a wicked line-up on Sunday makes for the lacklustre Saturday

I was up with the lark on Sunday, ready and raring to see some of my favourite artists like Paul Weller, the Editors and Fight Like Apes, so you can imagine my slight disappointment when I opened the hotel room curtains (sorry couldn't face camping) and saw dark grey clouds above. But I dutifully packed my wet weather gear and headed off to the site. By the time I got there though my fears were completely quashed as the clouds were clearing and the heat was unbelievably intense. As I got to the entrance gates I was surprised to see row after row of safety staff checking bags, as well as sniffer dogs and police officers – how come there hadn't been any of this yesterday? Obviously they were expecting hoards more people then!

This put a smile of my face as I walked through the site to be greeted by two times as many photographers and journalists, which created an obvious back stage buzz. I couldn't help but notice that a lot of people with press passes were not really journalists or photographers (VIP's masquerading as press perhaps, due to the fact that there was no supposed VIP passes with backstage access?).

I was interested to see whether the back stage energy would spill out onto the main fields – so headed off to see That Petrol Emotion on the Main Stage. There were more people at Hop Farm on Midday Sunday than there were for the headliners on Saturday!

Recently reformed That Petrol Emotion weren't going to let them laze around in the sun either, with front man Steve Mack shouting things like "Hop Farm – stand the f*ck up" and "go get some coffee or a shot of Jack Daniels and wake up" throughout the set. They got a really warm response to songs like 'Catch a Fire' and 'Big Decision', so they did their job well as a warm up band. Unfortunately, I don't think the mainly young audience understood just how influential this band was in the 80's, so their bland performance was lost on them.

Crowds of people of all ages started swarming in for The Rifles, a Walthamstow crew who are renowned for their live performances. They entered the stage to huge cheers and suddenly someone breathed life into Hop Farm as people started clapping their hands above their head, jumping, finger pointing and singing every word to 'The General' that kicked off the set. We even saw the first signs of mosh pit action for 'Peace and Quiet', lots of lyric chanting for 'Romeo and Julie', and the front rows loving every minute of 'The Great Escape'. Thank God for The Rifles that's all I can say!

Ladyhawke drew in an even bigger audience to the Main Stage, which by now was absolutely boiling. As I looked around I could actually see a sea of people either crowding around stages, relaxing in the sun, daring to go on the fun fair rides or enjoying the food and drink! Result!

Ladyhawke looked like a bit of a hippy, with a bandana tied around her long locks, a Nirvana T-shirt and a checked shirt. She suffered with sound problems and inaudible vocals throughout most of the set, which dampened the vibe slightly and seemed to make her continually embarrassed to be there. When I could hear her vocals I enjoyed the en vogue synth-dance-rock-pop of tunes like 'Magic' and, 'Professional Suicide'. Hop farm finally got the sound issues sorted in time for the crowd to whack their hands above their head for 'Back Of The Van' and listen to a cracking rendition of 'Paris is Burning'.

I could feel the Third Stage calling me by this point though, as one band that was sure fire to set the stage alight was Fight Like Apes, a Dublin born band full of promise. I arrived to find Pockets, Adrian Mullan and Tom Ryan setting up their instruments and conducting their own sound check – fame hasn't got to them too much yet then eh! Lead vocalist MayKay was probably backcombing her trademark massive hair backstage and donning the black lace dress with gold underskirt that she wore.

Even though the crowd was small at first, and rather sedentary, Fight Like Apes never fail to disappoint with their mental energy on stage. From bashing a plastic seat on the barriers, MayKay and Pockets jumping over the crowd barrier to be in the crowd, moshing, Pockets standing on stage and staring at the audience, smashing up their instruments and throwing them all over the stage at the end of the set – I saw it all. Oh and then there's the music too – electronic, synth filled riot pop with a huge amount of drums, bass and witty lyrics, intertwined with the unusual, unique and somewhat endearing voice of May Kay.

As they bashed their way through songs from their album 'Fight Like Apes and The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion' like latest single ‘'Something Global', 'Digifucker', personal favourite 'Jake Summers', 'Lend Me Your Face', 'Tie Me Up With Jackets', and ending with 'Battlestations', I can't help but feel that the audience (apart from the ardent fans in the front row),who filled the tent by the end of the set, really didn't get them. I love them for their entertainment value – I just think people need to chill out and take Fight Like Apes for what they are – huge, huge fun. Oh, and songs that really grow on you too!

It took me a while to get Fight Like Apes out of my head – so much so that I didn't go and see another band until the Editors took over the Main Stage with no less than 3 keyboards, a piano, countless guitars and lots of extra speakers. By this point the field was full to bursting point with already screaming fans, and the sky was absolutely cloudless as the sun began to set behind me.

They may only have two albums under their belt (with the third 'In This Light And On This Evening' due for release in the autumn), but Editors have built up a huge fan base and released anthem after anthem. I was enthralled by Tom Smith's quirky, fidgety dance moves and clear, mind blowing lyrics. The live sound of Editors is far bigger, broodier, louder and impressive than could ever be captured on a CD too. I loved the live versions of 'Bullets' (where guitarist Chris Urbanowicz threw his plectrum into the crowd), 'Munich', that saw tens of thousands of people with their hands in the air, 'Camera', 'Bones' (where some of the crowd climbed on the partner's shoulders for a better view) and 'Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors'. Best performance of the early evening had to be 'Fingers in the Factories'; the fans were really jumping by this point - clapping furiously as far as the eye could see. They got the biggest response and cheer of the weekend so far and thoroughly deserved it.

New, far more electronic songs infiltrated the Editors set too, illustrating a departure from the heavy, guitar chord sounds of the first two albums. I really loved the new tracks – I guess the proof will be in the pudding when the new album comes out and whether the fans lap it up as much as they have before!

Anticipation and palpable excitement really began to build up from here on in, as the night sky drew in around us and the stage was set for the almighty Paul Weller. He was being a bit of a primadonna tonight, only allowing national press into the photographers pit, but I didn't let this bother me too much. I have loved Paul Weller's music for the last two decades, whilst never having had the opportunity to see him live, so I was determined to make the most of it. Half the audience did seem to hop off to the Third Stage to see British Sea Power, but a more mature group lapped up Weller's stellar performance of greats like 'Peacock Suit', 'Out Of The Sinking' and 'The Changing Man'.

I found it hard to concentrate from then on in though, as there was a huge fuss just to the left of the stage – this was because Roger Daltrey from The Who was waiting to join Weller on stage at some point during the set. Everyone lapped up 'Shout To The Top', 'The Eaton Rifles', 'You Do Something To Me' and 'Wild Wood' before Daltrey sprung on stage to deafening cheers to sing 'Magic Bus' with Weller on the guitar. This was a huge surprise to everyone and something that will make Hop Farm Festival 2009 memorable to all those who saw it. Not the final songs like Jam classic 'Town Called Malice' and 'Whirlpools End', but the fact that two legends were on the same stage together at a festival that's in its infancy.

As the evening drew to a close and the endless sea of people with day passes wound their way back to their cars, I couldn't help but wonder why Hop Farm had already stretched itself over two days. If it had stuck to its one day format for a couple more years to draw in as many big acts as possible, it would have been able to expand to two days with no problem at all. However, the wicked line-up on Sunday more than made up for the lacklustre Saturday. As for no branding and no sponsorship – definitely true, but I think they should re think their no VIP area stance. If you're letting friends in on press passes and the friends and family of bands have their own tent, surely this is VIP? A minor point though, and one I am sure will be ironed out in future years. All in all, Hop Farm is well worth going to next year as long as the line up's right!

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