LAST weekend saw a multitude converge on The Midland Railway Centre in Butterley for the third annual Indietracks Festival.

Fans got the chance to enjoy more than 50 acts across a three-day weekend, with each band bringing their own unique flavour of indie-pop.

What made the event extra special was the cosmopolitan element. The seminal independent record label, Elefant Records, which is based in Spain, celebrated its 20th anniversary by hosting the artists who took to the main stage. These included home-grown wonders such as Camera Obscura and Teenage Fanclub, who headlined the event on Saturday and Sunday respectively, as well as a plethora of international talent. Among the familiar Derbyshire dialect could be heard a diverse mixture of foreign accents.

The museum itself was a distinguishing feature, providing a rustic charm to festival. Music lovers were transported to the grounds on a vintage shuttle train and could enjoy time out relaxing in signal boxes and old railway carriages.

Indiepop fan Katie, from Nottingham, said: "It's something you don't get everywhere, with a very different focus on the countryside, and you get to see people from everywhere, which is cool."

On site were situated the main outdoor stage, arguably boasting the bigger acts, a church building for the acoustic sets, and an indoor stage where the bar sold local real ales. Up-and-coming independent artists got to air their repertoire from stationary railway carriages.

"In four years time, if I'm still playing on the back of a train, I'd be really happy," said Andy, also known as Loyal Trooper, who charmed fans with his delicate singer-songwriter style, early on the first day.

BMX Bandits, hailing from Bellshill, the same town that gave rise to the 80s star Sheena Easton, are the epitome of what it means to be an independent band. They have seen more than 24 members come and go over a period of 24 years but troupe leader Douglas T. Stewart has been there since the band's inception.

"I've been there the whole time; I'm like the daddy of the band," he said. "It's a bit like the Muppet Show, the way in which Kermit the Frog takes on the role of the parent and he also happens to be one my favourite singers of all time, so I suppose the Muppets are big influence on us."

As the rain gently soaked the onlookers, the BMX Bandits kept the crowd warm on the final day with their delightful blend of humorous guitar-pop, melodically doting on the theme of falling in love.

Another festival regular, Ally, said: "What defines the music here at Indietracks festival is the eclectic mix of music that is on offer, and the attraction of hearing a band that you won't have seen before."

Disasteradio transcended the stereotypical guitar/bass/drums mode, when he took to the indoor stage on the third day. The producer from Wellington, New Zealand, surprised everybody when he blasted out his unique frenetic cacophony of synth-pop. He could be seen darting about on stage, encouraging the crowd to dance, and capped off his performance by handing out photographs in a high school prom-style chic parodying himself.

In addition to the music, people were enjoying specialist coffees and vegetarian curries provided by Fair Trade stalls and were educated in a variety of crafts in workshop tents.

Elijah James