Apologies in advance as this year's experience of BYAF was truncated due to football rescheduling, meaning none of Friday night's acts were seen - sorry about that.

When it comes to writing about the rest of the event, the tenth of its ilk, one's kind of scuppered to begin with as, having read MTAT leading light Derrick Johnston's history of & thoughts on the festival in the accompanying pamphlet (along with contributions from associated folk from across the Ecossemo & punk scene) it's hard to better what those so intimately & emotionally involved with it over the years have to say. As you've not got access to their heartfelt words though I'll do my best.

This year’s weekender saw the downstairs shows in The Firefly including full bands in the proceedings, rather than just solo acts so the air there was rent by some of the heaviest acts of Saturday’s bill – Carson Wells, The Burnt Tapes, Mug and Aberdoom’s mighty BOAK. Earplugs a must for every set but all to the good as you can’t play that sort of stuff quietly. At other times during the day Canada’s Chris Snelgrove was a good draw down here, as were Glasgow’s Brian Curran whilst Joyce Delaney were as enjoyable as when last seen at Pop South! In January.

Upstairs in Buskers, whilst the insanity of Get It Together’s performance was missed (but easily imagined from the debris), Sink Alaska pulled it out of the bag despite the need for a short notice drummer, Bratakus were an enjoyably cheerful new discovery (along with sporting the finest headgear of the weekend) and Elk Gang, PMX, Bed Of Wasps, Lachance, The Kimberley Steaks and The Cut Ups all turned in absorbing sets. Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man were probably one of the most engaging acts of the event (& certainly the most rubberfaced) with one of the widest ranges in subject matter – Dadaism to Corbyn via Space & good old booze, whilst Billy Liar was an undisputed highlight, especially for the all-star line-up of Paper Rifles, Chrissy Barnacle & Freddy Fudd Pucker which joined him for his final track.  

Closing things out on Saturday came the reunion of ska punkers Joey Terrifying and the ever entertaining old guard of Oi Polloi.

Sunday, as was the case last year, for some reason saw a smaller crowd throughout the bulk of the day but the bands were undaunted. Emo’s usually a description that sets me heading for the door but the Dundeemo of The Barents Sea (reformed just for today & sporting two stand-ins) proved to be one of today’s highlights, the others being Chrissy Barnacle’s full set in The Firefly and yet more emo-tinged stuff from Terrafraid. Bulking things out for me before the last two late nights and another day on my feet took their toll were Salem Street & their Clash/’50s influenced punk, intense sets from Clearer The Sky and XharoldshitmanX, The Sparrowhawk Orkestrel & the brazen cheek of Torturo Nervosa (making it a family show with the drummer’s 15 year old daughter joining on guitar for a number).

Another cracking weekend of punk and more from the MTAT team, amply upholding all they hold dear and benefiting Tayside Mountain Rescue, Insight Counselling and The Royal Life Saving Society in the process.

Clearly being unaware of some (okay in my case 99%) of the bands on this weekend’s bill was part of the fun for a number of people. Sitting in The Vestry early on Sunday afternoon the conversation immediately behind me centred on the quality of Niall McCamley's moustache and his banter and how Spook School records needed to be obtained forthwith. Having found the band’s existence hard to avoid over the past year or so it’s easy to forget that everyone can’t be aware of each group as they appear. Up until the end of this summer I’d no idea Dundee was home to Make That A Take records or BYAF, it all depends what you’re exposed to through the various types of media.

Logistical issues came to bear on the festival today, requiring some swift rescheduling and the vagaries of the diy tour schedule were highlighted with Lenin Death Mask having to drive for nine hours from the final night of their tour in Newport so as to make their slot. Given the rescheduling and my need to skip out and eat dinner the odd band or two may in fact not have been who I thought they were but you can definitely hear a track by each of the acts who played across the three days on the event’s bandcamp playlist which is attached below.

Showing that a lot of those involved don’t let the grass grow under their feet today also saw a few bands featuring one or more player from the other two days. Fair play, if you’ve an urge to emote in a different style then find some compadres and do it.

Band of the day were Elk Gang, not least for the comedic moment when their drummer was accidentally forced off the vegetarianism wagon with a mouthful of Greggs sausage roll. Days on site without accident – Zero. Copenhagen’s Forever Unclean were also an intense live prospect, whilst Shitgripper added some variety to things with the inclusion of samples and the laying down of hefty instrumentals. The Vestry played host to mainly bands today, with Slowlight being promoted to Buskers to maintain timings there, and for me this didn’t work as well as the solo or dual acts on Saturday. Brendan Dalton's heartfelt work was the most impactful of the day down there with Dave Hughes, Edgarville and The Shithawks not really reaching me at all.

Lenin Death Mask, Robot Doctors, Slowlight and Please, Believe! were variously emo, screamo or generally players of a thin kind of sound and so none of them really grabbed me. Riven with gig fatigue I buggered off before the final acts of the night. The bottom line though is that this was a very well organised international event that must have presented plenty of issues during the planning and preparation yet which went off with only a couple of minor hitches at the very end, at least to my knowledge. All concerned can be rightly proud.