Something controversial...

[clive]

The local youth never really bothers me to be honest. They're the most middle-class yobs you could wish for and I find if you let them know you're around, you can get a nice quiet night.

In some cases, yes, I had a go at a couple of 'em buggering about near our tent and ended up having a polite chat, mostly about the lack of local amenities and entertainment.
Can't speak for the rest of them.

[Taliesin]

and what part of our little sceptered isle is **** free?

My thought exactly Jim... Though maybe not with those choice words...lol

Concise

.Paul.

[Glen S]

Back in the mid/late 80s Jonah would always announce from the stage - "if you've enjoyed the weekend please don't tell your friends" 

It is a shame that the audience has altered, I think especially over the last ten years, but you can never really go back. It is sad that a lot of the punters aren't really serious Fairport fans - I'm always amazed at people asking questions like who Swarb is, "who's that doddery old granny on the piano?" (it was poor Beryl Marriott).

The local youth never really bothers me to be honest. They're the most middle-class yobs you could wish for and I find if you let them know you're around, you can get a nice quiet night.

Cropredy is definitely the highlight of my musical year, but to be totally honest it does seem to have lost a little of the intimacy of earlier years.I agree with Alex,that the audience has altered quite a bit.I'm always amazed and dismayed at how some punters will happilly chat loudly throughout a performers act,completely oblivious of the wonderful music,and hard work thats going on in front of their eyes.Still...every man to his own I guess!At the end of the day,it's their loss!!....... Cropredy is still the most friendly festival,in a lovely location with the very best music.Far too good to be spoilt by a few negatives!.........

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

.... and the Oxford Canal goes right through the village too... 

and The Bridge Stores is the BEST general shop in the world.. what would THEY do without us???

[rachel]

Back in the mid/late 80s Jonah would always announce from the stage - "if you've enjoyed the weekend please don't tell your friends" 

 It is sad that a lot of the punters aren't really serious Fairport fans - I'm always amazed at people asking questions like who Swarb is, "who's that doddery old granny on the piano?" (it was poor Beryl Marriott).

Why does this matter? Seriously I don't understand. When I first went to Crops I didn't have an extensive knowledge of all things Fairport. It didn't stop me loving it and returning the next year and the next and the next...Surely people shouldn't have to pass some sort of test before they are allowed to buy a ticket

rachel

[Pat Helms]

When I there in '99, I saw only three police officers - and they seemed to actually be there to HELP people instead of presenting an aura of intimidation to keep the audience in line.  Anytime you have 15000+ people congregating each year, your going to have some degree of unfortunate behavior, but as long as the style of music we all love is off the mainstream radar, I think Cropredy is in no more danger of bad conduct than dealing with some misfit cousins at a family reunion.

[Mix (Mic)]

It seemed to be generally agreed that the increase in trouble last year, was due to the other place, which isn't happening this year. There will always be some elements that go out to spoil things, for their own selfish aims, but I think I'm right in thinking that last year was 'unusual' in this respect.

If Fairport took their Festival elsewhere, then like most I'd go wherever it was held... it wouldn't be quite the same for me though, Cropredy has a magic all of it's own. The warm welcome and friendliness of the local villagers is a very big part of the overall feel I think.
Having said that it worries me a little that   "   Firstly, when it looked as though the Festival might cease altogether after 2004, quite a few people here made their feelings clear that they thought the Festival had become too big - in several senses of the phrase - and that a fresh start in scaled-down form might help the event regain the intimacy and integrity of earlier years.".   If the villagers are starting to feel unhappy with the Festival, then some of the magic would go.

mic

[Goaty]

Agreed 100%.  The first time I went to Cropredy (80's) I'd heard of Fairport, but that was about all, I was strictly rock & metal back then.  It is almost entirely down to Fairport and that first Cropredy that I now enjoy such a broad range of different styles of music.  It is also Cropredy that first introduced me to a festival scene considerably more hospitable and laid back than the likes of Donnington and Reading at the time.  As virtually all of my annual leave is now devoted to small / medium sized festivals, Cropredy is a very special place for me.  Would I go if the festival were elsewhere ?  Most likely (depending on line up - there's so many more quality festivals to choose from these days), but it just wouldn't be 'Cropredy'.

