NMA draw the biggest crowd of the weekend at Bearded Theory

Saturday afternoon started with an energetically excellent set from New York Alcoholic Anxiety Attack – a repeat booking after a storming set the year before – followed by a couple of bands doing covers – which was infinitely better than it sounds. Doctor and the Medics played their hit and a host of feel good in the sunshine covers, touching AC/DC, The Undertones and Louis Armstrong amongst others. Everyone who saw them left the field with a huge smile on their face.

In the Bearded Top, Ferocious Dog had the entire tent jumping about with their ferocious covers of The Pogues, Levellers and more traditional songs. The lead singer has come a long way since he sang a few acoustic songs in Gail's Tea Tent in 2008. Back on the main stage, The Men They Couldn't Hang proved to be as indomitable as they ever were and had many an original punk singing along.

Down in the Magical Sounds tent, Zetan Spore, favourites at Bearded Theory, gave an assured and exciting performance of guitar and didge led psytrance. Senser have lost none of their '90s anger and gave the crowd an outstanding show that lies somewhere between rap, punk and rock and were a perfect build up to Saturday headliners New Model Army.

Judging by the number of T-shirts on site, NMA sold more tickets than any other band and more than justified organiser Rich Bryan's plan of booking a band with a huge cult status. They drew the biggest crowd of the weekend and with such a massive back catalogue to pick from were always going to be well received. No Bearded Theory would be complete without 3 Daft Monkeys, and they closed the night and sent everyone ready for bed back to the campsite smiling. Many stopped on for some more dancing and drinking.

Whilst there is no restriction on taking your own food and drink to the festival (including into the arena), facilities at the festival are excellent. There are several bars offering a variety of keg and cask ales and ciders, as well as lager, Guinness, wines bottles and spirits, all at pub prices (or, depending where you drink, below pub prices – at least two of the ales available came in at £2.60 a pint, a bargain in anyone's eyes). Food wise there was the usual burger and fish and chips options alongside options for falafel, salads, barbecued meat, baked potatoes, toasted and other sandwiches. The Tibetan Kitchen offered something a bit different to standard fare and Pieminster were there with there unusual take of what to expect from a pie! One request to the organisers – somewhere to get an ice cream next year would be nice.

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