Cropredy 2025 Wishlist

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

Anyway. I would also like to see RuMac play.

 He was highly entertaining, funny and original and really got the audience ( of a wide age range) engaged, when we saw him earlier this summer.

[iandiddams]

We’re really discussing people’s own personal wishes for 2025…so that sounds reasonable to me. They [ FC ] have celebrated album anniversaries at their festival before, after all.

it did strike me that with their back catalogue FC could do a "Full House" style set almost every year (50/40/30/25 year anniversaries etc) for the first half of their set.  second half could then be all the stuff that has been wheeled out for the best party of a decade ;-)

eg next year is 50 years of "Rising For The Moon" or 40 years of "Gladys' Leap" or 20 years of "Jewel In the Crown" or 25 years of "The Wood and the Wire".

other than that real wishlist stuff would be

Beaux gris gris and the apocalypse
Gaz Brookfield and the Company of Thieves
Mark Harrison
Henry Priestman and Les Glover
Lowri Evans
Jack Grace band
Jon Amor Trio
" Oh My God! It's The Church" - probably a bit too "out there" and "weird" - but fun!

[Sue & Chris]

We’re really discussing people’s own personal wishes for 2025…so that sounds reasonable to me. They [ FC ] have celebrated album anniversaries at their festival before, after all.

it did strike me that with their back catalogue FC could do a "Full House" style set almost every year (50/40/30/25 year anniversaries etc) for the first half of their set.  second half could then be all the stuff that has been wheeled out for the best party of a decade ;-)

eg next year is 50 years of "Rising For The Moon" or 40 years of "Gladys' Leap" or 20 years of "Jewel In the Crown" or 25 years of "The Wood and the Wire".

Jewel in the Crown has a strong claim to being the best post-reformation album, imo. Would be good to see it featured at Cropredy on its 30th anniversary, with someone like P J Wright filling in for Maart.

[Wandering Steve]

…extra request from me…

Fairport performing a good wodge of Rising for the Moon on its 50th anniversary with a special guest singer..

That’s one for the win tour
We’re on about bands which may help the festival survive

We’re really discussing people’s own personal wishes for 2025…so that sounds reasonable to me. They have celebrated album anniversaries at their festival before, after all.

Aye, what with it being (supposedly, anyway) their festival and all that...  It sometimes sounds like they're unwanted intruders at something which was (until fairly recently) entirely about them.  It's utterly monstrous.

… but looking at other Fairport F book sites…people asking why Fairport set is so long!!!!!!
For old farts like you and me David , I think we are accepting that the fest has become a generic fest at which Fairports and all things Fairport related are not the main attraction.
.and to go off at a tangent I happened to be folding (!) a 1993 Fest T-shirt today at which Robert Plant and Roy Wood did long sets as part of a 4 hr Fairport set. Tempis Fugit.

They did.
And there were complaints that there was not enough Fairport that year, so 94 had no special surprise guests.
But you're right, the raison d'etre for Cropredy existing in the first place is bothersome for some people.
People who are not only continually suggesting that if the festival books they acts they want to see the event will be better, but those that want to see Fairport can go and see them on the winter tour, and even suggesting what the band play on that.

Well let’s get one thing straight
The festival was roughly at half capacity this year (it seemed fuller to me) but I have it on good authority that there less than 12,000 tickets sold.
That DOES mean that the line up offerings given did not entice the general public this year.
Last years festival DID have a much better more varied line up with better headliners and the attendance was far bigger (I read somewhere over 15,000)
No one on here can argue those facts.

Imo there were two or three bands playing at the fringe who would have added variety and quality to the main festival
Steve knightly
Dread zone
Leatherat

That’s before you get onto possible headliners for next year.

I listened to 90 per cent of the acts at the main field and none I found terrible , a lot washed over me rather than grabbed me and personally I enjoyed RT and fairport (the latter being a 7/10 job this year and playing the same old stuff they have on the field for the last few years)
A competent performance given their advancing years but nothing mindblowing.

The vibe was great (until JC) and a good time was had.

How did you find the festival this year Mike compared to other years you’ve attended?
What was your highlight on the field this year?
Did you enjoy being there?

Interested to hear your opinion of the weekend.