Back in the mid/late 80s Jonah would always announce from the stage - "if you've enjoyed the weekend please don't tell your friends" 

 It is sad that a lot of the punters aren't really serious Fairport fans - I'm always amazed at people asking questions like who Swarb is, "who's that doddery old granny on the piano?" (it was poor Beryl Marriott).

Why does this matter? Seriously I don't understand. When I first went to Crops I didn't have an extensive knowledge of all things Fairport. It didn't stop me loving it and returning the next year and the next and the next...Surely people shouldn't have to pass some sort of test before they are allowed to buy a ticket

rachel

[Alex Lyons]

I'm not so much referring to those going to their first Cropredy, just getting into Fairport etc - who I doubt would make some of the disrespectful comments you hear - but there does seem to be quite a few there who don't really have any interest in getting into Fairport. You've only got to look at the discprepancy between Cropredy attendance vs winter tour/album sales. That is a bit of a shame for what was/is "Fairport's Annual Reunion" and I don't think it helps the atmosphere, which I think is largely due to the warmth the fans feel towards the band and vice versa.

[PLW (Peter)]

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Do I sniff the unmistakable smell of a ladder being pulled up here? It's not like it used to be? We don't want new people who don't know their fiddler from their elbow? Come on guys, it's fantastic to see old friends there, sure, but it's also wonderful to see new people every year. We took five newbies last year who didn't have a clue who any of the Fairports were and god help us didn't know the words of "Meet on the Ledge". But did they have a good time? Of course they did. Did they detract from the atmosphere? Of course not. They thought it was the best thing they'd ever been to. And they are even younger than me.

I first went to Cropredy in 1979 aged 24. I got disgustingly drunk and would now be considered to be an anti-social yoof, no doubt. I'm still going aged 51. It's changed a lot since then. Thank God. Everything changes. We all get older. The beauty of Cropredy is that it's always the same and always different.

Glastonbury has an effing great barrier round it and security guards all over the effing place, but there's a hell of a lot more petty crime there than you'll ever get at Cropredy.

[Malcolm]

We took five newbies last year who didn't have a clue who any of the Fairports were and god help us didn't know the words of "Meet on the Ledge".

It is your solemn responsibility to ensure that Virgins are suitably broken in before arrrival, by pre-festival training in beer consumption and verse recognition.

[peterwales]

No, no, no! A great part of the attraction for me of Cropredy is that rural, village setting- something very traditional, middle-earth "English" about it all, that is very secure and comforting- and I write as a person of Welsh birth but Polish descent- nothing English about me. It's the setting, the village atmosphere, the rowing club/village hall breakfasts, the unique atmosphere of the two village pubs, the camping in fields with views of the Eastern Cotswolds in the distance, and as well as that, the ease of travel from virtually anywhere in the country. How could that be re-created anywhere else?   Seems to me the arguments for moving it are about what would be happening anyway, wherever the festival was moved- in fact, it could attract more of the thieves/rip-off merchants if it was moved, because it would inevitably move to greater commercialization, and publicity to attract the opportunist undesirables. The problem is how to get shot of the Banbury "chav" types from coming to Cropredy, and the organized robbers- who are more of a problem at other festivals anyway. Hopefully, the absence of the "fairground" and increased security as well as tighter restrictions on who exactly is camping where with what festival tickets, may eliminate or at least decrease the problem this year.

[moontheloon (Bryan)]

I last visited  cropredy 2 years ago , you remember the lousy sound system, Wadworths running out of beer. Well that was it for me , surrounded by loud bores, no view [bloody umbrellas, beach tents] and too many people camping out on fast groundsheets causing all sorts of problems.
My local rag gives the festival 2 pages each year, come and bring the kids etc. My heart sinks.
I know that it's a welcome payday for peggy and the boys but does it have to be so crowded.
Sorry to appear so negative but after 30 years of following fairport around the country I do feel strongly about Croppers and the fact that it's going so mainsteam.

[Penguin (Dunc)]

We took five newbies last year who didn't have a clue who any of the Fairports were and god help us didn't know the words of "Meet on the Ledge".

