IPSWICH: Few festivals could lay claim to putting the Ipswich Choral Society in the same line-up as metal band Never a Hero.

But that was exactly what Ipswich Music Day did in a fantastic celebration of the county’s rich cultural mix.

With bands from all over Suffolk – and a few from further afield – yesterday lived up to its high expectations by bringing together a fantastic variety of genres and eras for all assembled in Christchurch Park.

It was clear that revellers of every age found something to their liking at one of the seven stages and three classical venues, with many sitting back at their chosen site to listen to the line-up.

The Evening Star-sponsored venue featured a host of up-and-coming bands, kicking off at noon with classic rock group Walkway, later followed by pop-filled punk with Takoma Star, female-fronted electro band Angry Vs The Bear and Ipswich reggae singer Darien Prophecy.

Dozens of Ipswich-based groups also took their place in the line-up, including Ipswich Community Gospel Choir, Trianon Music Group and the Orwell Singers.

The day also proved to be a showcase for the best in Suffolk music, featuring a host of singers and bands from across the county.

These ranged from alternative Newmarket folk band Flaming June to Benhall-based singer and ukelele player Lucy Sampson on the Grapevine stage, to new Ipswich-based band September Rain on the Attitude stage and Suffolk covers group The Martells.

And in a fitting tribute to the music festival’s 20th anniversary, rock and roll group Buffalo Road – who performed at the first ever Ipswich Music Day – returned to their old stomping ground.

Gemma Day, 18, who goes to university in Southampton, but was visiting her home in Ipswich, said the music was the biggest attraction in bringing her to the park.

“The bands have been the biggest highlight,” she said. “I’ve never heard a lot of them before, so it’s nice to get to see them live.

“It’s always good to see bands from further away as well as the Suffolk ones because then you get to know which ones are getting better known.

“It seems to have got a lot better compared to when I used to come as a kid. I was really surprised at how many people were here.”

n What was your favourite band or singer? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk