TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

A message from Fairport Convention emailed out today.
 
 
Hello you lovely Cropredy-goers – and to those many of you who made the trip to our collective second home last August, a massive thank you.

We made it – it was squeaky-bum time like never before from a financial point of view right up until a few weeks ago when the dust all finally settled, but I know how many of you heeded our call to persuade a first-timer or two to come along and share the collective joy or to remind a friend who was perhaps so-so about the line-up to trust our judgement and ‘do the right thing’ – and it made the difference. Thank you again, as it means we can have another go.

We’re (just) on safe ground to plan next year in some detail: although the war chest has never looked so bare before. We have reserved what we need to keep the basic infrastructure in place and to pay deposits to our suppliers and the farmers whose fields we enjoy, but in common with all the other independent Festivals in the UK, we face a new and challenging future.
Over the last two summers over one hundred events either cancelled, failed or announced they were having their last hurrah as costs spiralled everywhere they looked and audiences dwindled. The entire landscape has changed with the Big Boys of the industry making their own rules. The major agents now tie their acts into ‘exclusivity’ deals and will no longer even take calls from minnows like us. Those who remember the kind of names we’ve been lucky to inveigle along in the past – Brian Wilson, Alice Cooper, CHIC and the like - will treasure those memories all the more.

However, we feel we know what works for our sector, and trust that you trust us to present a balanced programme of top turns, whether or not the names resonate in the wider ether.
What really matters though, is that for Cropredy 2025, we need to change and reset some fundamentals. We must scale back, simplify and slim down. If this new model works, then we can rebuild and hopefully begin to grow again, but the model which has worked up to now is no longer supportable. This is the way we’re going to go.

The licenced attendance for the festival has always been limited to 20,000. There have been several years when we reached that limit. But that limit has never been just ticket-buyers, as it must include everyone present – all the kids, the site crew, stewards, technicians, traders, musicians and not forgetting Boot and his incredible team who tirelessly clean the loos. Even us in the band!

And whether we sell anything like that number, we’re committed to the accommodation of that number of people: this includes campsites, showers, toilet facilities, safe and secure access routes, security, post-festival clean up and so on. With this in mind, for Cropredy 2025, we’re going to limit the number of paid tickets to six and a half thousand. If this number seems radical and random, please remember we only arrived at it after long and careful modelling and using the experience gathered from making the event work for decades.
The only difference this will make will be the need to book early to be sure of getting your ticket. As they say in the supermarkets, “when they’re gone they’re gone”.

We could describe it as downsizing, but in reality it’s “right-sizing”, certainly for 2025.

For 2025, we shall simply sell a single three day ticket. This will cost £220.00. Camping will still be charged per vehicle, at a unit cost of £60 with our Teens ticket at £90. Under 12s will as ever, be welcomed FOC. Parking may be purchased in advance or on the day for those not camping at £15 for the 3 days.
 
What hasn’t changed (and will never change)

•   The high quality you rightly have come to expect – whether it’s the sound from the stage, the stalls around the field, the images on the screen, the welcome in the village, the support from all the festival staff.

•   The music, all hand-picked by Fairport, to provide variety and quality whether it’s a legend you’ve long admired or a new act you’re discovering for the first time.

•   The community spirit – it’s what you bring with you yourselves every year and which you’ve documented in Richard Houghton’s Cropredy Capers book of memoirs.

One little bit of disappointing news is that we won’t be sending out the Christmas cards we’ve been doing for the last few years – it’s a sad reflection of how painstaking we’ve had to be to ensure continuity – but the good news is that we’ve just enjoyed a happy and successful October four-piece tour and look forward to an even better 2025. There’s so much to be grateful for, being part of this wide Fairport Family – thank you all.

We’re already talking with some of the acts we’re hoping to secure for August 7th, 8th and 9th 2025, and our wish lists are combining well with fresh faces and old friends.

We’ll be opening our box office channels at 10.00 on Monday 9th December as usual so let’s get the party started and those dates in the family diaries.

Love from Simon, Peggy, Ric and Chris
 

So, to summarise: 6,500 punters only. No day ticket for Saturday (unless I misread what has been said.) 3-Day tickets only.

Given this, but unsaid, I would speculate that not all the fields used previously will be used in 2025, maybe dropping 7A and 7B? Pure speculation on my part though.

What isn't speculation is that tickets will be available from next Monday at 10a.m. I would expect they'll sell out before Christmas.

No acts named (other than Fairport) and no promise some will be unveiled before tix go on sale. How's your faith, people?

Personally, I think it's the best of news - and might well preserve the festival for a few more years.  I do wonder how many of the (especially newer) punters will view it, mind.  

The marketing cynic in me wonders if (when they sell all the tickets, as they surely will in super quick time) they'll keep adding a few more....?

Sounds sensible; I guess they’ve done the maths and know what income this will drive, and plan the associated costs accordingly. Should make the field quite ‘roomy’…

My faith is strong… sounds like they’ve done all their modelling and are pretty sure this will work financially without the gamble of selling an unknown quantity. Wonder if Glamping will stay; no idea if it makes them more or creams off some of the top. Not looking forward to doing it the old way again if it’s gone!

Do you really think they will sell out quickly ? They have , pretty much, doubled the priced and told you that there will be no big names. I think that they will struggle to sell out, a lot of regulars are now in their 70's and have, probably, questioned about still attending and this could be the straw that breaks the Camels back.

I wonder what difference the extended fringe has meant and with the new set up now it will impact especially on the Brase.

It sounds like a good plan to me.  If the format isn't making a profit then somethings got to change.  If this means we get a little bit smaller festival playing to its audience taste rather than booking a 'big' draw act to try and bring some extra ticket sales so be it.

I look forward to seeing some new ( to me ), interesting performers.  

I would guess there might still be a need for one of the field 7s if only for traffic purposes?  I'll not be able to find my way back if I'm  set up somewhere else...

Vince

If selling 6500 tickets is what's necessary to make the festival viable (it's probably less than that), but they're committed to accommodating 20,000 regardless... seems inconceivable that once they hit that 6500, they wouldn't open up further ticket sales, especially if it turns out they've got some enticing acts. Unless I've misinterpreted, and this year they're downsizing the facilities to only accommodate 6500?

I definitely read that as this year they are indeed downsizing the facilities to only accommodate 6,500 punters.

That cuts costs for infrastructure, number of fields needed, staffing etc.

The main field will be sparsely populated in comparison to the glory days.