It is your solemn responsibility to ensure that Virgins are suitably broken in before arrrival, by pre-festival training in beer consumption and verse recognition.

And to this end I'll be supplying my brother-in-law with a version of all the songs from Fairport's Cropredy 2005 set list before he goes to Cropredy this year so he can practice - he already knows how to drink.

Back on topic - I have to say that for me seeing the stage for the first time as you drop into Cropredy does get the old heart going, there really is something special about the place so I wouldn't like to see it moved.  I'm not even sure that the event has got too big, after all it's the headliners that determine the crowd size, I just think the last couple of years had been unusual.

In 2004 we had the increased 'security' which changed the atmosphere somewhat - for the first time ever I didn't really feel welcome at Cropredy, and then last year we had 'The Other Place' and all the associated trouble that went with it.  Both of these problems now seemed to have been addressed so hopefully this years event will have a "feel" to it that we regulars are more accustomed to.

Now if only we could stop the land grab in the arena………………………………… 

Dunc

[greglin (Gregg)]

I last visited  cropredy 2 years ago , you remember the lousy sound system, Wadworths running out of beer. Well that was it for me , surrounded by loud bores, no view [bloody umbrellas, beach tents] and too many people camping out on fast groundsheets causing all sorts of problems.

This is probably a more pertinent issue than moving the venue!!

I raised this issue quite some time ago, when but a newbie...............and was roundly, and soundly, lambasted.

It's hard to make the event financially viable if numbers were greatly restricted; that we understand. On that basis, as it grows, it's hard to keep the intimacy and the feeling of "belonging" that Cropredy is so wonderful for. I helped swell numbers by bringing  some people  with me last year who hadn't been before.

However, I have felt over the last couple of years, that it's becoming more about going to be seen, than to enjoy the music and what's happening on stage. If there's someting I'm not keen on, or friends I want to chat with, I'll go to the bar or back to the tent; but as I did say before, we were finding it hard to hear at all last year for the sheer number of people talking loudly / singing etc - and from not that far up the hill  ! I knew it was "Hiring Fair" 'cos they said so, but I didn't hear a bl**dy note of it..............

So i guess what i'm saying is that I'd be totally opposed to a move to another location, and it's not necessarily the increased attendance - or the "mainstreaming" - but the attitude of those attending that perhaps needs a little review...........................

[Sian]

So if I read  some of the above posts correctly.  People attending Croppers should

1/.. Be fans of FC
2/.  Not bring more than say 2 people
3/ Only talk at the bar or back at tent
4/  Stand up for 3 days

 

[gower flower (Shirl)]

Well as a Cropredy "newbie" (last year was my first) I can't really debate any of the above arguments cos I have no other Cropfests to compare it with

All I know is that I had a great time, enjoyed the music, enjoyed the "craic" and met some super people

And guess what folks, in 100 days from pretty much RIGHT NOW, it's all going to happen again. Huzzah!

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

YIPPEEEE!!!!

[Penguin (Dunc)]

So if I read  some of the above posts correctly.  People attending Croppers should

1/.. Be fans of FC
2/.  Not bring more than say 2 people
3/ Only talk at the bar or back at tent
4/  Stand up for 3 days

 

1. You don't need to be a fan of FC but at least have some respect for those who want to listen to the chaps.  BTW I hadn't got a clue who Fairport were the first time I went to Cropredy.

2. I fail miserably on point 2 - Three Cropredy virgins in our party (so far) this year.

3. Again people should show a little respect for everyone around them, and also the artist on the stage when it comes down to it.  I hate the loud conversations down at the front. 

4. If you can stand up for 3 days at Cropredy you are doing something wrong - Hic. 

[PLW (Peter)]

I dunno. Is this some other Cropredy you're all moaning about? It doesn't anything like the one I've been going to all these years.

Here's an idea for those of you who obviously can't stand the rest of us being there. Set some speakers up in your back garden. Lie down on the grass, close your eyes and IMAGINE you are there.

It's a festival for goodness sake. People talk, laugh, drink and play. You'll be asking us to pay due respect and not clap between the songs next.