General Cropredy Chatter

[hendo (Dave)]

Re politics.
We always seemed fairly comfortable with ' this guitar kills fascists!'

I think this is more about: "And the liberal, with a small L cries in front of the TV" Billy Bragg

Or indeed:

"We are the Folk Song Army.
Everyone of us cares.
We all hate poverty, war, and injustice,
Unlike the rest of you squares."
                            Tom Lehrer

As my conservative father ( large and small c's) always said to me when he was disparaging my political beliefs , ' I may disagree with what you say but I will always defend your right to say it!'

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

All life is political. Get over it.  

Maybe so but we don’t want it shoved down our throats at Cropredy

Then I would avoid listening to Home Service, The Oysterband, Levellers, Merry Hell or the late Ewan Maccoll.

I do!

[hendo (Dave)]

Interesting to read the post Simon Nicol put up on f book this morning exploring the effects Brexit will have on travel delays at Airports and ports.

[musketeer john]

I've been going to Cropredy on and off for three decades, though this is my first one for 8 years. It's still Britain's friendliest festival. But only just. And there are some matters that really should be sorted. I came with my 9 year old daughter, who just danced the festival through despite the rain. However, despite the fact that she is very wee, she was still moaned at by people in their deckchairs for dancing, and was also cursed and sweared at. Cropredy really needs to send out some clear etiquette here - there were a few words with the tickets this time, which was a good start. The other matter, which has become ridiculous, is the marking out of territory. A couple near us, to the front of the tower, marked out enough space for 8 people (but for just the two of them) and wouldn't even allow people to tiptoe over their voluminous tarpaulins. If the festival had sold out, attitudes like this would have been seriously problematic. We skipped a certain troubadour this year, after comments that included my east european family in previous years created upset and really should have no place in a friendly festival. But we loved everything else. Levellers were majestic, Afro Celts and Oysterband brilliant, and most attendees thoroughly lovely. Field 8 is a real gem, and there were quite a few there who didn't leave the field for the whole festival! We'll be back again. I'll leave it there (respecting the 'anonymous' guidelines - but I do love reading all your reviews) except to say that if you don't want liberal politics at Cropredy, you'll have to start crossing off future bills at the very top, with the likes of Richard Thompson. Folk is the music of the people, and as such it will always be political, mostly of the progressive sort. Bye. I'll descend back into my Cropredy-over-blues-fug now.

[Andy]

The clampdown on plastic didn't exactly achieve a 100% coverage. For one thing you still can't get the milk jugs used for beer refilled. Also, plastic pint glasses were all over the field and the reusable ones often discarded at the end of the day. Drinking water from taps was available in the arena - good - but not in at least some of the camping fields - not so good. The Fairport milk-churn-type bottles were also discarded liberally, amazing that people have so much money to chuck around!

Incidentally several bands had plastic bottles of water on stage.

[David W]

The clampdown on plastic didn't exactly achieve a 100% coverage. For one thing you still can't get the milk jugs used for beer refilled. Also, plastic pint glasses were all over the field and the reusable ones often discarded at the end of the day. Drinking water from taps was available in the arena - good - but not in at least some of the camping fields - not so good. The Fairport milk-churn-type bottles were also discarded liberally, amazing that people have so much money to chuck around!

Incidentally several bands had plastic bottles of water on stage.

I remember the year they tried corn starch beer "glasses" which melted in the heat.

DW

[StephenB]

Ok, here I go...BL**DY FLAGS.
 
My whole view of Fairport's opening video was destroyed by two large tall flags right down by the front.  Thsy ask politely every year in the programme but obviously the offenders, no doubt of the type who think they have special privilege, and probably also park inappropriately in disabled bays and cast their litter all around them wherever they go,  blatantly ignore it.

Solutions? Well, we were incessantly advised on the big screens not to fly drones or have barbecues in our tents. So could they not also have a regular message on the screens asking people near the front to take down their flags because they're obstructing the view and enjoyment of hundreds of people who've paid the same money as them? Better still, at a few strategic points in the night maybe the compere could publicly ask people to do this.

One of the problems as I see it is that unlike with someone standing up in front of you and talking loudly, where you at least have the chance of politely asking them to move or shut up cos you know where they are, the flag bearers are hundreds of feet away from you in a milling crowd, while their immediate neighbours are maybe oblivious to the annoyance the said flag is causing others (though they're probably annoyed by them sticking umbrellas in their faces and having loud conversations through beautiful quiet songs...). The suggested plea from the screens and the stage might hopefully have the desired effect. If such requests were unfruitful, maybe the crowd marshals could then track down the offending flag owners and step in and request them politely in front of all their neighbours to comply. I really don't want to see it come to that, but hey, I do want to see the full screen, and if that's what it takes...
.

[iandiddams]

I have a solution.

Snipers. One in each of the stage "Towers".



didds

[PeterW]

A couple of flags not far from the front were blocking our view of the stage.  We asked the stewards to have a polite word with the owners and they were taken down.  The stewards can't order the owners to do this but the polite request worked.  I'm not sure that the owners were being selfish.  They just hadn't thought about basic geometry on a sloping field.

[StephenB]

Or they could fly a drone equipped with a circular saw nine feet above the crowd at the front.
Joking apart, your photo is an excellent example of tbe problem.

