Cropredy 2024

[GubGub (Al)]

The festival is called Fairport's Cropredy Convention. The clue is in the name.

[bassline (Mike)]

Glad to hear the Spooky Men went down well but one report I read said the writer then went back to their tent as they have no interest in RT at all. I can't help thinking that some people are at the wrong festival.  :

I've also seen several reports describing a surprising number of people leaving before Richard.  The audience and the event are being pulled in differing directions.  All things to all people won't carry on working for ever...

I really enjoy RT but he is becoming the next Trevor horn or marrilkion in that he is playing too regularly.
It’s been a good festival but to non fairport attendees it’s a shame the same act is headlining Friday and Saturday.
That equates to a lack of variety but it’s still been a decent festival and with a bit more imagination the festival crowd will be even bigger than ever
Added to that there’s always the tours to keep the fairport die hards happy and sat in the warm too

Funny that you should post this after David's 'All things to all people' comment.
Al posted as I was composing this.
'RT is playing too regularly' is a sharp intake of breath comment.
He is a founding member of Fairport and a bit of a legend.
Comparing him to Trevor Horn or Marillion is another sharp intake of breath moment.
There are others, but I have to leave now to get myself there in time to see Fairport at their festival.

[Wandering Steve]

It is a comment of rebooking acts too regularly no more no less
Imo no band other than FC should be repeated more than once every three years.
It’s a turn off for many who won’t attend because they saw so and so the year before last.

I’m a big fan of RT and was lucky enough to meet him in the village a couple of years back but I do believe you need variety to keep a festival alive…
Also heard that Saturday only tickets may be a thing of the past next year (pub talk but they seemed official)
This would obviously mean any diehards who only attend Saturday would be doing their thing by keeping the festival going by buying a three day ticket which is good news all round.

[davidmjs]

Glad to hear the Spooky Men went down well but one report I read said the writer then went back to their tent as they have no interest in RT at all. I can't help thinking that some people are at the wrong festival.  :

I've also seen several reports describing a surprising number of people leaving before Richard.  The audience and the event are being pulled in differing directions.  All things to all people won't carry on working for ever...

I really enjoy RT but he is becoming the next Trevor horn or marrilkion in that he is playing too regularly.
It’s been a good festival but to non fairport attendees it’s a shame the same act is headlining Friday and Saturday.
That equates to a lack of variety but it’s still been a decent festival and with a bit more imagination the festival crowd will be even bigger than ever
Added to that there’s always the tours to keep the fairport die hards happy and sat in the warm too

Honestly?!!  Cropredy (well, the Cropredy I fell in love with 40 years ago) is dead as a dormouse with comments like that...

[Wandering Steve]

Glad to hear the Spooky Men went down well but one report I read said the writer then went back to their tent as they have no interest in RT at all. I can't help thinking that some people are at the wrong festival.  :

I've also seen several reports describing a surprising number of people leaving before Richard.  The audience and the event are being pulled in differing directions.  All things to all people won't carry on working for ever...

I really enjoy RT but he is becoming the next Trevor horn or marrilkion in that he is playing too regularly.
It’s been a good festival but to non fairport attendees it’s a shame the same act is headlining Friday and Saturday.
That equates to a lack of variety but it’s still been a decent festival and with a bit more imagination the festival crowd will be even bigger than ever
Added to that there’s always the tours to keep the fairport die hards happy and sat in the warm too

Honestly?!!  Cropredy (well, the Cropredy I fell in love with 40 years ago) is dead as a dormouse with comments like that...

Each to their own, it’s something to debate another time , I’m just about to join yourself and the thousands of others at the field of dreams…
If you see a couple pushing a young lad in a festival cart down the front that’ll be us, say hi if you see us.
Enjoy the festival and fairport this evening.

[Jim]

Glad to hear the Spooky Men went down well but one report I read said the writer then went back to their tent as they have no interest in RT at all. I can't help thinking that some people are at the wrong festival.  :

I've also seen several reports describing a surprising number of people leaving before Richard.  The audience and the event are being pulled in differing directions.  All things to all people won't carry on working for ever...

I really enjoy RT but he is becoming the next Trevor horn or marrilkion in that he is playing too regularly.
It’s been a good festival but to non fairport attendees it’s a shame the same act is headlining Friday and Saturday.
That equates to a lack of variety but it’s still been a decent festival and with a bit more imagination the festival crowd will be even bigger than ever
Added to that there’s always the tours to keep the fairport die hards happy and sat in the warm too

Honestly?!!  Cropredy (well, the Cropredy I fell in love with 40 years ago) is dead as a dormouse with comments like that...

