Bearded Theory is a great way to kick-start the festival calendar

Sunday mornings at festivals often feel a bit flat. People are getting their tents packed away, preparing to leave later in the day and re-engage with the real world, Monday, and the W word (work). Shudder.

There are a fair few spaces in the campsite as I emerge from the tent, but my overall state is one of confusion. I can hear what appears to be a barn dance going on in the distance. I check the programme and sure enough, there is a barn dance going on in the Bearded Top. Despite being eager to join the throng, the urge to wash and eat are stronger and by the time we make it down to the main arena, X-Factor competitor Wagner is just leaving the stage (timing is everything).

Again we try and buy ale at the bar, and it begins to look promising as we hand over cash, but what we get in return looks like pond water. There doesn't appear to be anything alive in there, but I'm not going to take my chances so I wait again to hand it back (along with another punter in exactly the same situation), and get a pint of cider instead. I'm actually flabbergasted that they have the cheek to pass it off as a pint of anything sellable as it looks like anyone drinking it should be confined to a portaloo for the remainder of the weekend. While we're on the subject, the loos I encountered are kept clean and emptied all weekend. It's important, especially with quite a few children on site!

Musically, our day begins with Champignon. Champignon used to play flute and sing with Ozric Tentacles (along with Merv from Eat Static who played on Saturday night). Jon 'Champignon' Egan is joined on stage on drums by Paul Hankin who also used to play with Ozrics. Personally I'd have loved them all to have a good jam together but this was about as close as it got to a proper old school Ozrics reunion. Musically, it is often very noodly on the guitar front but there were some great moments. Particularly a reggae track and a couple of the more Turkish influenced numbers. The drums and guitar build and build to uplifting crescendos. I really enjoy it but it does appear to get a little lost from time to time.

P.A.I.N (Propaganda And Information Network), on the main stage are excellent. Filthy dirty dub reggae baselines, ska, and shouty punk rock all moulded together to form a confusion of moods. It's odd, because shouty punk over chilled out dub is a musical contradiction, but P.A.I.N. make it work spectacularly well. I've never heard their stuff before but make sure to catch them again.

I have a few friends who are or were into punk music and UK Subs are one of those punk bands that most of them were into at one time or another. Despite being less than a year old when they were formed, I'm really intrigued to see what they'll be like live and what kind of set they'll play. I'm not disappointed. The passing of a fair few years since they had any hits or commercial success doesn't appear to have altered much, perhaps the, mosh pit is a little more restrained but there are a number of people down there still going for it! The largest swell seems to be when they play 'Warhead'.

Sunday's line-up seems mainly around dub, reggae and punk on the main stage. Zion Train pick up the dub baton and push forward into the evening with their electronic reggae sounds. It's blissful, up-tempo dub, and it's easy to get lost in the sample and effect laden sounds.

The Beat are on form and although Rankin' Roger says that he prefers to play the less well known tunes, it doesn't stop him and Rankin Junior from belting out the classics.

I love listening to things I've never heard before and earlier in the day we stumbled into The Drop Inn tent and heard a band tuning up. In actual fact, they went through one of their tunes from start to finish, and looked up to see that they'd attracted quite a crowd. The band was called Robinson and so we thought we'd go back and see the whole show. Singer Andy Robinson has a beautiful strong and melodic voice, with bags of emotion, his lyrics belt out clearly and harmoniously while he strums guitar backed by violin and cello. I like this a lot!

Catching the opening tune from Alabama 3 (who are great but I've seen a fair few times); I wander over to check out The Orb Sound System in the Magical Sounds tent. Towers of Dub is belting out of the tent and although there are a fair few people in there, we manage to find space in front of the stage where Dr Alex Patterson and Thomas Fehlmann are at the controls. As well as playing favourites like 'Little Fluffy Clouds', they also belt out some of harder techy stuff that I've never heard before.

As the festival draws to a close, the crowd has thinned but the happy vibe remains. Bearded Theory is a great way to kick-start the festival calendar. I've no idea how they manage to pull in the bands that they do, but it works amazingly so probably best not to question it! There aren't many things I'd do to change Bearded Theory, perhaps put the kids area further away from the dance tent (perhaps in sight of the main stage so that parents can keep an eye on the acts while still being able to entertain the nippers). I'd also move the beer tent to somewhere else in sight of the main stage. Those interested in the main stage goings on could remain dry during quick spells of inclement weather, sup their beverages, and watch the main acts. I reckon I might also be tempted to change the people contracted to run the bar, but none of that is enough to detract from what has been a top rate festival and a brilliant way to spend a weekend!

It would be very easy in writing this review to get lost in a sea of superlatives. Looking back at how far Bearded Theory has come in the last 4 years, it's been an incredible journey - From a field at the back of a pub to the grounds of a stately home. There have been tornados along the way. A round of applause to those with and without beards organising this event!

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