It'll be interesting to see who they do manage to book. Presumably those acts those of us in the folk, folk/rock sphere consider 'big' will still be available, but the 'names' who might have attracted outsiders in the past are those we can't expect any longer.  The field will certainly feel empty (plenty of room for those who like to spread out their tarpaulins!), but the vibe will hopefully be the same.

£500 is a lot of cash for us without knowing the line up. We have paid half that for a super line up for NFFF. We dont know what fields will be available for larger vans, how far away we will be and what disabled fields will be available. After doing about 35 on the bounce our confidence and anticipation have been severely dented by last years line up and the hostility shown to anyone who dared criticise it. We will wait and see. A lack of big names would not necessarily put us off. (I would rather see Gaz Brookfield and Skinny Lister than Nile Rogers and Rick Wakeman!!)

How do you work that out?

Interesting times and an interesting move on FC's part. I look forward to seeing the lineup with optimism and curiosity.

I know that Cropredy's original purpose as an annual FC reunion went by the wayside a long time ago, however, due to the passing of time and personnel it really has gone that way.

Not many of the main players still around for a reunion in 2025 - only Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson and Iain Matthews.

Think last years tier1  ticket cost £ 165  so plus £55 = 1/3 more

Doubled in price compared with 10 years ago - better than my electricity bill  :(

If I can stll get a pint for about a fiver and fed for about a tenner it's probably half as expensive on the field as many other reasonably sized festivals.  

Vince

As usual I hesitate to post here as my last Cropredy was 2018 but there were over 25 before that.
In the last few years I have gone to smaller festivals, Folk in a Field, Magpies, Ely and the excellent Between the Trees. All these are small , up to 3000 but with strong line ups…..some I knew and a lot of discoveries. I have already done an early , early bird ticket for Between the Trees at very similar pricing to the new Cropredy pricing.
I will be very interested in the Cropredy lineup.
Is it possible that the Brasenose Fringe will pull more people over the wend than the fest? If of course the Brase feels it can continue at last years level without the pull of a bigger fest. I speculate but could there be a camping field for Brase attendees. ? I know I fantasise but you now have 2 similarly sized fests in the same village in the same wend. I say similarly sized cos I’m guessing the Brase pulled 2000 people a day??????
Could acts play both fests ?????
6500 people isn’t going to provide for a budget for big Thurs  night headliners ( or is it) . I wonder if they considered going back to 2 days.
It depends the audience  you want to attract but there are some great fest bands out there , playing smaller fests.
Merry Hell, Honey and the Bear, Dream in Colours, Blackbeards Tea Party. Jon Palmer Acoustic Band, Lauren South solo or with Keith Donnelly etc etc. Add a good tribute band a good blues band ….
It changes the nature of the fest. Would older attendees , like myself , go back for what would effectively be mid 90’s lineups withFairports and Friends on Saturday night?
I have been to Cropredy with 10,000on the field and with 20.000 …….6500 will feel odd , not sure what turn out was last yr.
I will be careful cos I have friends involved in programming and running the Brase Fest but I would like peoples opinions on whether the growing Brase fest distracts from the main fest.
Will Field 8 feel thy can put on their acts.
Which camping fields disappear…..? 1,2 and 4 May do 6.500 people
Anyway I ramble but depending on lineup I may well be back.

More of an observer for this but some general points-

First and foremost well done to Fairport Towers for making some tough choices…and they must have been very tough in particular for Peggy and Simon.

Based on the 6500 cap it is interesting that it is proceeding as a 3 day. Again good for them for figuring a way, but… I wonder if the main field will have a reduced footprint? No idea what it was like in the 10-12K audience days but that is a lot of space. Will they change the bar location for example?

Will there be a few less acts per day playing longer sets?  

Will there be an attempt to join forces with the Fringe at least in a publicity sense or as Will mentioned, will Fairport work to lock in the folk + folk rock act crowd for themselves?

Similarly Though the village , pubs and charities will also feel the pinch, as they did during lockdown, with thousands less people, is it worthwhile for them to put much effort in?  No doubt less traffic and all, but will the festival try to have enough on site to keep as many of the 6500 attendees on the field?

All complete conjecture and speculation on my part fwiw. Let’s hope the lineup is full of surprises and things grow again. I suspect they will! Fairport have done what so many couldn’t and I suspect some surprises and that the personal favor list might be utilized, and why shouldn’t it be. One act I wonder if they will be booked again is Oysterband. Guess we’ll soon find out! Happy there is life yet foremost
 

Brook Bell say they are doing the Glamping package again this year: https://brookbelltents.co.uk/product/fairports-cropredy-convention/

It's a million and a half quid on the ticket price alone.... so....?

As for the Brase fest and other add-ons, I'm on record as saying the main festival organisers missed a major trick here...they allowed the commercialisation of the second/third/fourth stages that they could have run with and handed that over to others.  Hopefully there's still enough who like the (now unusual) one stage in a field format.  I'd have thought there should be.

What I worry about is that the audience they need is the traditional Fairport/Cropredy one, but the audience the chosen lineup might appeal to is the newer less wedded (or not at all) to Fairport clientele.  All will be revealed in due course, I'm sure...

I guess there is a simple cash flow issue here in some ways - if the organisers know that say by the end of January they have 1.5m in the bank they can then cut their cloth accordingly. Running any business is stressful nowadays and I can only imagine the weight on Simon and Peggy especially.

I do think that for me a potential outlay of £280 just before Christmas is undoable but I can see that 6500 is a very achievable target for them and would expect a complete sell out even without the other headliners being announced.

DW

Having seen the Oysters last night (on their farewell tour) it struck me that they would be great back at Cropredy.  Just checked their website, and they are down to do Shrewsbury at the end of August, and then a Danish festival just afterwards, so it would theoretically be possible, and as a 'last chance to see' they might well prove a draw.

Some clarification from Fairport this morning: they *may* release more tickets. But only after 6,500 have been sold.

I do wonder if the Brasenose lineup could be stronger than the main festival next year (I appreciate that stronger is very subjective, etc, etc), especially as some performers at the Brasenose have previously graced the main stage…will there be any discernible difference?

Im trying to imagine what the main arena would look like? less tickets mean less food outlets and less stalls?

This is the comment from Fairport on FB.  

There will hopefully be the same number of traders (we're just charging them less to compensate). At this point, if we sell out 6500 in record time, we may release more tickets. At this stage, nothing is certain. This though is the downscaling model we have for this year. We have to sell 6500 tickets, minimum.


I suspect the actual festival next year will end up being remarkably similar to previous years...but just with less stress for the organisers.  In which case, job done.

The more I think about it the more confused I am getting . I have enjoyed very few of the main headliners recently (Brian Wilson and RT being the main exceptions). Many I have totally ignored  or managed 10 minutes of (Nile Rogers Level 42, Divine Comedy, Bellowhead, Joan Armatrading ). Some who I expected to enjoy but didnt (Madness, UB40, Supergrass). There have however been some outstanding performances lower down the bill (Merry Hell obviously, Young Uns, Turin Brakes, Al Stewart, Morganway, Gerry Colvin, Paul Brady etc). I would be happy with a bill of folk rock stalwarts (Trad Arrr, Merry Hell, Gerry Colvin, Gaz Brookfield, Reg Meuross, Oysterband , Skinny Lister, Leatherat, Thea Gilmore, Lindisfarne etc etc). BUT AND ITS A BIG BUT £500 would be way over the top for that sort of line up. Will we see more people deserting for the smaller festivals. I will await developments and compromises with interest but there is no way I am going to commit to a ticket until more details are forthcoming. You cant say I've got a good book here you can have it for £20 but I'm not telling you what it is!

But you can, Nick.  Loads of festivals do that.  Start with Glastonbury...and that sells out with no acts announced at all...

I would trust Emily Eavis wouldn't book Jasper C as a "special surprise guest" when there's only one stage

End of the Road aren't announcing any turns until next year, tickets are £240, and the first tier has already sold out.
And actually, a mystery book package featuring a novel of your chosen genre has been a staple of the gift circuit for years.  ;)

I feel next year will be very much an 'intermediate' year.  It's going to be a 'let's try this and see if we can keep the thing going' year (much like 2004, after Chris Pegg stepped aside, and it was branded for that one year only, I think, as Cropredy Music Festival).  I don't expect them to have everything ironed out, and assuming it works, and we get a 2026 Cropredy too, it may look a bit different again, but for the moment I'm just grateful they haven't decided to shut up shop given the challenges they faced this year, and are obviously still facing for 2025.

Difficult, at this stage, to picture how this will pan out. I don't think comparisons with the likes of Glastonbury are relevant.

It is always a big decision whether to make the almost 600 mile journey (each way) with relevant expenses on top of the ticket price. My concern is that the overall "vibe' may change.

Look forward to hearing more.

So, just to be clear, you generally don't like the headliners, but you won't pay the ticket price to see the sort of bands that you do like? Even though it's similar to that of the 'smaller festivals' where these bands predominate?

You sound impossible to please!

About £200 !

Very easy to please actually. NFFF has a brilliant line up next year , announced 12 months in advance and in time to buy early at exactly half the price for 5 days . Cropredy has been a big part of our lives for nearly forty years but I am liking less and less of the line up as the price rockets and attendance is growing more stressful for a number of reasons. I guess we are just growing further apart. Of all the festivals we attend it has become the second most expensive and the least enjoyable although still emjoyable if that makes sense. Your comment misrepresents me to some extent because I would expect to be charged far more for say Taylor Swift or Oasis than for Merry Hell but for me there is only one option, even though I could afford any or all of them. I wouldnt pay £50 for a bag of crisps.

Hmmmm.

Pedant alert-what would be the point before 6500 have been sold.

Ok, interesting same number of traders but potentially a third of punters. At least there wont be any queues ;)

Cropredy hasn't had  a sell-out for years. I'd be surprised if as many as 10,000 paying punters attended last year. So, 6,500 not a third of last year.

I put that down to some clumsy marketing including a "special guest" that really wasn't, a less than stellar lineup and some shitty weather.

If you see 15 acts, £220 works out as £14.66-odd per act. That's a cheap gig. Even if you only like half of them, ~£30 is still less than we pay for most gigs these days. So it's still not bad value, it's just more expensive than before. £20 per night for camping isn't unusual either. Let's face it, the Premier Inn charges about £500 for the festival nights these days.

Is that a genuine feeling?  I assumed it was at least 14-15k (but obviously I wasn't there)

Why would I lie?

Anyone else there have an opinion?

It’s the going rate for a lot of smaller fests.
Between the Trees, Beardy etc

I haven't accusing you of lying (I suppose I meant 'generally accepted'), but I don't remember much conversation at the time suggesting the festival was at half capacity last time.  Yes, quieter but not 50% under the limit...so my understanding was several thousand higher.

Much like Hendo, my last Cropredy was 2019, having been to the previous 18, so I feel like I'm allowed to voice my opinion.
I can see how this will divide the stalwart patrons.....
For a lot, the smaller more intimate setting with familiar folk heroes on the stage will suit perfectly.
For some, the lack of a single Saturday ticket will mean they just won't go at all, mobility and camping being a major decider.
I wonder just how exactly it will impact the fringe, field 8 and the traders as the figures don't add up.
Forgive my approximate maths (I had to ask Google to help).

There is a 27% price increase.
There will be approximately 2/3 fewer punters on the field.
Stall holders are charged 50% less.
Will  field 8 continue and become a separate  entity?
Will people still go to the Brase and the Red Lion?
Will the last 3 still go ahead at all?
There are more questions than answers here and I personally would like to see these questions answered before I parted with my hard earned

 

Cream of the Crop is fine.. Already planned and sending out early communication  re booking for 2025. The Brasenose Fringe has announced acts and sold early bird tickets. Both went ahead when the main festival didn't in the second Covid year.

No need to worry , all will be well.

They've effectively already let the cat out of the bag about more tickets being made available if it sells out in super quick time (massively counterproductively, I'd suggest as I suspect some people who'd have done what they needed to in order to buy them immediately might hedge their bets?) so I really don't think the field will have approximately 2/3 fewer punters.  The fringe are self supporting independent events now, with much smaller capacities so they'll be fine.  The interesting ones will be the breakfast suppliers, shop etc.  Less people in the village might affect them negatively?

Some interesting debate here, I don't really have anything to add.
having not been for a while due to logistics, cash and a significant other with camping issues, I don't feel like I can say much.
It would be nice if the festival survived in some way, it's a special thing although I do fear this could be the start of a wind down for both the band and the festival.

You were there, I wasn't. It's difficult to tell the size of the crowd from listening to Radio Oxford.

Which essentially means there will be more than 6500 available, right?
Because you can't move the goalposts and alter the infrastructure, right?
The more I think about this the more it bothers me......

I was, as you know full well, talking about the numerous reports on here, in much greater number on FB etc., and in the press.  I heard several reports stating the crowds were down, but I don't remember any stating the numbers were at anything approaching half capacity.  I guess it is certainly true that a crowd of 10k in 1997 doesn't compare with a crowd of 10k in 2024 - people certainly have a lot more 'stuff' these days, so that could have helped mask a greatly reduced capacity.  However, from tales of the queues and sell outs at the merch stall, one might have imagined it was sell out...

