It would be hard to comprehend the survival of the Northern Irish music scene without the tireless work of the Small But Massive Festival.

But luckily such instances don't appear on our radar as those persistently jolly people over at Glasgowbury HQ entered this year with their usual attitude of maintaining, preserving and advancing the power of the music scene - something they have strived to do since day one, just over nine years ago.

And in those nine years Glasgowbury has emerged as a cause and a belief; as something for musicians and music lovers to hold on to with the knowledge that Glasgowbury is giving them everything, the best.

And so began epic preparations for the 2009 festival, a day that would include the very finest in up and coming and established Irish acts.

The resulting festival this past weekend set a precedent for Glasgowbury and raised the bar higher than most ever thought possible.
Acts mingled, joined each other on stage, gave out free cds or merchandise and generally gave it their all, as if playing to a packed house of industry leaders; and in some cases maybe they were.

With a revised lay out and style, including a centre piece main stage that dominated the site like never before, Glasgowbury 2009 will no longer be considered the small festival that could, but rather the most pioneering and forward thinking festival to ever hit these shores.

From the get-go you can tell that Glasgowbury 2009 means business.
The queues of revellers lining up to be the first through the turnstiles is a sight to behold. The festival sight brimming with activity just beyond them is something otherworldly while the sun beams down as if in wonder.

And as if to add to the surreality of it all, Glasgowbury 2009 has sold out before the gates even open. No tickets - nichts, nada, non. You can't balme the guy standing outside with a sign reading 'Looking For Ticket' - nobody wants to miss this.

Naysayers and moaners have just been silenced.

But a music festival is nothing without exactly that - music. So when the gates open and everyone gets their free programme there's no doubting where they're heading.

It's local lads Pretty Child Backfire who employ the task of a festival warm up with their delightfully catchy indie pop.

Songs brim and overflow with a sensibility and style beyond the band's formative years and the trio lay an early claim to fame.

The tent is filled with early festival fans while the ease-ful style wafting throughout the site has many more attracted. A strong, quality performance.

Interrogate have returned to the festival with a debut album in tow and take the Spurs Of Rock tent to near oblivion.

There's a dedicated core of fans getting in on the act while their hardcore metal wins over an all new army of followers. It's a little early in the day to throw down however, but given their recent successes we wouldn't be surprised to see them Interrogate a bigger slot next year.

Scarred For Life gets a wholesome rounding and the lads are clearly in love with the music and calm in themselves once again. Accomplished, tight and heavy - very heavy.

A quick breeze past the main stage (which is freakin' huge by the way) allows a brief capture of Dublin band The Kinetiks.

Although probably not so well known up this stretch they still produce the tunes with full effect and draw in a substantial crowd of indie lovers. Charismatic and giving it their all, The Kinetiks epitomise the early Glasgowbury vibe.

Paddy Nash And The Happy Enchiladas are busy prepping over on the acoustic stage while the crowd pack in in anticipation. There's little doubting that 2009 will be remembered for the work of Paddy and his merry team.

The songs are heartbreaking (Cushialitee), begging for a sing along (Billy Bragg Jeans / Barefoot In verona) and insightful (the utterly wonderful Works Of Art).

He even has the space to add a young apprentice in the shape of shaker Finn McGuigan who joins his proud father, Liam, on stage. Paddy's festival is a huge celebration that includes everyone. Happy, joyful and poetic music in mid-afternoon sunshine = bliss.

We Are Resistance are excitedly/nervously getting ready for their main stage slot. As are the jammed front section of the audience reliably sporting the band's merch.

And the first major gig since their reincarnation is a full throttle machine like experience. The crowd get in on the act to create the main stage's first big push of the day (a ritual?) and WAR take hold.

New EP Public Service Announcement gets its first big airing and the crowd rightfully go wild throughout the funk rock odyssey. Proof is in the tasting and there can be no doubt WAR are here to stay.

Furlo are over on the Spurs Of Rock stage ready to take control and with a confident swagger fire through a set of crowd favourites with beaming grins.

Regular G players, Furlo have all the makings of bigger things; their songs pack a heavier punch than most indie rock bands on the circuit and they already have a dedicated fan base wise to their ways.

Theres plenty of thrills, but thankfully no spills, as they convert the unknowing and reaffirm the beliefs of the wise. Substantial and cool, Furlo have all the makings of success.

The G Sessions tent holds semmingly new-comers in the form of Belfast's The Stetz, who as The Superfreakz previously enjoyed many a Glasgowbury success.

But a change of name and outlook has done them no harm and with plans for a debut album later this year, we're treated to a host of that material.

Electro rock vibes have mostly filled the tent and with a charisma defunct from so many, the Stetz turn the charm factor all the way to 11 through major pop hits waiting to happen such as Out Of Ammo and Alibi. Time couldn't go fast enough to that debut album.

Silhouette (in an almost too perfectly clean white dress) has brought along a few friends for the ride. Percussion formalities fall to mojo's Pete and a cello and double bass player promise something strangely original.

Which is exactly what we get from the gothic influenced princess through songs both old and new.

Put The Silence On Hold will always provoke a reaction and stripped bare today it does while Under My Skin (video coming soon) has everyone in on the act. It's a different perspective to an afternoon's music but nonetheless enjoyable.

Hitting The Q's set mid-stride is unfortunate, if only I could have been there from the start. Easily one of the day's highlights the young Derry boys have come about leaps and bounds over the last year.

