A strange fusion of a village fete with an Ibiza nightclub, this festival had just a bit too much strobe lighting for one and too few Morris dancers for the other.

Stuck smack dab in the middle of Summer, Lounge on the Farm 2013 is Kent at its best. With high riding denim shorts, cold draught local ale and more folk music than you can shake a violin stick at, what more could you ask for?

When I arrived at Merton Farm, the Canterbury adjacent site of Lounge on the Farm (LOTF), I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of cow pats and the unsettling cheery disposition of the security. I guess you could call me jaded, but I’ve been to more festivals than most in my day and never have I encountered such friendly crew.

And as I wandered about with my tent and tutus, it genuinely felt akin to walking through the village green during a May fair. So I did what any sane festival goer does once they’ve setup their tent and nearly died in the unseasonably hot summer weather, I went for an ice cold beer. Lounge on the Farm and Shepherd Neame have conspired together on this point, to make several draughts to keep any sun-drenched punter happy.

The site is far bigger than the first time I went to LOTF, a few years ago now. Back then it was all located in one field, with a smaller area for the now non-existent and Syd Arthur run Further Tent. Of course with popularity comes growth, and Lounge on the Farm has become more and more popular over the years. From a measly £30 camping ticket in 2006, it now costs £110 pounds for the chance to roll around in hay for three days. This is no meteoric rise compared to other festivals of it’s ilk, but I feel it’s worthy of note when you consider the size of the festival.

Three fields, each containing at least two stages, also with a miniature fairground, children’s own Little Lounge area and extended camping areas, you can tell this festival has raised its ambitions. Being a little bit nostalgic as I look at it all, I couldn’t help but compare it to the festival I remember. Back in 2008, the Main Stage was in an actual cow shed, the Hoe Down was in a humble marquee and the children ran through the rows of corn still growing in the field.

It’s a very different kettle of fish now, in both a fascinating and grating way. The Hoe Down for example is now a great big arabesque tent, designed for large speakers and rave lighting. This may have been an attempt to try and draw the late night party-goers away from the family camping, or it could just have been an exciting new toy for the organisers to play with. In any case the line-up for this stage was pretty uninspired and short lived, with their sets finishing always at midnight. Maybe it was just in case Cinderella turned into a pumpkin and left her glass wellington boot for the prince to find?

Then you have your usual assortment of festival merchandise, stalls and foodstuffs. The organisers are actually quite discerning, with more of an artisanal and sustainable range of wares than other festivals, but the bars were nothing but traditional fodder. Expensive but delicious pre-poured pale ale, festival brews at their best. Pint in hand, I found a quiet spot within a haystack henge, the innovative surroundings for the Farmhouse Stage.

Here is when the fun begins, as small band begin to play. At first I’m not too focused, it’s so hot my knees are roasting in their sockets and all I can pay attention to is the pint in my hand. But then their music sinks in, what wonderful music. They are Magnets and they draw me in like one (I do hope I am the first reviewer they’ve had who has made this analogy, because I won’t be the last). After Magnets recharging set (I couldn’t help myself with that pun), I decided to head to The Playhouse and listen to their poetry versus stand up slam. Comedy won after a hilarious performance by an up and coming, World of Warcraft loving stand up artist, who unfortunately never gave me his real name.

The Playhouse became one of my favourite spots at the festival, miles different from the other side of the farm where hipster teens would be burning in the sun. A nice surprise one afternoon was a stand up performance by Stephen K Amos, who recycled his four year old material and still won a few laughs. This was also despite the fact that he had to do some quick editing of his jokes for the sake of all those children sitting in the front row, self-censorship was never performed so well.

Tucked away between a Ferris wheel and vegan take away sat the Farm Folk Tent, which housed the more bluesy and subtle acts. One such performer was Lucy Kitt, whose sultry voice and crafty guitar finger work left a tear in my eye. One of the many female performers in the line-up of LOTF, and one of the several 'Lucys' also, she had to do a lot to stand out. This wasn’t a problem for this farm veteran though and she quickly gathered the crowd in from the sweltering sunshine.

As evening drew in each day, it was always worth paying a visit to the Main Stage, whose line up on Friday was wonderful mix of contemporary and classic. The real fun began when Lucy Rose and her entourage came on stage. The sun set to a well-produced, hauntingly unique and progressively passionate set. Speaking with the young and soon to be famous songstress, Lucy Rose was delighted with the Lounge on the Farm crowd. Ready to rush off to perform at yet another festival that weekend, she seemed both exhausted and elated with how her career was shaping. This is definitely a name you want to keep an eye on.

Tribes

She was followed by the blue grass festival champion Seasick Steve, who seemed to draw the entire festival onto their feet. The Main Stage did the festival proud that Friday night.

Yet the next day had little of note other than Tribes stealing the show despite the sudden torrential downpour mid-set. The rain cleared in time for the unimpressive Jessie Ware, who left most people asking “who is this chick?”, even after her headline act. Nevertheless the programming resumed in awkward nostalgia on Sunday, with Aswad and Soul II Soul the most eagerly anticipated acts. Throughout the entire weekend I heard parents singing “Don’t turn around” to their preteen and nonplussed kids. The Hoe Down conversely, was a let-down. With DJs like MK and DJ Alfredo never really filling the epic new space with their tunes. So when the main stage powered down and Hoe Down stage didn’t quite do it for me, I wandered the dark fields looking for some funky beats. And so I found the Farmhouse Stage again. This area won the crowd day and night, with late night DJs and MCs taking over from the local band programme. These DJs offered up cheesy funk and soul classics for the late night partier who thinks that house music just won’t do it for them.

The Lounge Originals stage only beat it for danceability on the Saturday night, as their old school rave tracks cured anyone who was driven away from the main stage’s RnB temptress.

Coco and the Butterfields

The Farmhouse also gave me my favourite act of the weekend, in a humble 4pm slot on a Sunday. Coco and the Butterfields were far and away the most engaging, animated and exciting band of the festival. With an excellent beat boxer, bitchy banter, gorgeous singing and addictive melodies, they got everyone out of the Sunday hangovers and into a ceilidh fit for a royal baby. Definitely worth a listen and a follow on whatever social media they deign to use.

In the end this festival has all its bases pretty well covered, even if the coverage is pretty poor quality. This is one of the few festivals I have gone to in recent years that haven’t spent a great deal of time or money on the experiential, community building side of things. No giant wicker statues, no tai chi and chai, no paint fights. It’s more about the local booze, the local bands and the local people. This leaves the festival with a bit of a lads on tour feel, combined with a painful family holiday. Families were there in droves, kids of all ages running about and screaming, so this is definitely not a festival for the hardcore, sunrise raver. Yet if you are looking for a relaxing, folk-filled and upbeat event to bring either your peers or your kids to, then Lounge on the Farm may just be the next festival for you.