I was there last year and it definitely felt that significantly less people were there than before. Whether it was 10k or 12k, I haven't a clue, but I'm sure it was no more than about 12k. I might not go, due to other commitments this year, so I might be one of those leaving it until after the 6500 have all gone and seeing how I can fit it in. Also, as I've been glamping the last two years, and that always sells out quickly, I'll have to have a real think about accommodation, as I'm afraid regular camping is probably out for me.

Can't remember when the last sell out was - I think there have only been 2 or 3 haven't there?  So - if 10-12k was last year, what would have been the previous few, do we think?

A response on FB from somebody who writes that "in case anyone was wondering I enquired if
Brook Bell Tents would still be offering their glamping services in the light of the overall reduction in capacity. I'm glad to say I had a lovely email from Jason to say that they will still be offering their services. I know it's not something everyone uses but for some of us we are very happy to use their services."

From what I understand of the licensing agreement, permission for 20,000 attendees has to cover infrastructure for twenty thousand people including bands, crew, stewards and traders as well as renting fields to accommodate this theoretical capacity, no matter how many people actually show up. If for example you know how many bar staff, scouts, crew and musicians you are expecting in advance (say 3,500) you can apply for a license for 12,000, reducing the number of security people, lighting rigs, portable cabins and toilets you have to promise to have in order to fulfil the licensing conditions, and still have wiggle room to extend the guest list and/or sell a few hundred extra tickets.
      

Gareth stated to the BBC after this festival that "The licensed capacity of the Cropredy site is 20,000."  So, presumably that is the total including all those mentioned above by Skirky...so a sell out would be e.g. 18k ticket sales or whatever  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c86lw5v3pyvo   Do we know if there is a rolling cost for licenses that alters the greater or lesser the number?  i.e. would they just apply for another license for 20k as they can obviously get one or would it save them money to get a license for, say, 10k?

Would extra toilets still be available if a late decision is made to add extra tickets. There are  a lot of admin points to be addressed before a lot of folk will buy tickets , not insignificantly details of line up and announcement dates. My borderline ADHD worsens as I get older and is kicking in already. Due to my AF and Mrs Reg's failing Knees we will need to know the disabled arrangements too.

That was the impression that I got from something that was written somewhere, but I'm no expert so am ready to be corrected by anyone who knows better.

I suspect it wouldn't be the cost of the license so much as that if you changed the capacity once it had been granted you would have to start the whole process again with the revised requirements.

 

Further thoughts….
The argument seems to be that many festivals have folded in last few years.
Devils advocate that may be cos there was more supply than demand.
I am a regular at Warwick Fest. Very much a folk fest …..whatever that is, I have  watched a very wide church at Warwick. Great site in castle grounds , beautifully run, best fest campsite toilets and showers I have come across etc. They know their audience.
I am now going regularly to Between the Trees in S Wales. 1500 people. 2 Stages in a wood , proper alternative vibe should you want your chakras balanced or a bit of gong bathing and I saw some fabby acts.
So can Cropredy go back to a smaller fest when it was about celebrating Fairports and how much of that audience still exists? It also puts real emphasis on Fairports ,when their almost 4 hr sets were Fairport and Friends and were very much the raisin detre for the fest.
Trust me I have enjoyed bands outside the folk genre at Cropredy , Osibisa will,long stay with me but Quo, Alice, Australian Floyd, Wakeman, etc did not attract me.
So if they try and stay an eclectic fest it will be interesting to see the audience demographic.
This is old f**t stuff but the fest changed when it went to 3 days, partly for economic reasons. Yes I know it’s 20 yrs ago but does 6500 people mean going back to a pre 2003 ethos and will there be an audience for it.

As the fencing boundaries  apart from the top, are not permanent in the most part I wondered if the dimensions of the concert field have changed much over the years. This can affect ones impressions of how full it is. And also allow more old gits into the disabled field!

I ve known it since late 80’s Nick and it’s always felt the same……just a growth of camping fields .
Again old f**t stuff, apologies but it felt different when they started having the field closed before the fest .2003 I think..
Eg people started queuing and then running for their favourite spots. Before that you could wander on to the field and set up early in morning if that was your wont, so people took more space, there wasn’t the seried banks of chairs ,i could get up off a blanket then etc etc. Tempis Fugit .
The cynic in me goes ‘ due to,popular demand we have sold our initial 6500 tickets and are now able to offer further places’. Just basic , sound economics. Sell 6500, cover your costs, see where you are.

Sorry Nick , I should have said that was also an era of no screens so far more movement on the field as people ‘went down the front’ for an act they wanted to see……sound tower got bigger , more stalls, bigger bar etc etc

2000 was the first 3-dayer...

And they've never sold out completely (as in every ticket for every day), have they? Just single days (usually Saturday) thanks to walk-up encouraged by good weather and a particularly popular act?

Not sure - I thought there had been sell outs before, particularly anniversary ones like '92 or '97, and then one in more recent years when people were definitely told not to travel without a ticket... No firm recollection though.

David, I remember scrabbling for tickets in a sell out year for my family, YAW sorted us out, must have been somewhere between 2004 & 2014.....not very specific, must have been an anniversary year

 Wasn't 2014 a sell out year? or am i misremembering?

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/11371418.cropredy-sold/  ah yes

Weird...hard to see exactly why that one and not others...was it a hottie?

I still find it odd that they haven’t announced any acts yet (unless they are still negotiating). Compare and contrast with (say) Wickham who are teasing and revealing their headline acts now, and NFFF (I must go this year) who are already announced.

Likewise, Belladrum. Full details already ‘out there’. Similar pricing to Cropredy. Includes some ‘big’ names both older and newer. Would really like to see some names.

no but was a "golden anniversary" and we had Jude Iain Matthews, RT, and Chris while

2014?  That was 2017...

It was 35 years of Cropredy, but I don't remember that being particularly 'bigged up' that year.

Brasenose fringe looks very good including:

Doonicans, Merry Hell, 3 Daft Monkeys, Dunwells, Spank the Monkey, Sandy Denny Project, Daphne's Flight, Leatherat, Gaz Brookfield, When Rivers Meet, Rusty Shackle, Ranagri, Gaelforce and many others.

Lots of former main stage bands.

DW

That’s a line up.!
Still wonder if some of these will do main stage as well.

That lineup would make for a really good main festival lineup for me. I wouldn't miss bigger names at all, I'd rather have really good quality artists that deliver. This would have suited a slightly downsized festival.

