Cropredy 2022 - Band reviews

[Paul]

As we missed Friday afternoon and Saturday, it would be unfair for me to award any points.

I will say that I enjoyed Trevor Horn (& guests) hugely and found the Thumping Tommys godawful.

I will agree with you on both these points. Trevor Horn makes a great evening finisher, with a variety of well known songs.

I felt the Thumping Tommys couldn't decide whether they were a serious folk act, or a novelty act, and fell between the two stools.

Paul

[David V B]

You can’t go wrong with any of Martyn’s albums but I would start with his latest, 1960. He did several of the songs on the day and it is good as any he has done. The song about his father, Shadow Boxing, is very powerful and worth the price of admission. The previous album, Here Come The Young, is also excellent and include Driving Her Back to London.

To get Nye, you should buy the acoustic version of Sanctuary where it is a bonus track. Also a great album, includes I Searched for You. (You could also dig out Sweet Liberties, the album commemorating the Magna Carta, which has the original version of Nye.)

 We first Martyn about ten years ago at Cropredy and have seen him some 20 times since. A lovely man who never disappoints. I am biased though as he is patron of two charities I am a trustee of.  

Challenging in the heat, but here you go.

12 points go to ……………………………… The Lads. Great sound and the most emotional moments. Jack!
10 points go to ............................ Slambovian Circus of Dreams. I was struggling to get them by listening to album tracks, but a great experience live. They also get immense credit for mingling on the field and being so approachable!
  8 points go to ............................ Turin Breaks. Seen them before, but this was great and the best we have seen of them. What about their drummer being a Cropredy regular; so pleased for him to get on that stage!
  7 points go to ............................ Emily Barker (despite the poem). Such an underrated talent! Often seen with just a guitar, but with a band even better.
  6 points go to ...........................  Martyn Joseph. Can someone tell me which album to buy based on that set please 😊
  5 points go to ...........................  Home Service. I think they were better than last time. Whatever they do they have Alright Jack in their repertoire, so they are folk rock royalty.
  4 points go to ...........................  Steve Hackett. A flower!
  3 points go to ...........................  Seth. Missed Mr Digence, but very good.
  2 points go to .......................... Clannad. Great to see them and the sundown slot really suited them as the arena began to cool down.
  1 point goes to ...........................  Holy Moly and the Crackers. They were good, but I expected them to be better. Very samey songs (and I have an album!)

Sad this will be the last opportunity we have to do this!!

[ColinB]

You can’t go wrong with any of Martyn’s albums but I would start with his latest, 1960. He did several of the songs on the day and it is good as any he has done. The song about his father, Shadow Boxing, is very powerful and worth the price of admission. The previous album, Here Come The Young, is also excellent and include Driving Her Back to London.

To get Nye, you should buy the acoustic version of Sanctuary where it is a bonus track. Also a great album, includes I Searched for You. (You could also dig out Sweet Liberties, the album commemorating the Magna Carta, which has the original version of Nye.)

 We first Martyn about ten years ago at Cropredy and have seen him some 20 times since. A lovely man who never disappoints. I am biased though as he is patron of two charities I am a trustee of.  

Thanks for this David. I'll be seeing him in Lancaster next month and I must admit I know very little of his music. I can't actually remember if I've seen him live. I feel like I must have, possibly at a festival.

[Pastieboy (Trev)]

12 points go to Holy Moly
10 points go to ..Rosalee Cunningham
8 points go to .Richard Thompson
7 points go to .. Slambovians
6 points go Turin Brakes
5 points go to ... Seth Lakeman
4 points go to .... Edward2
3 points go to Sharon Shannon..
2 points to Clannad
1 point goes to ..Trevor Horn

Obviously Fairport get top every time . thinking like the World Cup trophy after 3 wins you get to keep it .

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

Thanks all,

Overnight Wednesday  top 10 of the Poll with 56 peoples votes recorded;

1...   Fairport Convention    373
2...   Richard Thompson      290
3...   Grand Slambovians     269
4...   Clannad                       237
5...   Trevor Horn                 201
6...   Turin Brakes                173
7...   Home Service              161
8...   Martyn Joseph            153
9...   Seth Lakeman             152
10.   Steve Hackett             151


Keep the votes coming in . Poll closes tonight.

This is just a bit of fun ,not representative of 16,000 people and not of a festival where I expect most of us missed a load of acts by avoiding sunstroke.
But it seems certain that 2022 was a big win for the home team.

For me this was a musical triumph of a festival. So many different genres of music , but all delivered wonderfully well. Personally I thought Holy Moly , Edward 2 and Martyn Joseph would be a bit higher. But I've meticulously counted every vote cast. Doesn't even include the brilliant Traddarr and Sandy Deny Project gig. Both delivering sets better than ever before. Also some great acts on the Fringe, Merry Hell, Haze, Treebeard and my highlight of the whole weekend , Kapreka's Constant at the Brasenose.

What a great festival we had.

[GubGub (Al)]

I'm surprised there isn't more love for Edward II. Every time I have seen them they have been absolutely top drawer. Did they have an off night?

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

No they were excellent .. just a few behind a leader-board place.

[vince42]

Might be too late but here goes...

12 Rosalie Cunningham
10 Richard Thomson
8   Slambovians
7   Steve Hackett
6   Fairport et al
5   Edward II
4   Turin Brakes
3   Trevor Horn
2    Barstewards
1    Matthews Baartmanns

My good lady would have voted for Maddie Morris but I was keeping out of the sun at that time.

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

I got your vote in. Tallying now . Final scores soon,

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

Thanks all, the Poll is now closed. This is the final outcome.

The top 10 with 72 peoples votes recorded; ( for pedants and Mathematicians out there please note that not every one used all of their votes).

1...   Fairport Convention     542
2...   Richard Thompson      392
3...   Grand Slambovians     331
4...   Clannad                     294
5...   Trevor Horn                281
6...   Bar Steward Sons       237
7...   Turin Brakes               221
8...   Home Service             212
9...   Seth Lakeman            196
10.   Steve Hackett             191


This is (of course) not representative of 16,000 people . However, Cropredy 2022 showed the love for all things Fairport with overwhelming votes for the Home Team.


What a great festival we had.

[Polly Oxford (Andie)]

Thanks Trev, a few surprise omissions for me, but then most people had to run for shelter at some point. I thought it was such a really top programme I found it imposible to choose, some of the best performances I have seen on my 30+ years on that field.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Thanks Trev!

Now onwards to next year   can’t wait for those first line up announcements!