"It's good to be home," laughed Ard Matthews a few songs into Just Jinjer's triumphant return to the South African festival scene.

Opening their Saturday evening slot with a Led Zeppelin cover, and of course slipping in their now trippier take on 'Sugarman', the group soared through an almost 15-year catalogue of hits — from folk rocker 'Father and Father' to the uplifting 'What He Means', via the fist-pumping 'I Like You Madly'.

And when the dreadlocked singer joined drummer Brent Harris for their now-ritual drumming session, I felt like I was 19 again. Matthews himself seemed younger too, grinning as the crowd took over choruses, mugging it up for the photographers in the pit, and calling his girlfriend on stage to bring him a bottle of Jagermeister with apologies in advance for having too much fun later.

Feel at home

He certainly did feel at home. And the thousands who descended on the main stage to watch the three-piece clearly shared that feeling at a festival that continues to surprise with its balance of huge music festival and relaxed weekend away.

Although the laidback sounds on the main stage started at 10 in the morning, courtesy of Lonesome Dave Ferguson's one-man-and-his-harmonica-and-loop-pedal band, there was plenty more to keep the campers happy. With the sun out in full force, out came the boardshorts, bikinis, surfboards, and that pink lilo again as the dams filled with revellers. Others headed for the Night of a 1000 Drawings tent to pull up a hay bale and put pen (and even crayon) to paper, while African dancers in giant animal heads pranced around in the background.

Even the Red Bull Studio Live (better known as the electro tent) drew in punters looking for an early morning chillout, while the Lemon Tree Theatre (better known as the comedy tent) will need to grow some more before next year, with even the morning shows standing room only.

Back on the main stage, Dan Patlansky brought the blues (and the spirit of Jimi and Steve) with his searing guitar solos and gargle-with-Jack-Daniels vocals before making way for three wildly different bands battling it out in the Radar talent search. Each given two songs, electro rockers She Man Lion — think Joy Division/Editors/New Order/The Killers — beat out folk rock duo The Sean Hayes Band and Jynx, who could best be described as a Mozart opera company performing seaside shanties with keyboards and drum machines.