Would like to see 3 Daft Monkeys and Daphne's Flight on the main stage again. Also Merry Hell, but it's probably too soon for them to return.

Bands like Spank the Monkey and Leatherat are fine for a pub  garden, but shouldn't be anywhere near the main festival stage, imo.

So you've not been to weyfest then?

I haven't, no. And apologies, I meant the main stage at Cropredy.

I must say I think Leatherat a few years ago brought such joy to the Cropredy main stage they should always be welcomed back :-)

DW

So what are you going to do then, folks? Take a £440 or so punt, or wait and see?

As the years go by, for Fairport and for us all, I am becoming less risk-averse, "just in case". So I will be online on Monday morning.

I will buy on Monday morning 😁

Monday morning 10 o'clock sharp, same as the last ? Many years.

It was. I always think of 2003 as a watershed  cos Peggy and Chris’s divorce changed the fest, ie far more aggressive stewarding , queuing to get on field etc

I’ll be getting a ticket, althoughmy good lady wife isn’t, on the grounds of too expensive for taking a punt on the lineup….

Less than 48 hours...

Will be going for it on Monday - will be interesting to see how sales go. Will there be a a mad, Glastonbury-style dash for tickets?

Cant risk it I'm afraid . I am not a naysayer (ridiculous title) , a moaner or a so called expert, just a 73 year old pensioner unwilling to pay £500 for an unlabelled box.

But the box is labelled - Cropredy Festival. You've been going for long enough to know what to expect.

Nail on the head, i'm afraid. I just havent liked the recent line ups (With a few exceptions) I'm afraid. Never ever thought I would say that.

Fair enough.

It’s interesting isn’t it cos back in the day we went to the fest without really knowing a lineup. Fairports would play a 4 hr set , with friends.
We went as a convoy , hardcore of 12 people , often 18 and occasionally over 20.
Always field 2 , tents and vans round a big gazebo with village hall tables, picket fence, candelabras etc .
It was about being with those people although I had to see every band.
That seemed to change in 2012, after 17 yrs of going together. People died . My best male friend died.
I went alone in 2013/14 , one yr just to the fringe …for some reason lineup had become more important. I wasn’t interested in Australian Floyd etc …..the line up became important and so it’s been since . I went 16,17, 18.
It was a very special time and place for me.
I read people’s stories on here and we all have special times.
To all tge people to whom Cropredy has to be a part of their lives , I raise a glass , salute you and partly envy you.

Full line up also announced at 10 tomorrow…

Over the past fifteen years or so I have only been an occasional visitor to the Cropredy festival. I admit I hold the most cherished memories of the festival during the early to late 1980's...I attended my first Cropredy in 1982 and continued to attend every year for over a decade. The last one I attended was 2017 when Jude's band The perfect Strangers performed...I remember standing at the front of the stage for this show, next to me was my dearest friend David...in time David and Jude would record an album together and sadly both are no longer with us. I have never intended to miss as many of the Cropredy festivals as I have...my problem has always been lack of finances, this year is no different...such is the miserable existence of self as artist! I hope somehow I'll be able to attend this years festival, I can only hope some tickets become available after the initial tickets have been released.

I have a dilemma. I'm away the previous weekend and don't get back till the Tuesday. In previous years, given those circumstances, I may have left it till later in the year to buy. For various boring reasons, I simply can't do ordinary camping anymore. The last couple of years I've been glamping. Leaving aside the cost, glamping sells out very quickly, so I'd have to book it this week. Even if I managed to get a ticket if they release more later, I'd still have the problem regarding accommodation. So, I may not be able to go.

I wonder if this has always been the intention ? probably not. The friendly festival tag has been tarnished by the hostility shown towards so called moaners?

Is it ACTUALLY being announced tomorrow or was that just a thought as to what may happen?

Ah I’m not on FB. Also, not able to be free at 10 tomorrow, so if it does sell out, ‘doing an Oasis’ the decision will be made for us.

Interesting comment from Fairport on FB...about how long it took to sell 6.5k tickets for this year's festival...

But that was when people knew there were around 20,000 tickets available. So no particular hurry. I wonder what the impact of the reduced supply will be, and if in particular it will encourage online touts to get involved?

Since I have a Dentist's appointment at 10:30, I'll probably have a go at 10, then scarper and come back later. As others have said, there's probably no huge hurry.

But I will feel better having booked our tix.

That is what I was thinking…not so much touts…hadn’t thought of that…but the greater urgency to book might spur folk on.

And the full line-up is : https://www.fairportconvention.com/

Booked.

Although the £2 administrative fee was a bit of a kick in the balls after raising the prices.

Booked!!  ;D

And I like the look of that line-up!

Booked here too!  Peatbogs and Skippinish!  That's a good start.  Martin Barre, Bob Fox & Billy Mitchell, PlumHall, Joe Broughton's lot.  All ticking boxes and no one that's really made my heart sink.

Not going to go off on one but disappointing is an understatement.

I’m in! Looks like a good lineup to boot!

Tickets and Glamping booked.

Now I'm off to go and see who's playing...

Why? This couldn't be a more typical Cropredy line up if it tried. I don't understand why you would think it's suddenly going to morph into a completely different festival?

I can't get onto the site at all. Apparently AXS hates Apple computers and phones. Hopefully, my daughter wii have more luck.

Booked, but just two of us this time.

I'm genuinely sorry if it upsets you but theres very little there for me (Albert Lee and Skippinnish). I've seen a high proportion of the rest and honestly didnt like most of them. I cant really help that but if you'd seen my record collection (and the size of it) you'd know that there is a heck of a lot I do like . For example I loved 2023 (except Nile Rogers) but the last 2 years are just not for me. Sorry if thats a problem but theres really nothing I can do.

And here's the poster...

Hmm - i got nowhere on my Windows/Firefox computer, but my wife on her MacBook/Safari laptop was successful first time...

It doesn't upset me, just curious, that's all.

For the last 45 minutes been trying to book… git Out of Time twice!

It’s been a nightmare
I kept getting to the ticket page and then although already logged in it asked me to enter the details again and then kept coming up invalid password.
It was no good trying to phone either
All sorted in the end but what a hassle

After a chat with my son, it turns out that if I had turned off the wi fi on my phone, it would have reached the ticket page. Either router or ISP settings were being blocked, neither of which I can control. My daughter has got the tickets, so we shall all be there.

My annual visit to say hello to you all.

