The Waterboys, more play Bearded Theory 2011

The Derbyshire festival packs in a lot on day two

John Bownas - 15 May 2011

Take the combined playing years of just three of Saturday's main stage acts for instance. Between Eddie and the Hotrods, The Undertones and The Waterboys '>The Waterboys there is a century of stage experience.

And what 100 years brings is a broad back catalogue and a polished portion of stagecraft.

It also brings families. Importantly, families with young children. Young children who will hopefully grow up with live music in the hearts and who will go on to create their own songs.

And maybe in ten years or so they will make a mark for themselves at a Brighton venue where agents and talent scouts will sniff them out and propel them to the world stage.

Perhaps one of them will be the young girl who sat on her dad's shoulders watching The Bad Shepherds and who was singled out by Ade Edmondson a few songs into his set of traditionally re-crafted punk pop covers.

The comedian-turned-musician applauded her parents for bringing up a child so well that by the age of six she already seemed to know the words to every classic punk song from the late-seventies.

Do music festivals have a point beyond being a fun way to spend a long weekend in a field with friends and cider?

If the world needs new acts to replace the bands whose work has been so important in the lives of generations of fans then yes, they do.

And hopefully some of tomorrow's musicians will look back on events like this one as the moment when their eyes were opened to the excitement of playing on a covered stage to thousands of eager ears.

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