TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

has anyone else ever considered that it may be possible to put up some kind of acoustic stage at the top of the cropredy field?

Given that you can hear the main stage from all over the field and the neighbouring fields/village, wouldn't that be a bit impractical? It's bad enough having the merchandising stalls playing their own music.

probably a good point, but surely inside a tent things from outside would get muffled at least slightly?
was just thinking it would be nice to have somewhere for other, less "crowd sized" artists to perform through the evenings too, rather than restrictim them to the aftrnoons.
just a thought.

Well, we could always have a big screen at the top of the field, showing footage of an acoustic stage.........   ::) :o ::)

oh, forgive my glibosity!!

 ;D ;D

what a fantastic word! ;D

I've always felt that one of the great things about Cropredy is that we're all there for the same thing, Many festivals end up with queues and competition to get into various venues, and it becomes a shopping list rather than a shared experience. The single stage, and all there for the same thing is what makes Cropredy special (And if you really do want a change there's two pubs with live bands).

Not forgetting though that there are other gigs taking place in the village already, so really it's already covered.

However, maybe in another field...

I've often thought that the Pavillion area would be perfect for such a venture.

Jackdaw

ah, being a young hand at the festival, we really stay pretty close to the site, take in the canal and the shop, but haven't ventured into the town much, time to spread our clogs next year! ;)

Hmm? me too (not the young bit of course)  I agree, time to look further next year ;D

Mic

Now as we all know last year we had the infamous 'Other Field' run by naughty people, I do think the idea of a late night area with acoustic music has some merit, it would have to be incorporated into the official festival in some way though. But those of you guys who haven't been into the village to catch some iof the vibe at the pubs are really missing out on some good stuff!

Agree with DV about the village pubs.  This is all part and parcel of it as far as i'm concerned.

The top of which particular cropredy field were you thinking of?

The main one? Where all the portaloos  and the St. John's and the Police are?

Or one of the camping fields?

Jude

I suppose that would be alright for chamber music ........... ;D

ooooh!   Good thinking Ana! Fragrant................. ;D

Jude

They used to have bands on in a large marquee outside the pavilion on Thursday evening until the festival went to three days.  I distinctly remember bouncing around in there so they must have been pretty up-tempo bands as well.

Oh happy days!  [;-)
Dunc

My twopenceworth is that I think a 2nd stage would detract from the Cropredy vibe. A single stage brings us all into the same field and 'together' in a funny way. If you want another band then as others have said the 2 pubs in the village put on some cracking music every year. Spank the Monkey anyone?

MikeC

I'm not sure whether its been mentioned, but many many years ago, I think it may have been around 85 & one or two other years there has actually been a small acoustic stage. unfortunately most of those acoustic events tended to coincide with acts on the stage at the front. Though I still do have the sheet music i was sent for an anyone who wants to join in type of thing that went on I think in 85

I've also noticed the large Breakfast marquee has had bands playing voluntarily during the festival in the past. Again I've not partaken in sampling these delights. Mainly due to the fact that once I've set myself properly down in the main field there is little that will move me Barr food, drink, goodies from the stalls & occasional visits to the facilities at the top of the field...lol

Though it might be nice on occasion to have say a field set aside for acoustic/semi electric sets if this is all prearranged say for armature musicians say in the mornings on the Thursday Friday & Saturday, maybe even the Sunday all before midday & the start of the festival days proper.

Skeleton? Carcass? Bodywork? Hulk musicians?

Nope, can't make sense of it, Tally. You don't mean 'amateur' musicians do you?

"Fopar" alert.

I'm with MikeC on this one.

The single stage makes us one "community" in the field. Long may it thrive ;D

Gower Flower {:-)

Sorry, bleary eyes & a case of trusting to spell checker there I'm afraid...lol

Couldn't agree more  [;-)

what about what happens at the brasenose...? music outside the confines of the main field has always happened. Heck if you are to walk along to your tent between sets (or when ms Rhyder are on in my case), you're likely to hear many little unofficial sessions going on, & its like striking gold taking in this as its like little zephers of magic on the air as you make your way to your tent with what's left of the picknic & the fold up chairs before what I've come here to see.

However I also don't think there is really room for more than one official stage to be going on at the same time. It really would ruin the event to have anything like the multi stage events of those overly large pop events, that there really are way too many of.

I love the fact that at Croppers you do not have to make a choice as to where you have to go to listen to the music.  Just plonk yourself down for 3 days solid and chill! 8)

But if, as suggested, this took place in the mornings; i.e. before the main concert field starts; then how is it distracting or dividing?

Mic

We've got our own acoustic tent. Trouble is there's only room for four people and it's pitched in the family field.

you see, thats the kind of thing we're after, but it'll need a big sign close by, and maybe a slightly larger tent?
do you lay on food and beverage?

Last year we managed to see a little of the village; this year we saw nothing.

 We came back feeling we'd missed out on a bit of the experience  but I don't understand how you get time to visit pubs etc and still see the acts. It takes me so long to make up my mind , give an act a fair chance etc that by the time I've decided that I would be happy to miss any of a particular set it's too late to go anywhere.  (Not that there were many I'd want to have missed this year).

With an extra stage I think I'd just feeled stressed by the decisions! - it's what I go to Cropredy to escape.

How do the rest of you get about?

I once canoed from field 7 to the Red Lion  :D

The order is generally - get wristband, tour field to ensure locations of food stalls are implanted in memory zone for later, go to Red Lion to say hello to chums, overstay and miss intended rendezvous with previously suggested band on main stage, go to bar in main field, stay there. There are already plenty of festivals with multiple stages, acoustic tents, areas for alternate performers, open stages and multi-choice places to be. Why on earth would we need another one?  ::)

This year I had a good wander around the village in the early mornings before the rest of my crowd was awake.  The pubs weren't open and it's not the best way to see any other music but there was plenty to see and I was able to recce what was on where before the crowds got too big.  It was nice walking along the towpath shortly after dawn. :)  Probably explains why I kept falling asleep in the evenings though...

theres been a lot of talk of pre-arranged acoustic gigs in separate 'tents' with an agenda and a timetable, which i agree is probably not the way to go.
but what of making an official but impromptu place for people to play and sing?
i'm not suggesting where, but i mean in the proper old folk club stylie - if you know it and you have something to play or a voice then join in and jam!
god knows there are enough people with a talent out there in crop land so why not just allocate a space for them all to do it together?
the folk club is dying, its all too pre-arranged - lets bring it back!

Just a walk around the camp sites after music finishes will find a number of jams going on. Have a wander & join in....

That's fine, and I know it works for an awful lot of people... but there are some people that just don't have the self confidence to do that.

Mic

But isn't that the same as going to a marquee full of people you haven't met either????

Not really no, you don't feel as if you're intruding on someone's personal space for a start, but then, that's probably just me.

Mic

It's ever so easy Mic, have a tootle round the camp sites, keeping your ears open for music being played, locate, stop, stand & stare, eventually some one will smile and invite you in, ask if you want a beer etc........go on girl, dare ya  ;D BD