We are booked, all when seamlessly on my phone. I said to my better half, “I’ll be furious if I pay all this and it’s a prog weekend”. So I’m happy with the line up. I think it is very brave of them to right size rather than have a year off which other festivals are doing.

We had to buy a teen ticket for the first time as my wee bubba is now 13!

And I went in to labour whilst posting to this forum  :D :D

So I'm booked after a big runaround. My mobile signal went down just as I needed verification codes!! Anyway, all sorted. One major gripe though - while their address engine was happy to accept my Irish address it wouldn't accept my Irish postcode  (eircode). Luckily I live 20 miles from the UK and often have to use a friend's NI address, but what abou those from further afield?

Anyway, the lineup's all good for me under the new circumstances, though it's obvious some will never be pleased. Field 8 booked as well - only happy thoughts from here on in...

I agree that financial choices must be made, and the line-up does not justify £500 just before Christmas. By comparison, the New Forest Festival has the following line-up and a price of £115 for a five-day ticket.  

2025 line-up
Lindisfarne - Skipinnish - Ralph McTell
Joe Broughtons Conservatoire Folk Ensemble

TRADarrr - Deborah Bonham Band - Track Dogs
The Longest Johns - The Young’uns - Ruth Angel Trio
Phil Beer Solo - Reg Meuross - Mad Dog Mcrea
Jim Cregan Acoustic - Chris Leslie - Honey & The Bear
Joshua Burnell Band -  Jez Lowe & The Bad Pennies Banter - UFQ - Ken Nicol & Wendy Ross
Matt Black - Southampton Ukulele Jam

As another poster has pointed out, the attitudes of some Cropredy attendees (regular and recent) seem to be at odds with the title of 'The Friendliest Festival', as on other Facebook pages, they attack each other for daring to have an opinion. I hope that those who go have a great time but for me it has lost its magic.

Well I think that’s a cracking line up but it appeals to my musical preferences so I would.

All booked here, inc. Brook Bell Glamping. The Glamping went on sale a few minutes before 10 - having seen the line-up I felt confident the festival would not sell out under a stampede of newcomers before I could nab some tickets. ;-). Got in the queue (iPhone/Safari via Wi-Fi with all the Apple privacy stuff enabled) at about 1 min past 10, watched the progres bar crawl slowly across, resisted the temptation to refresh (that's often the root of all queue ejection paim), got bounced to the purchase page at 10:08. Had set up and tested an AXS account over the weekend, so purchase went straight through.

A nice lineup there, and really pleased for all involved that it is going ahead...  :)

A real shame though that the one day ticket is no more, as I would love to have gone along for the Saturday... :'(

Feeling very sad today as it looks like the end of an era for me. I just dont seem to be on the same wavelength as those booking for Cropredy any more. I have booked for Beardy and NFFF and am perfectly in tune with the lineups there . Its not even as though theres a mountain of stuff I dont like either (if you exclude jazz, hip hop , soul and disco). This year apart from Skippinnish and Albert Lee (both of whom I have seen many times) there is little I am interested in. There are a couple who are on elsewhere but not at the top of my list and granted an unknown may come to the fore but i cant punt £500 on that. I am not seeking massive names, Trad ARR, Gerry Colvin, Steeleye, Merry Hell, Reg Meuross, Gaz Brookfield , Edwina etc etc would suit me fine. Many years ago I may have considered it just to meet up with friends but Beardy and NFFF will take care of that now. As Fairporters and Talkwhile become more like football chatboards with the hostility shown to "naysayers" I am even more saddened. i may consider Shrewsbury this tear depending upon the line up which I sometimes like and sometimes dont. Some of my most enjoyable gigs in recent years have been there Rosanne Cash (out of this world), Eric Bibb, Cockney Rebel, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings etc. We will see.

That's a real pity - Cropredy is always changing slowly, boiling frog style, but this is one of those "Yup, this is different" moments. The adding of the third day being another. I've always been an outlier - come more for the weekend in the field than the music other than FP and the occasional brilliant guest. If it hadn't been for the glamping I might have called it quits a few years back - I'm getting a bit too creaky to enjoy actual camping. That's lowered the pain threshold enough to keep me going a few more years. I've only been to a couple of other festivals and not felt I could wander off and leave my chair (never mind other posesseions) and be 100% sure to find it still there when I returned at any of them. i ignore the social media whingers, and I've been social mediaing since dial up BBS and readers letters in newsletters! :-)

My fwiw opinion.  a) it looks and feels a lot more like a Cropredy festival than many of the recent lineups.  Somewhat perversely, b) I also think it's a pretty unexciting lineup.  Several exceptions to that, of course....

So, personally, this wouldn't get me back.

I never thought it would come to this. We have booked NFFF and Beardy and will probably do Shrewsbury to see Oysterband one last time , all of which are easier to get around (and camp)

An update about camping stickers from Gareth. I asked how it would work as e-tickets for camping and he replied that Camping Stickers were dropped off at AXS this morning and will be posted out.

The potential for queuing up the M42 on Thursday morning because of a dodgy scanner can't be allowed to happen.


Again: CAMPING STICKERS WILL BE POSTED.  


E-tickets for the Festival will NOT be posted but verified by AXS using scanners when you get your wristbands.


Gareth is extremely busy at the moment so I'm passing this on to prevent him getting loads of queries on this.

I’m not familiar with most of the bands on the bill. I am encouraged to hear the positive feedback here.

I last saw Albert Lee with Eric Clapton in 1983. It would be nice to see him do his own show.

Martin Barre absolutely blew me away a couple of years ago in San Antonio. Outstanding.

We will not be there but we hope everyone has a great time without us!

Thanks Andy!

Wanted it but not for me. Not a Lee style blues fan, seen TH - once was enough, just seems a bit uninspired to me ...

BUT

Have a great.time all, happy if your boat is floated!!

 ;D

Definitely a no from us, simply down to uninspiring lineup. We're considering Shrewsbury though.

For those who will be attending, I recommend trying to catch El Pony Pisador. They're a lot of fun, in concert.

I agree! Though travelling from Skye to see a band from Skye and a band from the Hebrides in Oxfordshire seems a funny idea. Like Davidmjs said, this does seem a more typical, classic Cropredy line-up.

While I know Trevor Horn isn’t everyone’s fave, he did a good old 80s singalong previously, with great guests, so who knows…  

I understand where you’re coming from, Nick. Hopefully you’ll stick around this board as I feel that different opinions and well-intended criticisms are better received than on Facebook, where any dissenting view is met with ‘moaner’, ‘whinger’, etc, etc….

Aww, end of an era not having paper tickets for the main festival if that’s what you’re saying! Suppose it saves a lot of money tho, for the organisers.

With a smaller capacity I doubt the queue will be that long, in fact I doubt it would be that long with 20,000 attendees.  ;)

Tickets purchased after a few failed attempts to navigate the site . Don't know if it was just me having a senior moment but it seemed less straightforward this time.  Lineup suits me fine, looking forward to Martin Barre particularly.

End of the paper ticket era - at least I won't forget them this year.

Just need to remember my phone...

If you were queueing on the M42 on Thursday morning I'd be a bit worried.....the M40 runs from London to Birmingham via Banbury... :)
Steve...pedant of the week!

True, I must have misread what Gareth wrote.

I won't miss the paper tickets, I won't even miss the Christmas card (too much), but what I will miss is ... the car sticker :-(

I refer you to Andy's post #130.

That just refers to camping tickets. I think Philipk means he will miss having the decorative car sticker which used to arrive with the general paper tickets, for the first so many bookings.

Somebody posted this message on FB "Maybe the secret about how many tickets have been bought is public info. Bought this one at supper time after “chat” with missus.

Can anyone raise me 4086?"

reading your posts Nick i have to say that im with you...nothing on this line up excites me enough to part with so much money im afraid, so it is indeed the "end of an era" for me too.

e-ticket ordered and confirmation email received. I'm guessing the actual e-ticket will be received at a later date?

For me the line up looks really good.

Apparently the e-ticket will arrive later, perhaps as late as 3 days before the event.

If one wishes to attend the fringe rather than the main event will one be able to access (and pay) for parking or does one need to show a festival ticket to get in?

DW

HI DW. You will need a festival ticket/wristband to use the car parks.

Wow - that will see the end of the fringe then surely?

Or the fringe venues could just arrange their own parking?

If there are to be less camping fields then Brase and or Lion could use a field for parking.
However I suspect the attendance for main fest will be well over 10,000
6,500 sold before Christmas .Costs covered. We can now add more tickets. Sound business model to me !

Indeed.  The festival needs to show some tough love to 'the fringe' who have commercialised the village scene into several other (not so) mini-festivals of their own.  I'm certainly critical of the festival itself for not being pro-active and introducing its own fringes, but it's good to see that they're realising what is what here.  Wow, indeed - why the hell should a fringe attendee park in the festival car park?

You’ve always needed a ticket to park in the festival car parks as long back as I’ve been going (18 yrs)
It’s never stopped the brase and lion from being very busy.
A lot of the fringe attendees are from the local area and bus in and out from Banbury.
People paying for a stand alone fringe ticket without attending the festival has only been a recent evolution and it would be hard for people just turning up to the fringe to park in the village what with parking enforcement etc.
Like I say many park in Banbury and bus in and out which drops off at the brase if attending the fringe and not staying in the village.
I’ve no idea how much the bus is as I’ve never used it.

Reading all this with interest,
pleased to see the festival changing to adapt to the times.
That's actually quite a nice line up.
Shame about the price increase (but hey everything is going up)
Would I like to go.....Oh yes
Will I be going, sadly not. The lovely Kim just can't cope with the tents stuff nowadays.

Lets hope its all lovely and you all have a super time

If it were me (and it's not!) the temptation would to be to see how many below the licensing limit I was about a month beforehand and then release a correspondingly limited number of Saturday-only tickets.  [;-) As a serious aside though, do they still give away complementary freebies to those of the village? That's got to be about a thousand or so, hasn't it, even if they don't all turn up?  

Back to the lineup ;

I've been "you-tubing" the bands Id not heard of before. (My ignorance as I discovered they are very well known to others). What a top class and eclectic set they are.

KING PLEASURE AND THE BISCUIT BOYS are about as unusual a festival act as you could imagine,  1950's style rock and roll and swing. They could go down really well. Might see some jiving down at the front. Certainly an inspired choice.

Then there's CITY FUNK ORCHESTRA who aim to deliver a dance floor banquet of soul/funk music described as "a party on legs”.  They feature players who have appeared at the very top of their genre. And of course they feature Matt Pegg on bass.

EL PONI PISCADOR (named after the pub in Lord of the Rings) ,the Prancing Pony in English. They play a set full of laughter and jokes ,much audience participation. But they are excellent musicians and put out great harmonies playing Celtic music and seafaring songs, plus of course the Catalan music of there homes.

SKIPPINISH named after a place on the bands spiritual home on the Isle of Tiree are a top ,top band . Norrie Maciver has a unique and powerful voice and they are powerful. They do a brilliant version of Runrig's classic "Alba" and if we are very lucky they might have the great Malcom Jones guesting on lead guitar.

With The Salts and Deborah Bonham, Rosalie Cunningham also on the bill ,this just has to be the classiest and most eclectic line up for years. So well put together , Congratulations Fairport's.

KING PLEASURE AND THE BISCUIT BOYS  have played the festival before, can't remember the year, they are excellent.

2006

King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys have been around for absolute donkey's years. They were the sort of band that turned up a lot on Channel 4 shows in the early 90s.

We saw Deborah Bonham at Skeggy in 2012. There were a lot of references to her brother.

The gig was fine, musically, but, as I recall, she slipped in the car park on her way out and smashed her teeth which took months to recover from.

Let's hope her luck is better at Croppers.

she played Croppers in 2002 Andy- i cant remember if that was before or after her broken leg! Butlins skeggy was 2010 unless she played again after?

This photo's EXIF data says Saturday Dec 1 2012 at 14:33. We didn't go in 2010, so I guess she had a return gig.

I was seriously underwhelmed in 2002...and yes, if you didn't know who her brother was at the start of the set you certainly will by the end...

thank you

Anyone else spot the typo in one of the band names?

PlumHall was misspelt but this has been corrected, I'm told, in the latest version. I'm not sure if the "H" should be capitalised but as the name is their names concatenated it seems kosher. (Michelle Plum + Nick B Hall)

Make that two typos, then!

you may well be very right ivefound something showing 2012 too.. but i can see Peter simmonds has youtube videos dated 2010.. 5th December apparently. i know i have seen her a fair few times anyway  ;D

Deborah Bonham played at Cropredy in 2006, as did King Pleasure.  I don't remember much about either of them, to be honest.

She didn't appear in either 2010 or 2012 (according to the listing on Wikipedia, and my memory of 2012).

And 2002.  2010/2012 is Andy et al talking about her appearing at Skegness.

Talking of acts new to you, I spent yesterday listening to an act that I was unfamiliar with. Pleased to say I found that the The Henry Girls are excellent! Great songs, reminded me a little bit of early Corrs. Looking forward to hearing them live on the field. Onwards to Skipinnish tomorrow…

Thanks for clarifying that.