Spot on David

Are we doing a listen in ?
It's on BBC Radio Oxford at 8 o'clock pm hours

[iandiddams]

I've also seen several reports describing a surprising number of people leaving before Richard.  The audience and the event are being pulled in differing directions.  All things to all people won't carry on working for ever...

Well people were leaving in droves around us when SMC started. Some overheard comments were not at all complimrntary...

[Wandering Steve]

Well tonight I’m afraid was an all time low
On pops jasper carrot pre 9pm and starts a very poor attempt at comedy littered with swearing at a family festival
The group I was with had young children who were asking ‘did he just say , this word, that word etc’ they all promptly left the field not to return which is fair enough.
I’m afraid jaspers comedy is outdated and to come on swearing away talking about adult topics in front of young children with no pre warning is a very bad read of the room from the organisers.
I am certainly no snowflake but on the way back to the campsite four other groups with young children all said the same thing.
People deserve better from britains friendliest festival.
Most of the field were expecting a decent music star but were ‘treated ‘ to that…….
A low end to what had been a great weekend

I went back up and I’m listening now to Matty groves but I wish my friends were here…

Hopefully lessons will be learnt.

[Jim]

The Cropredy set used to be really special.  It hasn't been for nearly 10 years now it's the Winter tour  with whoever is backstage now.  Disappointing tonight

[Chris from Fieldtown]

Well tonight I’m afraid was an all time low
On pops jasper carrot pre 9pm and starts a very poor attempt at comedy littered with swearing at a family festival
The group I was with had young children who were asking ‘did he just say , this word, that word etc’ they all promptly left the field not to return which is fair enough.
I’m afraid jaspers comedy is outdated and to come on swearing away talking about adult topics in front of young children with no pre warning is a very bad read of the room from the organisers.
I am certainly no snowflake but on the way back to the campsite four other groups with young children all said the same thing.
People deserve better from britains friendliest festival.
Most of the field were expecting a decent music star but were ‘treated ‘ to that…….
A low end to what had been a great weekend

I went back up and I’m listening now to Matty groves but I wish my friends were here…

Sounds like they seriously misjudged jasper's slot. Sorry it spoilt your festival experience. With so many talented people they know, surely Ralph or another family friendly artist could have filled that slot.

Hopefully lessons will be learnt.

[Wandering Steve]

Well tonight I’m afraid was an all time low
On pops jasper carrot pre 9pm and starts a very poor attempt at comedy littered with swearing at a family festival
The group I was with had young children who were asking ‘did he just say , this word, that word etc’ they all promptly left the field not to return which is fair enough.
I’m afraid jaspers comedy is outdated and to come on swearing away talking about adult topics in front of young children with no pre warning is a very bad read of the room from the organisers.
I am certainly no snowflake but on the way back to the campsite four other groups with young children all said the same thing.
People deserve better from britains friendliest festival.
Most of the field were expecting a decent music star but were ‘treated ‘ to that…….
A low end to what had been a great weekend

I went back up and I’m listening now to Matty groves but I wish my friends were here…


Sounds like they seriously misjudged jasper's slot. Sorry it spoilt your festival experience. With so many talented people they know, surely Ralph or another family friendly artist could have filled that slot.

Hopefully lessons will be learnt.

He didn’t seem to be getting many laughs but I was at the back (people were just staring blankly) I was more disappointed in the fact that he’d been booked and how badly someone had read the room.
If I’m at an 18 + comedy club then fine , times have moved on in the last 15 years and it couldn’t have been hard to send out a warning to those with young children.
I just expected better from a really well run festival
To be honest the field was full with people eagerly awaiting a special moment music wise.
They got this instead , I could feel the place deflate around me and then he was off and running….

Fair play to JC he’s had a good career and done very well for himself but a family festival is no longer the place for him imo

[iandiddams]

It frankly smacked of an open slot that never got filled and he was a last minute desperate booking.

OR RT was the special secret guest ( which let's facpe it in reality given this is cropredy he is neither, without intending to insult him).
and because RT had to cover Friday left that slot open at last minute,  in prime festival season and nobody available to book on a short notice.

