Festival Chatter

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

it's still better than the rest   and I like it spread over 3 days - you can pack more in!

I think you should try more festivals to be honest

I agree and I will once a few logistical issues are sorted.

[Penguin (Dunc)]

But the pressure to find your place on the field now seems to make those simple pleasures so much more difficult.

That's one of the reasons we stopped going for a few years.  However, on our return last year we picked up some folding seats about the size of a laptop bag (with a large beer pocket on the back).  Basically just two squares of foam with strapping/material between them to form a backrest, but they work really well.  We then just wandered around and crashed out where ever we fancied, providing there was enough space for two people to sit.  As they are so light you wear them across your back if you are standing down at the front and they don't get in the way of you dancing.

The other advantage is that as you are basically sat on the ground you can sit quite close to the front without one of the stewards trying to move you on.  

[Addie]

But the pressure to find your place on the field now seems to make those simple pleasures so much more difficult.

That's one of the reasons we stopped going for a few years.  However, on our return last year we picked up some folding seats about the size of a laptop bag (with a large beer pocket on the back).  Basically just two squares of foam with strapping/material between them to form a backrest, but they work really well.  We then just wandered around and crashed out where ever we fancied, providing there was enough space for two people to sit.  As they are so light you wear them across your back if you are standing down at the front and they don't get in the way of you dancing.

The other advantage is that as you are basically sat on the ground you can sit quite close to the front without one of the stewards trying to move you on.  

Tried those a few years back bit I couldn't get to grips with them.  Kept falling backwards.  

[Darren_j]

Folk by the Oak, Warwick and Cropredy for me this Summer (so far...!)

[hendo (Dave)]

To me, 'the Thursday - and Fri morning - in the village' (when the festival was just second half Fri and all day Sat) was what made Cropredy different (and better than the rest)...

We still need that like button. Seconded.

blah blah the good old days blah blah  

it's still better than the rest   and I like it spread over 3 days - you can pack more in!

It's not good old days Brij, it was what made it different. Stewarding was different, it was less corporate, more relaxed, no queuing, no rush down/up the field to get 'your'spot Now , with the exception of having only one stage, it is like any other fest and we seem to be preferring  more idiosyncrsatic fests recently, Larmar Tree, Upton, Ely, Warwick, Fest at the Edge, Moira , Ireby. Moseley etc.
I loved our 20 plus yrs at Cropredy. memories, friends, music and a complete retreat from the world of work, I never thought I'd stop going but little attracts me to the main field now. We will be at the v relaxed Festival at the Edge which still has that eccentric/aging hippy vibe (man!)  I hope you love every minute. Enjoy.
Sheen has really lost her love of Cropredy. I'll be at the fringe on the Sat but I think we may have done our last Cropredy.

[JeremyRS]

Cropredy has changed over the years as the band have chosen to extend it and expand it and I too preferred the more laidback only Friday evening/Saturday ones.  But we can't expect it to remain static forever and I'm perfectly happy to accept that it has moved on and I haven't.

That said, I shall be doing my 29th Cambridge this year.  That too has extended and expanded over the years but while, yes, it's perhaps not quite as laidback as once it was and I'm not blind to the issues it has (principally space) it has still, for me, kept it's soul and essential character.  I'm not entirely sure why this is - certainly retaining the old site and having continuity in style and audience have to do with it - but it seems to have done it better than Cropredy, at least through my (quite possibly rose-tinted) glasses.

[Gouty (Gary)]

Good article by Ed Vulliamy from the Observer on festivals:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/30/sex-drugs-jimi-hendrix-my-life-in-festivals-ed-vulliamy-isle-wight

Cropredy gets the thumbs-up  

[hendo (Dave)]

Cropredy has changed over the years as the band have chosen to extend it and expand it and I too preferred the more laidback only Friday evening/Saturday ones.  But we can't expect it to remain static forever and I'm perfectly happy to accept that it has moved on and I haven't.

That said, I shall be doing my 29th Cambridge this year.  That too has extended and expanded over the years but while, yes, it's perhaps not quite as laidback as once it was and I'm not blind to the issues it has (principally space) it has still, for me, kept it's soul and essential character.  I'm not entirely sure why this is - certainly retaining the old site and having continuity in style and audience have to do with it - but it seems to have done it better than Cropredy, at least through my (quite possibly rose-tinted) glasses.

Hi Jeremy, I completely accept that it is me who hasn't changed. I am delighted Cropredy continues, I am delighted people still love it. we just seem to have fallen out of love. maybe having the time to go to a whole load more  fests has made the difference. Cropredy is no longer my yearly ritual.

