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The organisers of Eastern Haze had it all planned:Ìý a deliciously eclectic line-up, a wonderful venue and a whole weekend’s worth of entertainment – and then came the rain.

And, as the festival begins on Friday, forecasts predict two months of rain in one day. Unsurprisingly, both stages are near deserted.

Things are just beginning to look brighter as Lynchburg Tenn take to the Other Stage –Ìý dedicated to showcasing the region's musical talent.

With the weather on their side, their blend of carnal, distorted garage rock soon rallies the festival goers.

Over at the Main Stage, however, things are taking a more unconventional direction, with a baffling set from Dyframix – a ying-yang partnership between Nick Burman, who's one of the UK's leading didgeridoo players, and Stef Man, who's a psy-trance DJ.

Shelter from the storm

But it isn't long before normal service resumes and with the rain pouring down once more, I head to the club tent which is one of the festival's many undercover areas.

Here I find armies of ravers, all in the thrall of DJ Hixxy and MC Storm.

With their furious hardcore beats and infectious energy, the duo show that, when it comes to dance music, Eastern Haze clearly has the edge on Latitude.

Friday evening draws to a close with a performance from The Blockheads – joined by guest vocalist Phill Jupitus filling in for the late Ian Dury.

In between songs, the comedian tries to make light of what's been a mixed day – but he fails to bring the crowd to life.

Local bands and dance beats

But come Saturday afternoon and things are looking up. The festival grounds are looking packed, and, as it hosts folk-punk seven-piece The Mustard City Rockers, so is the Other Stage.

The Mustard City Rockers are quite the find - when it comes to musical talent and political anger, they have both in abundance.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s club tent is hosted by Pam's House – Norwich's finest hard house team which had its origins in Suffolk before moving north.

As well as top DJs, the party promoters have brought luminous structures, stacks of speakers and a troupe of florescent-clad dancers.

Children of the sun

Saturday's entertainment finishes with a performance from quirky, psychedelic rockers Space Ritual - a band formed by former members of Hawkwind which exists in tandem with Dave Brock's band which retains the original name.

They're one of the few bands who take to the Main Stage with confidence, and, rife with eccentricity, their music soon seizes the attention of the audience.

Sunday service

Come Sunday morning and the mood at the festival is remarkably different. With the evening set to close with a performance from The Bootleg Beatles, anticipation is high.

To ease the wait, I spend some time at the open-mic acoustic tent, watching local folk artists sing songs loaded with piercing pop culture references and caustic wit.

Bootleg Beatles

Finally, it's time for the Bootleg Beatles.Ìý For the masses in front of the Main Stage, their performance is well worth the wait.

It's compelling, generation-gap-bridging stuff, and a fitting celebration of the 40th anniversary of the release of Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.

Despite its hit-and-miss start, Eastern Haze finishes on a high, with a crescendo of applause.

When it comes to big names and glamour, the festival might struggle to compete with Latitude. But, when it comes to diversity and interactivity, Eastern Haze is streets ahead.

Festival return

While the rain did put a bit of a dampener on things, Eastern Haze promoter Seb Fosdall says it was a fairly good turnout.

"It was nowhere near capacity, but it went well. The weather didn't help at all and it made things difficult getting things in and out of the site, but we coped.

"The bad weather meant we didn't get as many people turning up on the day as we'd hoped, but given the rain elsewhere in the country we were lucky the event still went ahead.

"In terms of making a profit we'll be okay and we'll definitely be back next year."

Eastern Haze Festival took place at Somerleyton Hall, near Lowestoft, from Friday 20 to Sunday, 22 July, 2007.