[Sue & Chris]

Well let’s get one thing straight
The festival was roughly at half capacity this year (it seemed fuller to me) but I have it on good authority that there less than 12,000 tickets sold.
That DOES mean that the line up offerings given did not entice the general public this year.
Last years festival DID have a much better more varied line up with better headliners and the attendance was far bigger (I read somewhere over 15,000)
No one on here can argue those facts.

Imo there were two or three bands playing at the fringe who would have added variety and quality to the main festival
Steve knightly
Dread zone
Leatherat

Well, in the best traditions of the Spooky Men, I'll give it a go.

According to a post on last year's thread, Simon said on Radio Oxford that there were about 11,000 people in the field. So, if that's right, and your number above is correct, there were actually more people there this year than in 2023.

But the fact is that none of us know the actual attendance for any year (unless it's sold out) and it's not too hard to find anecdotal data that confirms our own particular bias. Opinions about the quality of the line up in any given year are just that.

And if you really think any of Steve Knightley, Dreadzone and Leatherat would have moved the dial significantly in terms of attendance, I'll have some of what you're smoking!

[Shane (Skirky)]

My nominations for the combined ticket sales/crowd pleasing/living legend/new favourite band category at this year's TAW 2025 Wishlist;

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Tom Robinson Band
Rag n' Bone Man
Lachlan Bryan and The Wildes / The Pleasures
Police Dog Hogan
Albert Lee
The Tony Winn Band
Dana Immanuel and The Stolen Band
Fargo Railroad Co.
Emily Portman
Trilogy

I will now be taking questions.  

[Andy]

I can so agree with

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Tom Robinson Band
Rag n' Bone Man
Police Dog Hogan
Albert Lee

and would randomly add Frank Turner, Jack White, Peter Gabriel (unlikely), Kasabian, Banter, Kaiser Chiefs, Hawkwind, Squeeze, Cyndi Lauper, Sleaford Mods, Old Time Sailors Longest Johns, and, please The Decemberists.

A good Thursday night headliner might be Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds or Ringo Starr's All-Star band.

[bassline (Mike)]

…extra request from me…

Fairport performing a good wodge of Rising for the Moon on its 50th anniversary with a special guest singer..

That’s one for the win tour
We’re on about bands which may help the festival survive

We’re really discussing people’s own personal wishes for 2025…so that sounds reasonable to me. They have celebrated album anniversaries at their festival before, after all.

Aye, what with it being (supposedly, anyway) their festival and all that...  It sometimes sounds like they're unwanted intruders at something which was (until fairly recently) entirely about them.  It's utterly monstrous.

… but looking at other Fairport F book sites…people asking why Fairport set is so long!!!!!!
For old farts like you and me David , I think we are accepting that the fest has become a generic fest at which Fairports and all things Fairport related are not the main attraction.
.and to go off at a tangent I happened to be folding (!) a 1993 Fest T-shirt today at which Robert Plant and Roy Wood did long sets as part of a 4 hr Fairport set. Tempis Fugit.

They did.
And there were complaints that there was not enough Fairport that year, so 94 had no special surprise guests.
But you're right, the raison d'etre for Cropredy existing in the first place is bothersome for some people.
People who are not only continually suggesting that if the festival books they acts they want to see the event will be better, but those that want to see Fairport can go and see them on the winter tour, and even suggesting what the band play on that.

Well let’s get one thing straight
The festival was roughly at half capacity this year (it seemed fuller to me) but I have it on good authority that there less than 12,000 tickets sold.
That DOES mean that the line up offerings given did not entice the general public this year.
Last years festival DID have a much better more varied line up with better headliners and the attendance was far bigger (I read somewhere over 15,000)
No one on here can argue those facts.

Imo there were two or three bands playing at the fringe who would have added variety and quality to the main festival
Steve knightly
Dread zone
Leatherat

That’s before you get onto possible headliners for next year.

I listened to 90 per cent of the acts at the main field and none I found terrible , a lot washed over me rather than grabbed me and personally I enjoyed RT and fairport (the latter being a 7/10 job this year and playing the same old stuff they have on the field for the last few years)
A competent performance given their advancing years but nothing mindblowing.

The vibe was great (until JC) and a good time was had.