[Sandra]

Interesting article. I was at most of the early festivals he writes about - bath, Hyde Park, Bickershaw and agree with almost all he he has written.

Both the author and myself living in Glastonbury perhaps colours our attitude to the 'Pilton Pop Festival' up the road (aka Glastonbury) though I'm not sure that Sunrise will ever get back to it's roots as it moves ever more nearer a big city (Bristol).

Speaking to a lot of festival goers it seems that the smaller, focused, non corporate festivals are the way to go. This year our smallest festival will have a max of 500 and the biggest 15,000. That's big enough for me. And none will have any sort of corporate sponsorship, so no big companies waving a big stick either.

I won't, however, be going to Cropredy. Like Jeremy I'm glad others still love it, but it's no longer for me.  

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

I only started going to Cropedy in 2004 so maybe I haven't had enough time to get disillusioned yet. For me, it's always been a 3-day festival with around 20,000 people on the Saturday. Plus I'm not overly bothered by corporate involvement - it can a positive thing sometimes. Wadworths

We made the decision to miss a year in 2012 as the line-up wasn't to our liking, but as the 2nd weekend in August approached and we weren't going, we realised it's much more than just music. For us, it's 4 days of total relaxation and fun. No work, no driving, no cooking, no deadlines, no pressure. I'm sure I can get all this from other festivals, and next year we will definitely go to at least one other, but for now we're happy with Cropredy and all it has to offer.

   

[fat Billy(Bill)]

I only started going to Cropedy in 2004 so maybe I haven't had enough time to get disillusioned yet. For me, it's always been a 3-day festival with around 20,000 people on the Saturday. Plus I'm not overly bothered by corporate involvement - it can a positive thing sometimes. Wadworths

We made the decision to miss a year in 2012 as the line-up wasn't to our liking, but as the 2nd weekend in August approached and we weren't going, we realised it's much more than just music. For us, it's 4 days of total relaxation and fun. No work, no driving, no cooking, no deadlines, no pressure. I'm sure I can get all this from other festivals, and next year we will definitely go to at least one other, but for now we're happy with Cropredy and all it has to offer.

   

what she said

[hendo (Dave)]

Interesting article. I was at most of the early festivals he writes about - bath, Hyde Park, Bickershaw and agree with almost all he he has written.

Both the author and myself living in Glastonbury perhaps colours our attitude to the 'Pilton Pop Festival' up the road (aka Glastonbury) though I'm not sure that Sunrise will ever get back to it's roots as it moves ever more nearer a big city (Bristol).

Speaking to a lot of festival goers it seems that the smaller, focused, non corporate festivals are the way to go. This year our smallest festival will have a max of 500 and the biggest 15,000. That's big enough for me. And none will have any sort of corporate sponsorship, so no big companies waving a big stick either.

I won't, however, be going to Cropredy. Like Jeremy I'm glad others still love it, but it's no longer for me.  

Sandra. Bickershaw. I was there and got v wet!! and 6 hrs of the Grateful Dead!!

[hendo (Dave)]

I only started going to Cropedy in 2004 so maybe I haven't had enough time to get disillusioned yet. For me, it's always been a 3-day festival with around 20,000 people on the Saturday. Plus I'm not overly bothered by corporate involvement - it can a positive thing sometimes. Wadworths

We made the decision to miss a year in 2012 as the line-up wasn't to our liking, but as the 2nd weekend in August approached and we weren't going, we realised it's much more than just music. For us, it's 4 days of total relaxation and fun. No work, no driving, no cooking, no deadlines, no pressure. I'm sure I can get all this from other festivals, and next year we will definitely go to at least one other, but for now we're happy with Cropredy and all it has to offer.

   

Brij, we're not arguing and I'm very happy to be an old f**t. 2004 was something of a watershed yr for us although we did another 7 yrs. Dave P and Christine had split and there were subtle changes in the organisation, e.g, volunteer stewards went and in came professional security. I completely understand why but it did change the feel of that organically grown fest with Christine as the matriarch. Like you (and Bill), Cropredy was our release from work, that no longer applies and Sheen and I will again wander from small fest to small fest, play at a few and sell some of Sheens paintings.  I will be in the village on the sat, for a pint on the gravestones, music at the brase, a buffalo burger and dingbats from the canoe club.......and a toast to absent friends.

