Skindred closes the Vale Earth Fair. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0834485)

THE walls of the Vale Castle are probably still shaking now.

If it was a gamble to bring in a headliner that mixed metal, punk and reggae it was one that paid off.

From the outset, Skindred went about shaking the castle to its foundations and with it inciting the crowd into one frenzied mass.

It can be difficult to get a sense of how the rest of the crowd is reacting when you are jammed up front screaming lyrics back at one of your favourite groups.

What they did was reach out and involve people so it was not a case of watching a band but participating in a performance.

In some ways objectivity flew out the window reviewing this, because it is the first time for me that the Earth Fair has brought over a band that is worth the entrance ticket alone.

Normally it is the totality of the event that draws you in.

The chance to catch top local acts playing on big stages, taste a few more off-beat groups from further afield, all accompanied by a plethora of friends that will always gather in this one place at this one time.

And not a small amount of real ale and beer flowing as the buzz builds through the day.

That side was not lost this time around, it is just there was something more: a sense that things were building and building to something very special.

And when that wave broke, it just carried on for a brilliant ride.