It's very easy to become negative about festivals and Cropredy '25 seems to be collecting a larger number than usual saying things like it's not like it used to be, I'm never going again, it's too expensive etc

Please remember that Rule #1 in TAW is It's Nice To Be Nice. Let's try to be a little more positive, please. (If you think my Deb Bonham remark was negative, please note I did say that musically she was ok at the gig I saw.)

I've received messages about the more negative comments and, frankly, we don't need them here, so let's try and talk in a positive way about the acts for '25 here.

Thanks

Andy in Admin mode

Myvl thumbs  up as well for the Henry Girls -  Ibrish folk-based light Americana? Whatever the description,  a pleasing mix.

Thanks for the clarification, and apologies for my dimness!

So, as far as I can tell, and it may be more, but returning artists for 2025 - do they need a bigger address book?

Rosalie Cunningham
Jo Broughton / UFQ - played at least with Feast of Fiddles and as FC guest
Trevor Horn
King Pleasure
Churchfitters
Peatbog Faeries
Bob Fox
Martin Barre
Deborah Bonham
Richard Digance
FC

New:

El Pony
City Funk (but with Peggy's son on bass)
Skippinish
Plumhall
Henry Girls
Salts
Albert Lee

I imagine most festivals that have been going for 45 years have a similar issue.  To be honest, I think the consolidation around a core theme ('folk', good time party music, a bit of rock?) is a generally good thing...  I guess the question is how that fits into the general "all things to all people" festival market these days?  And at this cost?  But I'd be absolutely amazed if they don't get the stated audience they need with this lineup...in which case, surely, job done?

This is an interesting discussion. I have said for some time that Fairport round up their mates to play (and why not)
I have to admit if I were in their position I would be doing the same thing. (Oi Ian! August, Friday, 9 o clock, be there?)
I do think the guys are doing the right thing and if circumstances were different I would be going.
Also if its a repeat booking you do know what you are getting.
I think 2015 is gonna be a blast

And other than Trevor Horn (and Digance and FC themselves), how many of those have played within the last 10 years?  Oh, maybe Churchfitters were about 5 or 6 years ago?  But it isn't like some festivals where you'll see many of the same artists on a 2/3 year rolling schedule.

Rosalie - 2022

Churchfitters - 2009, 2014

Albert Lee played in 2003 (and was very enjoyable).

Sat afternoon, just before the bloke from Dr Hook (Dennis whatsisname)...he was decent actually.  

Saturday tickets are available to buy now.
They are £220 each.
If people want to attend for just the Saturday then the option is there.
The band explained the reasoning behind the decisions taken in order to allow a decent festival this year.
One day tickets just aren’t viable for a three day festival.
There is always the option for those who don’t want to pay to attend the festival to see the band on the wintour or other appearances throughout the year so it’s not as if they are no longer able to see them.

I think this years festival looks really good and it’s the most diverse set of acts for many years.
FWIW I may only be able to attend 1 or 2 days of the festival due to health issues but it didn’t stop me wanting to go.
It’s just down to personal choice at the end of the day.
Also FWIW I was told yesterday from someone in the village that it will strictly be a 6,500 limit on general sale.
I’d actually have a waiting list if it was down to me and if there were another couple of thousand people on it wanting tickets I would do the maths and see if 2,000 x £220 was economically viable regards extra infrastructure/insurance etc.
But 6,500 it is this year but maybe it might be something to consider in the future.

Calm down, love.  ::)

I’m perfectly calm darling…
Not being antagonistic , just re-emphasising the facts that the band set out.
Hopefully you’ll get to see the band at either the festival or elsewhere if you so wish.

Not sure why you're ignoring the fact that the organisers themselves haven't exactly ruled out (quite the opposite in fact) the possibility of adding to this number.

indeed we were thanks! And i like her! ;D

Just to help answer another of your points, the local villagers have the option to purchase tickets for themselves at a reduced rate as recompense for the couple of weeks disruption the event causes (many still have to get on with their lives whilst everyone enjoys themselves)
Il have to log off now as a friend does my typing as my hands are knackered hence I only get to post occasionally nowadays when they’re about and I’m getting the glare….
Have a good cropredy one and all

It's quite clear that even the organisers don't know how this will play out. We'll all just have to wait and see. What we do know is that they have to sell 6,500 for 2026 to be possible. Last year that was reached in mid-April.

That's it.

I was just reading the email I was sent which stated that the tickets were limited to ‘6,500 paid tickets’ and quote ‘when they’re gone they’re gone’
Nowhere on the email I received did it mention any hint of further tickets being available.

Has there been a further email sent out regards this that I have missed (highly possible given my circumstances)
Has anyone else received a further update or is the first email explaining the 6,500 limit correct.

There was a suggestion (possibly on Facebook) by the organisers that there *might* be some extra tickets released once the first 6,500 had been sold.  Nothing definite though.

See earlier in the thread...

RT confirmed for the Gateway to Southwell festival (3-6 Jul 2025) - just saying!

I have no probs with Fairports booking friends etc , it always was thus and worked beautifully with the odd new face. Discovered some great bands over the years…
Brase line up looks bloody strong though. Several have already done main stage.Will be interesting to see how it works

Vikki Clayton playing the Brase on Sunday so may we see her with Fairports on Saturday?
I always felt she was kicked into touch by Fairports in favour of Chris While but who knows….l.

She moved down under didn't she?  I remember it being Cathy>Sheila & Sheryl>Vikki>Chris with several others (Julianne, Tracey et al) in the middle of that pack somewhere...

Vicki moved NZ.
She is a darling person, I'd live for her to be there, anywhere.

Would be perfect for my hoped-for RFTM 50th anniversary special set!

....and Sidmouth (yay!)

So, should still be around for Croppers...surely.

Abby , I think you were at our Gloostonbury fest when Vikki did me a real favour and played an hour set for not a lot.  Magical set.

I was, and did you make it to one of our Acorn Fayres when Vikki played by candlelight?
Such a lively person.

I'm correcting my text, it's Vikki and should say love, not live.

People are upset about entirely valid personal opinions about a music festival?

That's very silly in a discussion forum where the whole point is an open exchange of views. Nobody's been abusive, everybody's been honest about their opinion on the lineup and the costs, and nothing any of us say here will affect the future of the festival - only ticket sales and other circumstances completely outside of the control and influence of any of us here will do that.

Sadly you dont know the half of it.

Don’t let things worry you.
We’ve all got the festival to look forward to  :)