[Gouty (Gary)]

Brij, we're not arguing and I'm very happy to be an old f**t. 2004 was something of a watershed yr for us although we did another 7 yrs. Dave P and Christine had split and there were subtle changes in the organisation, e.g, volunteer stewards went and in came professional security. I completely understand why but it did change the feel of that organically grown fest with Christine as the matriarch. Like you (and Bill), Cropredy was our release from work, that no longer applies and Sheen and I will again wander from small fest to small fest, play at a few and sell some of Sheens paintings.  I will be in the village on the sat, for a pint on the gravestones, music at the brase, a buffalo burger and dingbats from the canoe club.......and a toast to absent friends.

I always used to like the fact that while the Stones had Hell's Angels doing security at Altamont, Fairport had the boy scouts at Cropredy  

[jude]

Brij, we're not arguing and I'm very happy to be an old f**t. 2004 was something of a watershed yr for us although we did another 7 yrs. Dave P and Christine had split and there were subtle changes in the organisation, e.g, volunteer stewards went and in came professional security. I completely understand why but it did change the feel of that organically grown fest with Christine as the matriarch. Like you (and Bill), Cropredy was our release from work, that no longer applies and Sheen and I will again wander from small fest to small fest, play at a few and sell some of Sheens paintings.  I will be in the village on the sat, for a pint on the gravestones, music at the brase, a buffalo burger and dingbats from the canoe club.......and a toast to absent friends.

I always used to like the fact that while the Stones had Hell's Angels doing security at Altamont, Fairport had the boy scouts at Cropredy  

They still do  
And I don't think they ever did have voluntary stewards at Cropredy, the teams of people that you see on the gates etc  have been working there for many many years and I believe they have always been paid to do so. Is why they know what they are doing. Although I think they have increased security from outside companies in the latter years, to combat the increased risks of theft and vandalism that now plague all festivals big and small.

[Sandra]

Sandra. Bickershaw. I was there and got v wet!! and 6 hrs of the Grateful Dead!!

Wet doesn't begin to describe it really, does it! Our tent was floating. However, the boyfriend and I were young and in love and that was enough to see us through.

Yes, an enjoyably long GD set plus many others - Hawkwind with what must have been a very chilled Stacia, Dr John, Capt Beefheart, Country Joe and I don't remember any complaints about the ISB at that event! What I do remember was a large mud slide near the 'chill out' tent that became a slide and a high wire act who dived from what seemed like a great height into a very small but ever filling (thanks to the rain) 'pool'.

A tiny 6'x3' cotton ridge tent, two sleeping bags, a torch and a toothbrush was about all that we took. Ah, those were the days. Now I need a camper van full of 'stuff'.

[hendo (Dave)]

Sandra. Bickershaw. I was there and got v wet!! and 6 hrs of the Grateful Dead!!

Wet doesn't begin to describe it really, does it! Our tent was floating. However, the boyfriend and I were young and in love and that was enough to see us through.

Yes, an enjoyably long GD set plus many others - Hawkwind with what must have been a very chilled Stacia, Dr John, Capt Beefheart, Country Joe and I don't remember any complaints about the ISB at that event! What I do remember was a large mud slide near the 'chill out' tent that became a slide and a high wire act who dived from what seemed like a great height into a very small but ever filling (thanks to the rain) 'pool'.

A tiny 6'x3' cotton ridge tent, two sleeping bags, a torch and a toothbrush was about all that we took. Ah, those were the days. Now I need a camper van full of 'stuff'.

I only had a sleeping bag and a plastic sheet!!!!!! and later a piece of corrugated fencing! I remember a lot of people trying to get in for free and a lot of other people trying to get out. I was 19. I thought it was brill!
Ah Stacia, she may well have affected the rest  of my life and yes of course, I loved ISB.

[Addie]

Ah Stacia, she may well have affected the rest  of my life and yes of course, I loved ISB.

She had her knockers but I thought she was a great dancer.

[Sandra]

I only had a sleeping bag and a plastic sheet!!!!!! and later a piece of corrugated fencing! I remember a lot of people trying to get in for free and a lot of other people trying to get out. I was 19. I thought it was brill!
Ah Stacia, she may well have affected the rest  of my life and yes of course, I loved ISB.

I learnt my lesson at previous festivals that I went to with only a blanket.

I spent the first night at Bath Festival sleeping under a chip van to avoid the rain. Fortunately our GI friends who were in the UK for 'rest and rehabilitation' (read that as 'to get straightened out before they were shipped back to the US - Vietnam did cruel things to them) turned up on the second day with PX tents, sleeping bags and enough fags to keep a chimney going.

[hendo (Dave)]

Ah Stacia, she may well have affected the rest  of my life and yes of course, I loved ISB.

She had her knockers but I thought she was a great dancer.

The comedic stylings of Mr Addie. He's here all week folks!