@PeterW...I'm glad to hear that worked - and if you're right that they just don't appreciate the problem,  then my simple suggestion of screen and compere announcements should go a long way fo solving the problem

[Pugwash]

I have a solution.

Snipers. One in each of the stage "Towers".



didds

Enormous lawn shears would do the trick.

Incidentally I also think it time there was a second line further up the field to keep back the shelter tents. On the line, the side opposite the bar, where we usually sit, on Saturday the first 35 metres or so was end to end shelters, from entry onto the field at 11am. When these are combined with land grabbing tarpaulins a few people have well over their notional space. Too much.

[David W]

A couple of flags not far from the front were blocking our view of the stage.  We asked the stewards to have a polite word with the owners and they were taken down.  The stewards can't order the owners to do this but the polite request worked.  I'm not sure that the owners were being selfish.  They just hadn't thought about basic geometry on a sloping field.

I think they probably can  

[Adam]

I can’t really see the need for flags anymore, especially since the introduction of the walkways. A quick phonecall to companions should be able to guide lost and meandering folk back to their groups..

[PeterW]

A couple of flags not far from the front were blocking our view of the stage.  We asked the stewards to have a polite word with the owners and they were taken down.  The stewards can't order the owners to do this but the polite request worked.  I'm not sure that the owners were being selfish.  They just hadn't thought about basic geometry on a sloping field.

I think they probably can  

Not according to the ones I spoke to.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

It's a British "It doesn't apply to me" phenomenon. Or, more likely, "I know it applies to me but I couldn't care less I'm going to do it anyway"

Examples:
* litter
* not picking up dog poo
* parking where it's not allowed or in disabled slots when you're not disabled
* not recycling
* speeding
* parking outside schools
* putting your rubbish out a day early
* putting down tarps when all the literature asks you not to
* putting up big flags when all the literature asks you not to
* turning up well before 7am when the gates open when all the literature asks you not to
* putting up enormous tents with a huge central gazebo when all the literature asks you not to

I could go on but I'm getting annoyed and I have to think of my blood pressure! Any ideas on how to resolve these issues gratefully received. Zero tolerance?

[John From Austin]

It's a British "It doesn't apply to me" phenomenon. Or, more likely, "I know it applies to me but I couldn't care less I'm going to do it anyway"

Common sense and courtesy at live music events are in short supply over here, as well.

Thinking of the gent three rows in front of me at ELO, who stood and filmed for the whole show, regardless of whether those around him were standing or sitting. (Note to all: Holding your cell phone aloft effectively makes you 6' 10" tall.)

[Bingers (Chris)]

It's a British "It doesn't apply to me" phenomenon. Or, more likely, "I know it applies to me but I couldn't care less I'm going to do it anyway"

Common sense and courtesy at live music events are in short supply over here, as well.

Thinking of the gent three rows in front of me at ELO, who stood and filmed for the whole show, regardless of whether those around him were standing or sitting. (Note to all: Holding your cell phone aloft effectively makes you 6' 10" tall.)

Absolutely agree about mobile phone filming. Virtually every gig in London I go to has these ignorant people doing this...so annoying!

[kenhughes]

It's a British "It doesn't apply to me" phenomenon. Or, more likely, "I know it applies to me but I couldn't care less I'm going to do it anyway"

Examples:
* litter
* not picking up dog poo
* parking where it's not allowed or in disabled slots when you're not disabled
* not recycling
* speeding
* parking outside schools
* putting your rubbish out a day early
* putting down tarps when all the literature asks you not to
* putting up big flags when all the literature asks you not to
* turning up well before 7am when the gates open when all the literature asks you not to
* putting up enormous tents with a huge central gazebo when all the literature asks you not to

I could go on but I'm getting annoyed and I have to think of my blood pressure! Any ideas on how to resolve these issues gratefully received. Zero tolerance?

Those McBastards then!!!

[StephenB]

@Brigwit,
I was holding my fire slightly in my original post- but your list says it perfectly. Some people think everyone does a few selfish things, whereas in reality most people do no selfish things, while a significant minority do multiple selfish things simply because they're selfish people and generally consider themselves exempted for all the things in your list (unless doing the good option coincidentally happens to suit them).

@John  ... imagine the next day:
"Did you enjoy the gig last night?"
"I don't know- I haven't watched the video yet."

[Tony Pim]

It's a British "It doesn't apply to me" phenomenon. Or, more likely, "I know it applies to me but I couldn't care less I'm going to do it anyway"

Examples:
* litter
* not picking up dog poo
* parking where it's not allowed or in disabled slots when you're not disabled
* not recycling
* speeding
* parking outside schools
* putting your rubbish out a day early
* putting down tarps when all the literature asks you not to
* putting up big flags when all the literature asks you not to
* turning up well before 7am when the gates open when all the literature asks you not to
* putting up enormous tents with a huge central gazebo when all the literature asks you not to

I could go on but I'm getting annoyed and I have to think of my blood pressure! Any ideas on how to resolve these issues gratefully received. Zero tolerance?

Think this nails it I love Cropredy but increasingly spend as much time in the village as on the field. It’s been said it is still the friendliest festival but increasingly difficult to justify due to the territorial claims on the field. The overwhelming majority of people at a festival are there for the same thing - a communal coming together and a 2-4 day party. I do find more intolerance at Cropredy than other festivals we go to, but the overwhelming majority I’d have a pint with any day.

Telling a child (or adult) to stop dancing ?? Hang your head