How did you find the festival this year Mike compared to other years you’ve attended?
What was your highlight on the field this year?
Did you enjoy being there?

Interested to hear your opinion of the weekend.

This is a discussion forum.
There are facts, opinions, and preferences.
Often people state both opinions and preferences as facts.

Whether there are 100, 10,000 or 20,000 people in the field, chances are there will be 100, 10,000 or 20,000 different viewpoints.
This thread is an annual example of that.
Bit pointless, bit of fun, some of the acts might appear, some might not.
If they appear, they may or may not be booked as a result of being in this thread.

To answer your questions in reverse order :
Yes.
Eddi Reader.
It was in the same field as it usually is, so with little difficulty.

[Poor Will (Bill)]

Another shout for The Decemberists!
This year they seem to be in the UK for just one festival gig which seems a little strange.

[PhilipK]

Taylor Swift - playing the whole of the folklore album.

(I'm allowed my dreams, amn't I?)

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

Taylor Swift - playing the whole of the folklore album.

(I'm allowed my dreams, amn't I?)

Yes, but if they came true the usual clientele would struggle to get tickets.    

[PaulT]

Well, having seen Fat Freddy's Drop at the Oxford O2 on Monday night, I reckon they'd be ideal for a warm summer's afternoon - reggae, funk, a bit of house, a horn section - I could see them appealing to those of us who enjoyed Dreadzone.

But - and it's a very BIG but - they're based in Aotearoa/NZ, so the fee would likely be prohibitive - unless they were touring UK/Europe again next year - unlikely, I'd have thought..

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

It seems to me that the reason Cropredy is special to many is that it has an Individuality. If we want to chase bums on grass (or Chairs) for its own sake we might lose the baby with the bathwater.

We need to fine tune what is already a joyous thing. We can do that by ;

a). Ensuring high profile Headliners who will draw a crowd. ( eg, Kaiser Chiefs, Saucer full of secrets , Blackmores Knight. )

b). Respecting that this is a folk rock event at heart. ( eg a selection from Ferocious Dog , Skinny Lister, Blackbeard's Tea Party etc on the bill )

c). A bit of variety ,(Dream in Colours, Tankus the Henge, The Heimatdamisch , Dreadzone. Gary Stewarts Graceland.)

d). A bit of International . (Skerryvore, Tidelines, Slambodians , Pierce Brothers, )

e). A couple of good singer/songwriter types,  ( Gaz Brookfield, Becky Mills etc)

This years bill was prog heavy and I loved it, but a better balance might draw in more. There is nothing wrong with the most wonderful event that a bit of TLC and careful pruning might improve.

[davidmjs]

I can so agree with

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Tom Robinson Band
Rag n' Bone Man
Police Dog Hogan
Albert Lee

and would randomly add Frank Turner, Jack White, Peter Gabriel (unlikely), Kasabian, Banter, Kaiser Chiefs, Hawkwind, Squeeze, Cyndi Lauper, Sleaford Mods, Old Time Sailors Longest Johns, and, please The Decemberists.

A good Thursday night headliner might be Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds or Ringo Starr's All-Star band.

Now that is the most hilarious suggestion I have ever heard.  I would so definitely go again if the Mods were playing.  90% of the audience (and I do actually mean that) would be losing their minds.  Oh my God, nothing could be more entertaining than that.  You've made my month, Andy.

[iandiddams]

It seems to me that the reason Cropredy is special to many is that it has an Individuality. If we want to chase bums on grass (or Chairs) for its own sake we might lose the baby with the bathwater.

We need to fine tune what is already a joyous thing. We can do that by ;

a). Ensuring high profile Headliners who will draw a crowd. ( eg, Kaiser Chiefs, Saucer full of secrets , Blackmores Knight. )

b). Respecting that this is a folk rock event at heart. ( eg a selection from Ferocious Dog , Skinny Lister, Blackbeard's Tea Party etc on the bill )

c). A bit of variety ,(Dream in Colours, Tankus the Henge, The Heimatdamisch , Dreadzone. Gary Stewarts Graceland.)

d). A bit of International . (Skerryvore, Tidelines, Slambodians , Pierce Brothers, )

e). A couple of good singer/songwriter types,  ( Gaz Brookfield, Becky Mills etc)

This years bill was prog heavy and I loved it, but a better balance might draw in more. There is nothing wrong with the most wonderful event that a bit of TLC and careful pruning might improve.

no issues with any of that (and great call on Tankus the Henge!) but the reality is it IS seen as an old person's festival, and old people die off over time.