As a frontman young Pablo has the energy of ten men and uses it to get everyone, from Eamonn McCann to the young bucks down the front, pulsing; while the lead guitar of Doherty is at times breathtaking.

Magpie is a tune and a half while the slower Radio fails to stall proceedings - quite the opposite really. The Q came, saw, stole a bit of the day and will be back again. With another year behind them we can only imagine what they'll bring.

Junior Johnson back at the acoustic stage starts, as the stage name might suggest, acoustically - before transforming, with his new sound and band, into a kick ass folk groove machine.

The Ballad Of Glasgowbury takes prominence but for festival-ness it's with the creamy baked goodness of Colder Ground and Lonely Places that our man Junior supremes.

In one year, and no doubt with the help of Glasgowbury's Rural Key Music Project, Mr Johnson has re-found and re-perfected his edge with delicious consequences. More, more, more - You could never have enough Junior Johnson.

There's always a hidden gem or two to be had within Glasgowbury and anybody who hadn't previously heard of Black Bear Saloon and who may have stumbled across their Spurs Of Rock show will no doubt have left impressed.

They've worked separately on various ventures but do a fine job of showing the world why hard ass rock and roll still needs its place. 'Get on your phones and start texting your friends who might be watching some **** indie band to come and enjoy some proper rock'. Mee-aow.

But the Saloon have the songs in abundance to back up the attitude. Something to Strive For and The Thirst are just two standouts while the ferocity matches their namesake. Loud, proud and very, very good. And loud.

Grainne O'Neill returns to the festival with a band in tow under the name of Grainne O. Not very original, granted, but here the music does the talking.

As a songwriter few would argue she isn't one of the best and things haven't changed much with the help of a band. By the time we reach her tent Wired is mid-swing and the crowd have rammed up from to get a closer view.

Moon Man Luna also gets a plug and a hand out on a free cd - thank you very much - as Grainne rightfully steals a corner of the day for herself. Powerful, without flaw and pretty scary.

A jolt of Jaded Sun gets the juices flowing again (what about those back and forth jesting guitar solos?!) before it's back to the main stage for Cashier No. 9.

A G Session a few short months ago gave us reason never to doubt Paddy Glasgow's judgment again - ever! - and their half hour atop the SBM main stage is enough to work every bone in your body.

When Jackie Shone has no qualms in going out first, leading the way, while Danny Todd et al exude a glowing confidence as the crowd continue to swarm around.

Lighthouse Will Lead You Out is a near psychedellic affair while 42 West Avenue is a jaunt of country proportions, but really there isn't a fault to be found. Ring up the till boys, we've found our leading men.
Or have we...?

Because here come LaFaro and if that isn't death by guitar lurking behind those eyes I don't know what is.

It's a monster of a set from the grunge rock hallions for who nothing but success and good things should happen. Jonny's humour is as black as his name suggests while Herb looks as demented and deranged as a psychopath. What's not to love?!

Tupenny Nudger has the hills bouncing while the likes of Leningrad knaws away at your skull. Those riffs, those hits...roll on next year just so we can get some more LaFaro loving.

Here Comes The Landed Gentry are ripping up the Spurs Of Rock shortly thereafter ahead of the legendary Henry McCullough and as per usual you can rely on the Gentry to get the balls rolling. As one of the few acts to take up nearly all the stage (before inviting more friends out too!) HCTLG are a powerhouse of talent effortlessly mixing a unique blend of blues and country under a rock and roll moniker.

Highbrow, Lightness And Weight...they're all good, but it's with the madness of Leadbelly that they excel, appropriately getting the crowd in on the act too. Big, heavy and fun - it would be hard to tire of the Gentry.

Henry McCullough caps the Spurs Of Rock in truely legendary fashion.
The man, the myth and the legend are all present as he expertly displays a class for guitar and songwriting that often extend into five minute solos of inward odysseys.

Although we miss the special moment at the end of the night when he's joined on stage by a ragtag group of well wishers to sing With A Little Help From My Friends, we're safe in the knowledge that it was a moment to go down in history.

From there it's down to the young bucks to bring proceedings to a close.
Our very own General Fiasco are first, playing quite possibly the biggest show of their short career before the Ulster Hall gets their attention in September.

Hordes of fans rush past in fear of not getting close enough while Fiasco dive unannounced into a mass of songs that almost everyone recognises.

Ever So Shy and We Are The Foolish stand out as much as the rest while the occasion seems to be getting to them at times.

They still manage to get a roaring rendition of Happy Birthday going for Leaky and end on a colossal high with Rebel Get By as the crowd goes even wilder. They'll be back and that will be treat in itself.

Another band who will be shouting Glasgowbury from the hills are tonight's headliners. If Glasgowbury were a band, it would be And So I Watch You From Afar.

It's one of their biggest shows to date also, and although nerves might look about getting the better of them at times, they remain focused to deliver arguably the best headline performance the festival has ever seen.

They look to end on a monstrous show of strength with bands, artists, crew and Mr and Mrs Paddy G themselves joining forces on stage, but return to blast us off with their last few remaining bullets.

They came, they saw and they conquered the mountain the way only ASIWYFA could, leaving us wondering where to turn next.

If ever you needed proof of the strength of NI's music scene, you should look no further than Glasgowbury and 2009.

And Glasgowbury 2010 - you better watch out. Because on this evidence you're going to be just massive.