[bassline (Mike)]

Just got back from the field.
As I entered in the first instance, I thought I'd check to see where I put my car keys, just as the Zac Schulze Band were singing about a 'Hole In My Pocket.' Luckily, I didn't have one,and I still had my keys. They then mentioned a band from Canvey Island, and we know who they are don't we ? They then proceeded to play 'She Does It Right' which was nice, as it's my favourite Feelgood's song, and one that I used to sing in my blues band. It turns out that I used to do most of the rest of their set as well. It could have been me up there....
Ranagri's first tune was nice, but then, with the next song Cropredy turned into what turned out to be a US election rally, which I could have done without for a few hours, but Eddi and Jasper referenced it too, and Ric was sporting a Kamala 2024 t-shirt and he recons she will save the world. There are other opinions.
Focus did all the hits - including Sylvia which was another song I used to do. (I still have a tape of us rehearsing it. The sections are very similar, but different, and it's easy to get lost. The tape ends with the words 'Oh stop ! It's getting worse.') I'm pretty sure that the last time I saw them, Thijs was still doing all the high notes in Hocus Pocus, but this time it was the guitarist and the audience doing the honours.
Eddi Reader was brilliant. Both vocally, as should be expected, her dancing, and her humour which was way better than Carrott. I like Eddi very much. (Boo was there too.)
I have to admit, for a brief moment, very brief...I was thinking the guest might be somebody whose first name was Bob. Then I was thinking 'Oh I hope it's not Scott Doonican', who I saw in the crowd. No offence Scott.
I guessed it was gonna be a comedian when it was announced. I was hoping it might be Bill Bailey, but it turned out to be Carrott. So it turned out not to be a comedian after all. To be fair, I have a bunch of his records, and I'm a fan, but Eddi was funnier by far.
Fairport were OK. Ralph was a nice addition. Anna did her thing. The young guest couples were fine. I don't recall hearing Sir William Gower before. Sloth was fine. I'm glad Simon announced that the crisis was averted and the festival will be back next year.
If it is, I hope RT is booked. After all, apart from FC, he is the act that has appeared there the most.
Even more than Trevor Horn and Marillion.

[Wandering Steve]

I thought fairport were ok this year a steady 7/10.
I’m hoping for a  line up with better headliners next year (although I do understand the reasons for the same acts headlining both fri/sat this year.
I enjoyed less bands than normal on the line up if I’m honest but again found a couple I’d previously not heard of who I really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed the festival but will be hoping for a bit more variety in the acts next year.

Soon be back to normal life in the village for another year….

[Dubai Danny]

'RT is playing too regularly' is a sharp intake of breath comment.
He is a founding member of Fairport and a bit of a legend.

He's also very much a Marmite act, not least because of his voice - my wife thinks it's OK for some songs and can't stand it on others.

I've never understood the attitude that you like FC or folk in general you *have* to like RT. I took a long time to come round to him, and while he's done some undoubtedly great stuff, he's also done a lot of very similar-sounding filler; it must be 10 years ago that someone on here said "RT has been putting out the same album for the last 10 years", and I know exactly what they meant.

[hendo (Dave)]

I sat  at home and listened to Fairports set.
Enjoyed the arrangements of the older songs . With an unexpected addition which took me back but I have heard Sloth done 3625 times, (ok I exaggerate😇), Chris’s songs have generally been too twee for me. He writes well but I don’t think the Chris Leslie Band would be filling a field in Oxfordshire. Sorry Chris. It’s a back catalogue  and a history that does that…..
The comments on here about people not liking RT have been rehashed before.
Let’s sum it up….
Pre 2003 ……perhaps earlier ,it was a fest where people went for Fairports  ,at their fest.
It became a 3 day fest , people started to go for other bands…so some 20 yrs later I suspect the majority of the field are not going to see Fairports and a large proportion of them don’t know who RT is…..and you can like the present Fairports without liking RT.
It was an ok set, a winter tour set , that I have seen several times.
I know people will have loved it …..I’m not being a grouch , Chris has been in the band 27 yrs and it’s the present Fairport , not the one that blazed for 6 months in 1969.
This year I have been to gigs and watched Show of Hands , Oysterband on their final tours.
Time catches up with us all, I know for Fairports , Cropredy and the Winter tour are their living.
I genuinely, genuinely hope you all had a wonderful time . Sheens emergency dental work stopped me getting to the Brase……and I sat by the radiogramme last night , adjusting my cats whisker ( Bill stop it,)
hoping for a wave of nostalgia. Not missing Cropredy any more is simply very sad, I always thought I would be there…..
Off to Between the Trees Fest in 2 weeks to see a bunch of bands I’ve never heard of , except for 3 , to be in a field with people I’ve never met….a bit like Cropredy in the 80’s.but that was 40 yrs ago.!
The Brase seemed to capture the ethos of early Cropredies , new names and class acts.
Life goes full circle.

