There have been question marks over the future direction of the Wickerman Festival after founder Sid Ambrose discreetly quit his involvement as the creative force.

The ebullient local promoter who oversaw its transition from a quaint alternative Dumfries and Galloway gathering to Scotland's leading independent music and arts festivals is now pulling the strings at other more intimately-scaled events.

There has been some tinkering with Mr Ambrose's eclectic template since he quietly walked at the beginning of 2012. Star power has been upped in 2013 – the first in the festival's history to sell out, with 18,000 attending.

Friday headliners Primal Scream hit the stage like they had just burst into the big time. Bobby Gillespie is a true Scots popular culture icon and his messianic gestures are not overblown against a heady array of hits like the euphoric Movin On Up and inspired new songs like 2013.

Amy McDonald who commendably braved out her headlining performance while suffering throat problems has come a long way since I saw a wee lass from Bishopbriggs perform at an HMV showcase six years ago. But she has found it tough to better her debut album. The glorious This Is The Life, as in her acoustic set of old, remains a glittering highlight.

Chic, 70s disco's biggest funksters brought the partay, the sun and Good Times. In what was one of the highlights of any Wickerman festival, dancing revellers were also treated to a dazzling array of nuggets from front man Nile Rodgers's incredible back catalogue outside of Chic from Let's Dance to We Are Family.

Fife's KT Tunstall, meanwhile, announced the backstage catering was the best she'd ever had at a festival. The unwashed thousands marvelled.

What has not changed is the excellence of less famous Scots names. The mind-bending invention of the likes of masked electro manglers Roman Nose and the anthemic sensibilities of Scotland's answer to Coldplay, Vigo Thieves pay testimony to that.

Given a main stage slot, Glasgow's Holy Esque featuring the unearthly vocals of Pat Hynes and penetrating guitar dynamics lay claim to be one step apart from other indie rock chancers.

I last saw leader Kevin Rowland, one of the biggest stars of the 1980s, on his disastrous solo comeback at the Reading Festival 14 years ago wearing a white dress that whipped open to reveal stockings while flanked and caressed by similarly clad female dancers. He warbled a few awful covers and was booed off. The ignominy. I wept.

Here, less bizarrely attired and very much in control as leader of the legendary Dexys (Midnight Runners), he would care little for those like me craving a blast of classic hits such as Jackie Wilson Said, concentrating on charming new material.

We did, however, get plaintive reworkings of two classics Come On Eileen and Geno. I smiled. He's back.

Wickerman Festival