Best/Worst headliner at Cropredy

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Glenn Tillbrook fared ok!

Agreed, although he was playing mainly to the standing crowd at the front and working off the feedback from them. When I took a trip up field to the loos he definitely lost something over the distance. The talking from the crowd was quite loud and, I noticed, particularly drowned out the banter in between songs which was a shame because he was very entertaining and "held his own".

Maybe Cropredy needs to experiment with a smaller "acoustic" tent at the top end of the field?     Just a thought - will no doubt be shot down in flames!

[Andy]

I don't think the current site could cope wih an acoustic tent at that site. Maybe in another field?

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Well, I don't have a huge experience of Cropredy but there was a lot of talk after this years about how spread out the crowd is getting now that most people take some form of chair/portable garden hammock along. So, maybe the answer would be to move the artists into the next field (but still make 'em use our bar!), move the stage back a bit and then add an acoustic tent (would have to be a tent) at the top end, or in the next field near the artists.

I dunno. As I say, I've not been that many times and I've never organised anything remotely like a festival (except my 40th birthday party, that took some doing ...)

[Pastieboy (Trev)]

But ,would a giant sized tv screen  directly behind the sound tower be of any benefit for those farther back .? When I make some of my many dashes /forays up-field for the loos I  always seem to miss something .
 In  Utopia  the band  playing should say "Hold on a few more minutes  ---PB`s off for a wee . Wait till he comes back so he does`nt miss anything".  
  The Prom in the park at Belton House (near me) has a giant screen and it works wonderfully for the 8000 crowd . Everyone can see the show then .

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Where can I get tickets for Utopia? Are they on sale yet?

Yes I think a big screen would be a good idea. Dunno why they don't do it already.

[jude]

Yes I think a big screen would be a good idea. Dunno why they don't do it already.

I think there was a ginormous debate about this last year somewhere.

I think it was decided to be an unworkable idea.....

I expect someone will find the link for it....

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Found it

http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=13274.0

usual culprits - cost and the traditionalists and that ugly word "corporate sponsorship". Wash my mouth out etc 

[PLW (Peter)]

The big screen is a fantastic idea. But the debate last year rather got bogged down with "I like Cropredy as it is" type comments. Which is a shame. Because if that attitude had prevailed 30 years ago it'd still be in someone's back garden!

[peterwales]

Re. Nick Harper- similar sounding, but not a patch on his father. A bit boring actually. I also saw him supporting the Oyster Band. That guitar sound was very irritating after a short while. Spoke to him in the bar afterwards. Let's just say he seems to have a strange sense of humour...

[Albie]

I think the problem last year was the weather. The strong wind blew the acoustic stuff away, not just Glenn Tilbrook but others as well. It was OK at the front but patchy sound as you moved up the field. As for the between song banter, that was very difficult to pick up at times. I kept wanting to grab the remote and turn the volume up. 

Which begs the question; why did the organisers not arrange better weather? 
Seriously, let's hope for a nice calm (weatherwise) weekend next August, so we can hear everything.

[Chris]

The big screen is a fantastic idea. But the debate last year rather got bogged down with "I like Cropredy as it is" type comments.

I'm not sure it did in the way you mention....it was collectively agreed that the cost (around £20K) was an extra cost on the organisers without a way (except an increase in ticket prices) to cover it. Chances are that it would reduce the capacity of the site too (by extra equipment & the people needed to run it) - hence reducing the maximum total income & thus increasing costs per punter even further.

Unfortunately, these reasons (cost & space reduction) also covers the suggestion of another acoustic tent on the site (which has also previously been suggested). You would also need another PA etc for the tent, again increasing costs.

Corporate sponsorship (over & above Wadworth's) was suggested as a way of alleviating these extra costs, and that's when all the comments about it being OK as it is came about.

[PLW (Peter)]

£20k? That's about £1 per person. Hardly a huge hike in price.

[Cocker Freeman]

That's right! The ticket would be something like 38 quid instead of 37 (in early June of course).

[Miguel Cajon (Mick)]

I think that the acoustic tent idea has more in favour than against.Some of the smaller acts that Fairport have always encouraged can get lost on the big stage and the tent would provide them with a more intimate venue. It also would allow more acts to play including young and upcoming artists (the future?) and  give people an alternative to what's on the main stage. It'll cost a bit but I'd pay an extra few quid.

Sorry Mods if we're drifting off topic. 

[gower flower (Shirl)]

Umm, haven't we lost direction somewhat in this thread?

I thought there was a different thread elsewhere debating the big screen question, Mods.

[Neil]

Umm, haven't we lost direction somewhat in this thread?

I thought there was a different thread elsewhere debating the big screen question, Mods.

Don't know about losing direction

The informative and fascinating big screen debate can be found here:

http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=13274.0

[mikemush]

Good grief....must be on the wrong site altogether. Ok, only read the first 10 pages here (you've no idea how tedious it is scrolling through the same 2 or 3 messages unselectively quoted time and time again....) but the Leningrad Cowboys were excellent, as were Musafir, as Robin Williamson always is. Ok... I'll grant you all that the ISB weren't at their best, but for worst ever I give you 10cc (for all the gods' sake), Man, Digance every bloody year (and I'd give him more time without the asylum-seeker cracks), but worst ever, and the only act in 25 years to send me fleeing with hands over my ears.... Chris Newman(who I'll forgive as the fall-guy) and Maire Ni Chathasaigh. Never were the Knightr required more, just to drown it all out.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Umm, haven't we lost direction somewhat in this thread?

I thought there was a different thread elsewhere debating the big screen question, Mods.

Don't know about losing direction

The informative and fascinating big screen debate can be found here:

http://www.talkawhile.co.uk/yabbse/index.php?topic=13274.0

As usual, the topic drift is my fault as I mentioned an acoustic tent for the quieter acts. If the cost is only about £1/£2 per person then I say go with it. To stand still is to go backwards. 

And hey Mikemush - 10CC were brilliant! 

[Chris]

As usual, the topic drift is my fault as I mentioned an acoustic tent for the quieter acts. If the cost is only about £1/£2 per person then I say go with it. To stand still is to go backwards. 

Trouble is, it isn't!

That may be the actual cost of marquee, PA etc., but you need extra stewards to sreward it, more crew to erect / remove it, and probably the biggest cost of all - the space that it will take up! This will reduce the capacity by at least 500 punters, times the entrance fee = a lot of money. Various stalls would trhen complain that they have fewer punters to sell to (the bar, especially!), resulting in less money coming from stallholders.

It's a no go, basically on current budgets.

THe screen on the back of the sound tower, howeever, probably wouldn't affect the amount of 'punter space', so could probably be afforded on an extra cost to addmittance.

[Nick Reg]

As usual, the topic drift is my fault as I mentioned an acoustic tent for the quieter acts. If the cost is only about £1/£2 per person then I say go with it. To stand still is to go backwards. 

Trouble is, it isn't!

That may be the actual cost of marquee, PA etc., but you need extra stewards to sreward it, more crew to erect / remove it, and probably the biggest cost of all - the space that it will take up! This will reduce the capacity by at least 500 punters, times the entrance fee = a lot of money. Various stalls would trhen complain that they have fewer punters to sell to (the bar, especially!), resulting in less money coming from stallholders.

It's a no go, basically on current budgets.

THe screen on the back of the sound tower, howeever, probably wouldn't affect the amount of 'punter space', so could probably be afforded on an extra cost to addmittance.

If its on an adjacent field it could increase the capacity.