking for it – catching you by surprise and making you pay attention, and this was the case with Melodramas, whose bright punky-pop is matched with clever lyrics and brings to mind Supergrass in it's delivery, something that is confirmed when lead singer, Matt Woolway tells the audience that they last performed with Gaz Coombes on stage. Certainly they are a band on the up, and I look forward to seeing them again in the future.

Festival favourites Dub Pistols are fast becoming an institution at Blissfields, and when you see their performance it’s easy to see why they are so popular. Regular UK festival goers will be familiar with the bands high-energy fusion of hip-hop and ska, and although the set never changes much, they still win over new fans every time they play.

I'd heard a lot of buzz about the next act on mainstage so was be interested to see what Charli XCX would be like live, and have to say that she has a great voice and stage presence, but sadly the songs themselves aren't anything special, and I soon lost interest in what became quite a repetitive show.

By contrast, another songstress trying to reboot her career, Charlotte Church first came to prominence as a young girl and a classical singer, and later as chat show host and regular of the gossip magazines. Now she is trying to distance herself from those years, and try her hand as an indie chick. I have to say, that I was suspicious about how good she would be, but was surprised at the quality of the music and songs. The only thing that let it down was something that dogs a lot of classical singers when they move across to rock, and that is that she still sings like a classical performer – every note is pitch perfect, held for just long enough, and timed perfectly – which clashes with the rough edge the music needs. If she can relax her voice a bit and roughen up then she could go somewehere.

Away from the music one of the things that Blissfields is known for is its food. And although you could be quite happy munching on the usual burger and chips options, you’d be missing out on some delicious handmade organic pizzas, burritos, and curries – if the festival ever expands to another day, one of the advantages would be the chance to try something else off their menu. The prices aren’t too bad either and it's possible to get a decent meal for around £5. This year they had a churros and chocolate van too, and it took a lot of willpower not to make too many visits there over the weekend.

Back on the mainstage, was the chance to grab two up-and-coming acts, first on was Eugene McGuinness, whose voice reminded me at times of Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet. The music wasn't as cheesy though, but instead was fairly intense rock, offset with some really good riffs that got the crowd dancing along.

More dancing was on offer from Spector, a band we saw a few minutes of their set at the Isle of Wight Festival, so we were looking forward to seeing more of them here. Musically they bring to mind bands such as Kaiser Chiefs, and their bright noisy rock, whilst not particularly taxing to listen to, provides plenty of singalong moments. The summery feel of the music, combined with the setting sun, made for a great set from a band that look to become a staple of the festival scene in the next few years.

Saturday night headliners Noisettes are described on their page as an indie rock band, but this does the band a disservice. What they are is far more complex, as they don't really have a particular style, rather their music moves across a wide range, encompassing soul, reggae, skiffle, rock and roll, pop, dance amongst others.

Frontwoman Shingai Shoniwa arrived on stage bedecked with feathers in platform heels with an acrobatic dance that brought to mind the shows of Grace Jones. However it clearly was something that didn't fit with her, as quickly she had kicked off the heels, and the heavier elements of her costume. Her performance form there in was far more relaxed and she built up a real rapport with the audience, moving back and forward around the stage, and even performing one song from half-way up the stage scaffold. As well as the hits 'Don't Upset The Rhythm' and 'Never Forget You' there were several covers, including The Killers' 'When You Were Young' and The Kinks' 'Sunny Afternoon' which Shingai confessed was "one of her favourite songs ever". Sadly a late arrival on set (caused by the bands driver getting lost on the way to the site) they were over far too soon, and the crowd would have been happy for them to play for several hours. If ever there was a band that fits the ethos of Blissfields festival perfectly, it has to be Noisettes – eclectic, fun and exciting, in equal measure. They are one of the best headliners I've seen in a long time, and easily the best headliner that Blissfields has had to date.

With the close of the mainstage, things don't end there as the Hidden Hedge is just gearing up to keep the crowds happy with DJs performing until the small hours. While the comedy club started again in the bar – sadly with the same problems as yesterday, although headliner Andrew O'Neill stood out form the crowd. And festival favourite Beans on Toast closed events on the second stage.

Blissfields is a festival that goes from strength to strength – it has an appeal for all ages, with plenty to appeal to all ages, from young children to older festival-goers. The changes to this year’s festival are largely positive, although the comedy stage needs a rethink, as does the decision to allow one of the food stalls to host a mini-venue, which at times clashed noticeably with the sound of the main stage. Also the toilets seemed to have constant queues at them this time so some more wouldn’t go amiss, although they were regularly cleaned and restocked with hand wash and loo roll. All in all, Blissfields is a festival that I genuinely look forward to going to each year, and hope to continue to enjoy for years to come.

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