Jools Holland gets GuilFest boogieing on a soggy start to the weekend

Arriving at the festival site on Friday evening during what is to be one of the weekends many downpours, it becomes immediately obvious that there's not going to be much lazing around on the grass done this weekend. This is largely because thanks to the grim weather leading up to the weekend and the footfall of thousands of eager festival goers, the grass has been replaced by dodgy smelling, ankle deep mud. Like many of 2012's festivals, It's going to be the kind of weekend that'll test the mettle of even the most hardened camper.

Whilst pitching my tent I can hear the The South treating the main stage audience to the best bits of their gold plated back catalogue and although they're missing founder member Paul Heaton, The warm welcome that greets well-loved tunes like Song for Whoever and Rotterdam suggests that it's going to take more than a mud bath to put a dampener on the weekend.

Heading down to the arena just in time to catch The Straits treating a a soggy but appreciative audience to a brace of dadrock classics, I opt instead though to wade through the mire to The Good Time Guide stage where ABC are playing a sparkling set of the Motown tinged pop that made them one of the best loved acts of the early 80s. Frontman Martin Fry is in great voice and looking dapper, and tunes like 'All of My Heart' and 'When Smokey Sings' sound as glorious as ever.

Jools Holland and the Rhythm & Blues Orchestra top off the evening's entertainment on the Main Stage, Treating the bedraggled masses to an impeccably played set which takes in a range of musical styles from Ska to old style R&B with a liberal sprinkling of Jools's beloved Boogie Woogie Piano. Guest vocalist Roland Gift is in fine voice and gets the whole field dancing with mighty versions of 'Suspicious Minds' and 'Good Thing'.

The night is still young, with the eFestivals comedy tent and the dance tent attracting packed houses, but after a cuppa and a plate of veggie curry I head for my sleeping bag, fingers firmly crossed for some better weather for the rest of the weekend.

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