Fence Records' 2012 Away Game was sold out even before any acts were announced, some achievement indeed considering the remote location on the isle of Eigg.

Greeted onto the island by Fence head honcho Johnny Lynch (aka The Pictish Trail), revellers saw the festival launched on the Friday night with a merry fire outside Eigg’s community hall. A delightful mix of music collectives and genres ensued, with Meursault tearing up the dance floor with a feet-flinging ceilidh and unsigned trio Radials popping their (and the audience’s) socks off with poptastic punchiness. Local metal act Massacre Cave mixed up proceedings with some serious head-thrashing (again, a huge achievement considering the 100-strong Eigg population), with François and the Atlas Mountain spilling addictive dance melodies across the islet from the marquee tent.

And the music wasn't the only draw to the intimate, joyous three days - blazing sunshine, straggling sheep plumped across the landscape and startling Hebridean sunsets could only add to the dream-like festival experience. Lynch wooed audiences with his “sad wee record”, before bidding farewell to his merry revellers in person who, stunned and elated, slipped back across the Sheerwater to the mainland.

All photos taken by Stephanie Gibson. Stephanie is producing a book of images of the 2010 and 2012 Away Games that will shortly be available to purchase from the Fence Records website.

Twilight Sad

Francois and the Atlas Mountains

Gruff Rhys

Kid Canaveral

Massacre Cave

Radials

Randolph's Leap

Eagleowl ~ live on Eigg