Petula Clark

[Gouty (Gary)]

Total respect to the woman. 84 years old, for crying out loud    And I reckon the way she sang 'Blackbird' would be beyond Macca's vocal ability these days. Certainly the biggest surprise of the fest for me.

[Andy]

It's easy to fall into the trap of not judging her in the same way other artists this weekend because of her age and the affection with which she is held.

She's a lovely lady, the band were extremely competent, but really she struggled with sustaining notes and some songs were clearly misjudged - Imagine was not a triumph.

The flowers at the end completed the illusion that she was playing to her audience at the Albert Hall, or the London Palladium.

I understand why she got booked and did like some of her set, but at best it was a misstep IMHO.

At least RT was on afterwards, not before. To repeat what happened to Joan Armatrading a few years back would have been unforgivable for a national treasure like Pet.

And yes, I sang along to Downtown.

[StephenB]

"Total respect to the woman. 84 years old, for crying out loud"

And total respect to you Gary, but being good considering the age doesn't cut it for me. You're either good enough or you're not. I did enjoy her - she knows how to put on a show -although getting flowers and disappearing without a stage call/bow was a bit diva-ish for me.

[JackTalbot]

This might just be me but I really felt like she didn't "get" the crowd. Nobody goes to a festival so they can stand in a field listening to someone else list the various people you used to know for five minutes before the next song, it's like getting cornered by the boring nerk at the bar chuffed to bits because so-and-so followed him back on Twitter!

It might be a generational thing but I thought she was a really weird choice: I didn't know any of her stuff except Downtown and I never even liked that when Emma Bunton did it! I talked to someone at breakfast next day who said Petula did the original and Bunton was a cover, so maybe I'm being a young fuddy-duddy (is that a thing? If it is, can you still be one in your mid-30s??*) but I think if Richard hadn't been coming on afterwards I'd have written the whole thing off and gone to bed. As it was I grinned (well, drank) and bore it, and it was worth it for RT at least.

To be fair to her, I think she suffered from being after the Pierce Brothers who were really tough to follow, and she's got a good voice, but all the dull rambling interludes about the time she worked with George Lucas before he was famous and how she remembers what Sinatra looked like really killed the pace of the set and made the whole thing feel more like one of those awful old "An Evening With" shows than a festival. Pacing-wise she'd have done much better as an early afternoon appearance I think.

*This is probably a trick question because I've been into Fairport since I was 8 so I've probably always been a young fuddy-duddy  

[Bingers (Chris)]

Brave choice for Cropredy and, as her first ever festival appearance, thought she carried it off well. Seemed to be well received generally especially the hits! Surprised myself as I enjoyed it

[Danny_C]

I did not have great expectations for this set and these were met.  She was a bit like the proverbial dog riding a bike; it does not do it very well but you are amazed that it can do it at all!

For an 84 year old singer her voice was better than could be expected, but she could not hit and sustain the high notes and at times was flat.  Yes I sang along to a couple of the number I knew and enjoyed it sitting at the back of the field but it did not engage me or make me want to hear more.  It was lucky for her that RT was on after her or I would have gone part way through the set.

[Jim]

i didnt really want to comment on Miss Clarke as my mother always liked her, but, she was a bit wobbly at times she murdered a few songs but got away with it , because of her venerable status and a cracking band.
   i still think it was gloriously bad decision to book her and hope that it doesnt presage a whole raft of ageing crooners at cropredy much as we have been inundated with prog for the last few years

[Andy Tuck]

Seems a few moans about the name dropping and chat between the songs. I think when you have been in the music business for 70 years you have earned the right. I am normally the first to moan about chat between songs, but I found most of her stories insightful and interesting.

[Dubai Danny]

At least RT was on afterwards, not before. To repeat what happened to Joan Armatrading a few years back would have been unforgivable for a national treasure like Pet

Presumably everybody left after RT and Joan played to half a dozen people and some cows?

[Danny_C]

"Presumably everybody left after RT and Joan played to half a dozen people and some cows?"

As I recall the cows had buggered of to bed as well

[StephenB]

It was so-o boring. And as for stage presence, she looked like a school dinnerlady. I only stayed to the end because I'd come a long way to be there and thought I'd hold out for my money's worth, but I certainly trudged back to the tent disappointed.

[Tony Mc]

I did not have great expectations for this set and these were met.  She was a bit like the proverbial dog riding a bike; it does not do it very well but you are amazed that it can do it at all!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. I would have paid to see Pudsey before she died. Far more entertaining.

[Pam FC]

She covered Gnarls Barkley, gotta be one of my more surreal moment.  I think she did alright and I enjoyed it, aye she lost her notes sometimes but hey not everyone can be Shirley Bassey.

Sorry but I am impressed that she is 84 and still belting them out in a festival.  

It was so-o boring. And as for stage presence, she looked like a school dinnerlady.

Aye? H&S mate you wouldn't be allowed to wear floaty scarfs, unless I was too far back I missed her nylon tabard?

[richardkendell]

Not my choice of music but she put on a good show, irrespective of age.

[Paul]

Not really my sort of music, but I thought she did well for her age. And it was good hearing the Finian's Rainbow stuff again.

Paul

[Jim]

At least RT was on afterwards, not before. To repeat what happened to Joan Armatrading a few years back would have been unforgivable for a national treasure like Pet

Presumably everybody left after RT and Joan played to half a dozen people and some cows?

I dont know how many brave souls stuck around for the whole of ms A's set but the first 20 minute's were dreadful  and I decided that life was too short to listen to a 70s/80s relic amusing herself, and judging from the exodus from the field and chats the next day I was not alone. Pet for all her faults was immeasurably better than that.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

My biggest issue was that she didn't get a proper intro. An 84 year old veteran of the music business travels hundreds of miles to entertain us and doesn't get a few words of introduction? Poor show Fairport  
As for her set it was great! She sang some old and new songs and attempted to connect with her audience with some anecdotes. What's wrong with that? I've got used over the years to having bands at Cropredy that I wouldn't listen to normally as they're not my pint of dark, but they've always been great musicians. Petula was as good as some other bands and better than others. I would be more than happy to have a Legends slot at Cropredy. Is Tom free next August?  

[Bingers (Chris)]

I would be more than happy to have a Legends slot at Cropredy. Is Tom free next August?  

Do you mean Mr Paxton? That would be great!

[AdrianW]

Tom Robinson!

[MarkV]

I am guessing Mr Jones.