Unlike some festivals, there were no queues for the bar at Ramblin' Man Fair.
While punters elsewhere reported waits of over an hour to get a drink, life at Mote Park was considerably more relaxed. In the time it took some fans to obtain a pint at Finsbury Park, a Ramblin' Man attendee could grab an ostrich burger, wash it down with a measure of pale ale, and still have time to set up a camping chair and watch The Dust Coda play a full set.
In other words, it was chilled. The sun shone, the site was accessible, the rain didn't show, and a good time was had by all.
Highlights? Halestorm, exploding with a ferocious degree of intensity onto the main stage, before Lzzy - still in her stage clothes - made her way out front to watch The Cult , chatting to fans and accommodating every selfie; Fish, reducing a tent full of grown men to tears with a set that relied heavily on Marillion's Clutching At Straws; The Cadillac Three, reminding everyone that they draw just as much inspiration from Metallica as they do from Nashville; Steve Earle, playing a stunning set based around the classic Copperhead Road album as the sun set; And Myles Kennedy, playing an unexpected cover of Iron Maiden's The Trooper on an acoustic guitar.
We could go on, but you get the gist: Ramblin Man 2018 was a pleasure, from start to finish. Instead, here's a gallery of images. And if a picture paints 1000 words, here's 32,0000 words-worth.
