Lounge On The Farm: BandName (Photo: )

Canterbury’s Lounge On The Farm festival has charm by the bucketload. It likes to advertise itself as family safe, folky and cheerful – if anything it’s in danger of coming across as too twee. With this in mind, nothing quite prepares you for the barrage of vodka-guzzling, slightly-aggressive teens welcoming you into the main arena with either a vacant stare or a troublesome one. It doesn’t suit a relatively low-key and otherwise relaxed setting. The booze-hounds and the sense of calm don’t quite go hand in hand. It feels like an odd mix when you encounter both slashed tents and a quaint family camping area in the space of 500 yards. Nevertheless, for every adverse situation there’s a getaway: Lounge On The Farm has these in spades.

The drunken furore – a constant near the main stage - is a steep contrast to the truly lovely Farm Folk setting: An enclosed, red-tinted tent where the audience sits down in peace, admiring banjo-swindling acoustic acts. Most notable among these is Johnny Flynn. Bereft of a full backing band for what appears to be the first time in a while, he has no trouble in asking a bellowing audience to provide a similar duty instead. Also enjoying a passionate group of fans is Melodica, Melody & Me, who seem to be the first Saturday act to get tranquil onlookers on their feet.

The remote Sheep Dip is another stage perfect for escape. A small shaded area beside the stage beckons fans in but the majority of those in close vicinity decide instead to bask in the sun. This is a difficult proposition for a band taking to the stage – to see no-one standing up as you soundcheck is bound to be daunting. Some acts adapt to this better than others: Braids, riddled with sound problems, fiddle about with the highlights from debut album Native Speaker and transition pieces in between tracks fail to impress. Summer Camp, on the other hand, take to the challenge with ease: Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley step forward from the stage and provide an impromptu acoustic number, serenading audience members. They then leap back inside, and demand that those “lounging” should return the favour by rising from their slumber and flocking forward to watch the set. The result is one of the performances of the weekend, with a loved-up, intimate atmosphere to accompany tracks from the Young EP and a fan-funded debut album forthcoming.

Much of the Sheep Dip stage is frequented by industry people, representatives, journalists, checking out how a certain new band is progressing. Nobody sparks quite as much interest as Brighton’s Gross Magic; fresh from a blogosphere meltdown caused by debut track Sweetest Touch. The live show needs refining but these grunge-indebted tracks are already poised for a bigger stage.

The main stage is a new addition to the festival, attracting bigger acts and a higher capacity all-round. Strangely, Everything Everything don’t seem to draw the kind of audience they ought to on the final night. But ferocious renditions of debut Man Alive’s highlights allow a static crowd to become gradually more appreciative and dancey. Example doesn’t have to win the crowd over. His set, like that of The Streets' headlining show, is met with an adoring raising of hands and a crowd ready to bounce from the very start. The more effective main stage sets come from The Joy Formidable and The Vaccines, mainly for their ability to add some much needed edge to an otherwise pop-orientated bill.

With the sun out for the majority of three days, some acts benefit and some seem to suffer. Pearl And The Puppets' sweet, summertime drawl is a perfect way to open the festival. On the flipside, the beatbox, sample-driven and very urban sounds coming from Jamie Woon's set require pitch-black scenery, as opposed to the blistering sun which he looks out to as he comes on stage. Despite this, his inventive array of songs provide for one of the weekend’s stand-out moments. Still Corners could also do with something a little more sinister – some kind of Twin Peaks-style, misty disco would suit. But like Woon, they cope superbly with the unsuitable scenery, blasting out the likes of Cuckoo and Endless Summer with dazzle and drama.

The getaways – in the form of the Sheep Dip and Farm Folk stages – are idyllic, relaxed havens. Due to both these and some lovely decorative work, a nice selection of food and a few other additions across the site, the festival has managed to retain its charm despite making the bold move of adding a bigger stage. To some extent, this year’s festival attracted the wrong kind of people. Those complaining, however – and believe me, there are lots – were always presented with the opportunity to bask in the rays someplace else, only a good two minutes from the supposed chaos.

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