[David V B]

7/10 seems very fair. Having seen the winter tour there were no real surprises. Bit disappointed by the lack of guests apart from Ralph. Always good to hear Red and Gold. Did enjoy Sloth though as it always reminds me how very fine a bass player Peggy is. Also Reynardine. Not sure it was enough to get us down from the North West next year. A lot depends on the line up now to give us that push and there are fewer acts to do that.

As for Jasper C, we went to see him a year ago and I thought it was a very lazy act - like 40 years had never happened. Best thing was Fake Thackeray as support. Don’t remember an issue with swearing - could be down to context or perhaps I am just inured to it. Comedians are always a risky booking as most are marmite. Bill Bailey certainly the best option, have never heard him swear and very funny/likeable.

[bassline (Mike)]

'RT is playing too regularly' is a sharp intake of breath comment.
He is a founding member of Fairport and a bit of a legend.

He's also very much a Marmite act, not least because of his voice - my wife thinks it's OK for some songs and can't stand it on others.

I've never understood the attitude that you like FC or folk in general you *have* to like RT. I took a long time to come round to him, and while he's done some undoubtedly great stuff, he's also done a lot of very similar-sounding filler; it must be 10 years ago that someone on here said "RT has been putting out the same album for the last 10 years", and I know exactly what they meant.

You don't have to like him.
I don't think that attitude exists.
It all comes round again to what Cropredy was always about.
The current band, the ex members, and the fans of them meeting together.

To say he's getting to be like Trevor Horn is not understanding this.
 

[Dan O.]

'RT is playing too regularly' is a sharp intake of breath comment.
He is a founding member of Fairport and a bit of a legend.

He's also very much a Marmite act, not least because of his voice - my wife thinks it's OK for some songs and can't stand it on others.

I've never understood the attitude that you like FC or folk in general you *have* to like RT. I took a long time to come round to him, and while he's done some undoubtedly great stuff, he's also done a lot of very similar-sounding filler; it must be 10 years ago that someone on here said "RT has been putting out the same album for the last 10 years", and I know exactly what they meant.

You don't have to like him.
I don't think that attitude exists.
It all comes round again to what Cropredy was always about.
The current band, the ex members, and the fans of them meeting together.

To say he's getting to be like Trevor Horn is not understanding this.
 

Exactly, I love both equally - indeed I discovered Fairport Convention via Richard Thompson - i.e. this bloke used to be in a band, what were they like ? Time to investigate...

However, I've come across several people who love RT but wouldn't even consider going to watch FC and vice versa.

[Adam]

Got home an hour or so ago. I feel a bit odd, to be honest, as this was the first Cropredy in my 36 yrs that I haven’t come home buzzing. I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it; I think it’s down to the music. I only attended Friday and Saturday. Friday was a hot one! Black Water County were enjoyable (reminded me of Skinny Lister), and it was nice to hear some Lindisfarne from Silverblues. The next three acts (Dewolf, Baskery and Elles Bailey were all bluesy/rock/americana, perfectly pleasant in the sunshine, but sort of washed over me. I liked Big Big Train, but wished I’d done my homework and listened to more of their stuff beforehand. Spooky Men’s chorale were my festival highlight; I didn’t know what to expect, and loved them. Something different and original!

Saturday went quickly, but again, the music was ok but nothing really grabbed me apart from Eddie Reader (brilliant) and I enjoyed Fairport’s set, and have grown to really enjoy Chris Leslie’s songs. Nice video tribute to Gerry as well.

I appreciate that the vendors need to turn a profit, but minimum of £11-£14 for a burger is a bit steep. Best value was the Mac n cheese for a fiver - v tasty!

I still don’t know why Jasper Carrot wasn’t just billed, rather than as a surprise special guest? I wonder if someone else fell through. I thought he was pretty funny, but horses for courses and all that.

I wonder if the budget was blown in previous years (Nile Rogers, Brian Wilson et al), hence a more low-key lineup this year.  Looking back at old programmes, Rick Wakeman was mid-bill in 2010, headliner this year.

I’ll definitely be seeing Fairport on the Autumn and Wintour, but the Cropredy lineup will play a factor in how many days I attend next year. An odd feeling indeed…..