★★★★★

You only have to look at the skeletons of Fatboy Slim’s Big Beach Boutique, Beachdown and Shakedown festivals, which all suffered game-ending snags, to realise organising a music festival is a tricky business.

Not only that but for it to be any good there’s a whole load of other things to consider, most importantly the sound quality, which too often doesn’t get the attention it deserves, and is far more unpredictable in a blustery field.

But on these two essentials and the creative design of the site Boundary Brighton emphatically surpassed expectations at its inaugural event.

Previous problems at Shakedown and anxiety over drug deaths made for a beefy police presence, though this didn’t spoil what seemed an overall good natured event.

The Gentlemen’s Dub Club where a reliable loosener on the main stage, their middling white-boy reggae wafting over the windswept Downs. Later on, Groove Armada did their best to warm things with a DJ set that lacked decibels.

The more muscular action was on the floridly decorated Arch stage, a collaboration with legendary Spanish promoters Elrow, who brought psychedelic inflatables, confetti cannons and a relentless soundtrack of shuffling tech house.

There was a strong Ibiza-friendly line-up with Seth Troxler and Elrow resident Tony Vargi bringing a bit of Balearic class and flamboyance to autumnal Northern Europe.

Making good use of the hill, The Bandstand was a nook of raw energy, drawing a raucous crowd for the ever energetic Toddla T with MC Serocee, who delivered wild renditions of Too Many Man by Mercury Prize winner Skepta and 2015 anthem Man Don’t Care.

You couldn’t argue with Joy Orbison as a headliner, his two hours a masterclass in timing, unpredictability and thumping selections, going from mutant disco edits to terrifying twangy techno, backdropped by a mind bending laser show.

Craig David’s late addition to the lineup seemed a curious one at first, but no doubt gave ticket sales a bit of star-powered boost. Post-Bo Selecta rehabilitation complete, his main stage slot made total sense in real time, his impressive ability to resonate with all ages leaving one 22 year old, who would have been seven during his 2002 heyday, to gush that seeing him was like the realisation of all her childhood dreams.

David’s TS5 set saw the self-assured multi-tasker DJ and MC, hits like Seven Days bolstered by versions of Drake’s Once Dance. In less talented hands it might have felt like urban karaoke, but his voice, presence and genuine adoration from the crowd was enough to carry him through.

For a first time event, Boundary was impressive, delivering an evenly crisp and hefty sound and an original and thoughtfully decorated site.

The line-up took in a vivid spectrum of underground and electronic music, and well matched partnerships between Brighton clubs and some of the best promoters in the game made it wholly deserving of a return next year.