“IT’S got to be perfect,” sang Glaswegian Eddi Reader headlining the Purbeck Folk Festival on Friday night, pleasing the crowd with Perfect, which was a number one hit for her former band Fairground Attraction in the late 80s.

Apart from the torrential downpour on Sunday night the festival really was almost perfect.

This annual gathering of around 3,000 folk fans on a sheep farm nestled in a beautiful wooded valley is one of the highlights of the UK’s folk music scene.

With spacious camping offering wonderful views over the Purbeck hills down to Swanage, with the Isle of Wight visible beyond, the setting was definitely perfect.

Eddi Reader was one of the better-known names the organisers attracted for what was the sixth festival.

These included Lloyd Cole (of and the Commotions fame), The South (former members of The Beautiful South) and Turin Brakes for a three-day celebration of all manner of folk genres from bluegrass to gypsy jazz, plus even a bit of rock included for good measure.

The festival was the creation of Dave Burke, who runs the weekly Bournemouth Folk Club at the Ocean View Hotel.

His daughter Catherine is one of the organisers.

She said: “We decided to get a few bigger names in the line-up this year.

“This one is the strongest line-up so far. Every year we add another stage so it’s growing all the time.”

There were five stages of music which means there is so much going on that you are bound to miss something.

It’s such a great place to see up-and-coming bands finding their feet. When The South were playing their crowd-pleasing previous hits I was watching The Mother Ukers, a wonderfully eccentric ukulele band from Bournemouth.

This three-piece uke outfit are one of the best party bands around.

Sound Of The Sirens are a female folk/rock duo from Bristol who deliver their self-penned songs with incredible intensity.

They’ve got some great catchy tunes with bittersweet lyrics and really set the Fire stage alight with their energy and chemistry.

Blugrass outfit Flats And Sharps come from Penzance and are the most engaging act, addressing the crowd with their characteristic Cornish humour and spirit.

They are also very fine musicians for such a young group, especially the banjo player whose phenomenal fingerpicking sends the crowd wild.

Everyone got on their feet to share what was an exhilarating performance. Even the parrot was dancing!

Turin Brakes rounded off the festival on Sunday night with a show from a rock band who are regaining the peak of their powers.

Their songs build up from beautiful lilting melodies to reach dazzling crescendos.

Apart from all the bands playing there were lots of opportunities to get involved in the festival. There were huge queues for the ever-popular open mic sessions where the amateur musicians can get up and experience their share of the limelight.

In addition to the music there were workshops in meditation, laughter yoga, songwriting, Cajun dancing and even archery.

There was also a poetry slam competition where the finalists awed us with their rhythm and rhymes.

One of the best festivals of the year without a doubt.

GRAHAM JAMES