So you can put anybody you like on stage, but if the usual suspects demographic is shrinking, then the bums on seats/blankets will decrease over time.

And so we are back to either accepting there is a end date that is inevitable, or the festival has attract those that are not "old" - which wont happen with the "old people's festival" line-ups. And if the line-ups change to attract a younger age group then it may lose the older traditional demographic so maybe just robs peter to pay paul.

im not saying any of these scenario is the right one. Just seems logical.

[David W]

Thursday Headliner:

Pretenders / Texas / Deacon Blue / Paul Heaton

Friday headliner

Nick Lowe / Paul Carrack / Crowded House

Pre FC special guest - Graham Nash

Others on the bill:

Leisure Society / Magpie Arc / Beth Nielsen Chapman (or as guest with FC) / Gwenno / Nine Ton Peanut Smugglers (brilliant surf rock band) / Richard Durrant

and a few returners

Leatherat / Tradarrr / Dreadzone / E2 revival / Larkin Poe / Thea Gilmore

Fairport Friends

Ian Matthews / Thommo and Zara / PJ Wright / Percy / Thea Gilmore

[Jim]

…extra request from me…

Fairport performing a good wodge of Rising for the Moon on its 50th anniversary with a special guest singer..

That’s one for the win tour
We’re on about bands which may help the festival survive

If it was/is part of the winter tour set, then you can safely back it to be part of the Cropredy setlist

I can so agree with

Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets
Tom Robinson Band
Rag n' Bone Man
Police Dog Hogan
Albert Lee

and would randomly add Frank Turner, Jack White, Peter Gabriel (unlikely), Kasabian, Banter, Kaiser Chiefs, Hawkwind, Squeeze, Cyndi Lauper, Sleaford Mods, Old Time Sailors Longest Johns, and, please The Decemberists.

A good Thursday night headliner might be Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds or Ringo Starr's All-Star band.

Sleaford mods?  People swooned with fits of the vapours when Steve Diggle indulged in a spot of lord mayoring when Buzzcocks appeared!
A team of counsellors might need to be available on site

[Wandering Steve]

It seems to me that the reason Cropredy is special to many is that it has an Individuality. If we want to chase bums on grass (or Chairs) for its own sake we might lose the baby with the bathwater.

We need to fine tune what is already a joyous thing. We can do that by ;

a). Ensuring high profile Headliners who will draw a crowd. ( eg, Kaiser Chiefs, Saucer full of secrets , Blackmores Knight. )

b). Respecting that this is a folk rock event at heart. ( eg a selection from Ferocious Dog , Skinny Lister, Blackbeard's Tea Party etc on the bill )

c). A bit of variety ,(Dream in Colours, Tankus the Henge, The Heimatdamisch , Dreadzone. Gary Stewarts Graceland.)

d). A bit of International . (Skerryvore, Tidelines, Slambodians , Pierce Brothers, )

e). A couple of good singer/songwriter types,  ( Gaz Brookfield, Becky Mills etc)

This years bill was prog heavy and I loved it, but a better balance might draw in more. There is nothing wrong with the most wonderful event that a bit of TLC and careful pruning might improve.

Couldn’t argue with any of that.
That always seemed to be the rationale in previous years and this year it wasn’t imo.

[GubGub (Al)]

…extra request from me…

Fairport performing a good wodge of Rising for the Moon on its 50th anniversary with a special guest singer..

That’s one for the win tour
We’re on about bands which may help the festival survive

No we're not. We're on about what people on this forum would like to see. Nobody mentioned any other criteria than that.

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

…extra request from me…

Fairport performing a good wodge of Rising for the Moon on its 50th anniversary with a special guest singer..

That’s one for the win tour
We’re on about bands which may help the festival survive

No we're not. We're on about what people on this forum would like to see. Nobody mentioned any other criteria than that.

I did point out similar, earlier…quite agree.