APOLLO, the god of music, certainly seems to have given his blessing to the York festival named after him.

As the sun shone brightly on the busy site, more than 50 bands and solo artists made their musical mark on the five stages.

The festival organisers take pride in showcasing many local artists with something for everyone, from rock to acoustic. There’s a stage given over to unsigned acts and up-and-coming talent, all given a helping hand up the ladder by Shed Seven’s Rick Witter, who hand-picked all the artists that appeared on his Premiere Stage, including Everlate, who can often be seen busking in York.

Many families had set up their camps in the main arena, where there was not only a funfair, but also family-friendly activities to keep the children happy, such as a crafty musical instrument workshop and fruit kebab-making classes.

It’s also worth mentioning the bar which ran like clockwork thanks to an army of dedicated ‘pint pullers’ who had the drinks already lined up on the bar before you had even ordered them. This meant no queues and ultra-fast service which was especially appreciated by this veteran festival-goer.

The main stage obviously formed the focal point of the whole day. Here, the audience were treated to some fine music from the likes of Wakefield trio Cry Baby Cry and York’s Rupert Stroud, who has been making his mark further afield than the confines of our fair city on BBC6 Music’s Introducing, XFM and Radio 2 with his emotive vocal power.

The crowds found their dancing feet when local favourites The Mothers took to the stage. This tight knit group of talented musicians, fronted by the ever-effervescent Rob Hughes, entertained us with their own take on classic rock and funk songs from the likes of the Rolling Stones, Black Sabbath and Stevie Wonder.

It’s 20 years since Scouse psychedelic, pop-rock band Space hit the charts with their first single, Money, and their songs sounded as fresh as ever two decades on, as the crowd sang along enthusiastically to hit singles such as The Female of The Species and Neighbourhood.

Rick Witter took to the main stage, gauging his audience to keep the crowd warmed up with a fine DJ set of indie classics, before headliners The Inspiral Carpets stepped up for their spot.

The Oldham indie veterans did a crowd-pleasing set of their hits, including Saturn 5, Dragging Me Down and She Comes In The Fall, plus one or two songs from their new album, which was the perfect end to a perfect day.

The organisers have big plans for next year’s festival which are bound to keep that god of music satiated.

NATALYA WILSON