Tom Odell and Frank Turner Star On Opening Day of Indiependence

Size matters. One of the natural laws of the world, right? But it's a law oft broken and spectacularly so in the case of Indiependence. It started off as a small town square festival in Mitchelstown, a provincial Cork town - but it's survived, grown and thrived, to become one of the fixtures of the Irish live circuit.

Eleven years on and though the festival remains charmingly compact, it carries enough might to pull in headliners like Manic Street Preachers.

Tom Odell, too (pictured). Here's a man who knows all about size and bombast. His Main Stage set was full of pomp and circumstance, as he hammered his piano and showcased an impressive howl. An arresting stage presence, whether beside the piano, on top of the piano or at the front of stage, the singalongs generated by singles like 'Concrete’ and 'Another Love’ were barely contained by the arena.

Over in the IMRO Big Top, the always engaging Frank Turner played solo – and he forgot his harmonica (boo!). It proved to be no hassle though, just another opportunity to get the crowd involved. “That's the sound I got into music for,” he grinned as everyone caterwauled their best harmonica impression. Even shorn of his Sleeping Souls bandmates, Turner’s got more than enough charisma and big choruses to carry a set – ‘I Still Believe’ got the biggest reaction.

Back at the Main Stage the masses wedged themselves into the tent for Sigma, who delivered a DJ set that wasn't clever but was very big. Joined onstage by a hype man, Sigma is far from a crate digger – but that didn't matter a jot as his high-energy, breakbeat mixes of chart hits went down a storm – in particular their iconic rework of Kanye West’s 'Bound 2’.

Hermitage Green have the task of closing the Big Top, but there was one crucial misstep. “Are you feeling sexy Indiependence?” they asked us, before whipping out a harmonica and beatboxing along to it for a bizarre cover of 'Sexual Healing’. It was, er, brave to say the least, but not at all wise. I didn't think it was a great night for them, but the fans loved it.

Tonight it's Hot Press cover stars, The Coronas, who headline. Here's to a good one.