Once again, we head to Cropredy for the friendliest festival in the land; Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. Another year of fine music and great vibes.

THURSDAY

FAIRPORT ACOUSTIC

The village clock strikes four and we’re off – Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2024 is open for business. Amidst sporadic rain, Chris Leslie leads the charge as Fairport surge into Cropredy’s compulsory clarion call, Festival Bell. The Cropredy audience know the score, loudly and confidently joining in, on cue and with perfect timing, with the song’s one-word “Jack!” chorus. Dave Pegg offers thanks to Hook Norton Brewery and advised the bar staff to brace themselves. The party is underway.

Simon, clad in a smart, purple, Beverley Craven tee-shirt calls the next couple of shots. Firstly, a dive back to Fairport’s 1995 Jewel In The Crown album for Steve Tilston’s Slip Jigs And Reels, before moving on to deliver the first of the weekend’s many welcome surprises by revisiting his 1987 solo album, Before Your Time, for a run through that album’s opening track, Over The Lancashire Hills, a song guaranteed to resonate with At The Barrier’s crew of Lancastrian scribes.

Fairport’s acoustic set is always a short one, its main purpose being to reassure the assembled masses that they’re REALLY here and to get the party off to a rousing start. So, what better way to accomplish that objective than with John Gaudie. Chris’s and Ric’s fiddles fly in perfect accord. The audience claps and dances along, legs were a-shakin’ and the festival vibe is well and truly with us.

Rain? Who cares about rain??

FEAST OF FIDDLES

Thirty years on from their first gathering in a village hall, the collective that is Feast Of Fiddles line up across the front of the Cropredy stage to do exactly what it says on the tin. Seven fiddles jigging and reeling away with a power trio (including Dave Mattacks) on the backline. There’s no unnecessary banter as they launch into a set that’s bookended with a plethora of uplifting tunes plus Zeps’ Kashmir (“where’s Robert Plant when you need him!?” says Hugh Crabtree who’s bossing things and gurning at the crowd like a manic folk Lemmy).

The ensemble pieces bookend a series of solo-ish spotlights, with several members of the entourage taking a moment in the spotlight. John Barleycorn  rings out impressively with gusto and a fair bit of hollering, the electric backing behind the massed ranks of  fiddles gives a meaty depth – hope people noted the ‘prog’ and Zappa stickers on the body of Dave Harding’s bass…

Meanwhile, Garry Blakeley takes on a Richard Thompson song – “that’s dangerous” comes one quip from the ranks; Ian Cutler and Marion Fleetwood get their spotlight with Marion dedicating Silver Dagger to the first of her ex-husbands. However, not pick out anyone in particular, but we will, current Merry Hell-er Simon Swarbrick and his Lemon Dog Roll is a highlight that swings, sees the bass getting well slapped and has Simon stepping on the pedals for some wah-wah fiddle.

Keeping up the intensity, Brian McNeill declares he’s “from another place”, abandons his fiddle for twelve strings and leads a dramatic Yew Tree – a song, incidentally that, by our reckoning, he last performed on the Cropredy stage when he appeared here with The Battlefield Band, way back in 1983; surely a Cropredy record for the longest gap between two performances of the same song by the same artist. Intensity down, Chris Leslie leads on “one of our Christmas hits” and Geronimo Cadillac is typically appealing. The tunes that bring the curtain down take us into what else but the Magnificent Seven theme; the twangy solo right on point as the jigging and reeling continues to ensure that Feast Of Fiddles kick start the festival proper with a feel good finale with this feast of fiddles performing feats with fiddles.

KATRYN TICKELL & THE DARKENING

It’s been a long, long time. It was 1995 when Kathryn Tickell last graced the Cropredy stage; 29 years ago – that’s far too long an absence for a talent and presence as huge as Kathryn Tickell; but doesn’t she make up for lost time.

When she was last here, her milestone Borderlands album was nobbut a kitten, now it’s a veritable monolith. This time around, Kathryn had wrapped herself in a gown of top-notch musicians to add some special substance to her Northumbrian pipes and fiddle – Amy Thatcher on accordion, synth and vocals, Josie Duncan on clarsach and vocals, Kieran Szifris on octave mandolin and Joe Truswell on drums. They make a sound to die for!

Kathryn’s set is a stirring mix of tunes – both self-composed and traditional – and songs, with a couple of spots of clog-stepping from Amy thrown in for good measure. The band can funk it up, too, as they show right from the opening medley of Northumbrian tunes. Kathryn switches smoothly between pipes and fiddle and Josie charms the grass from the field with her delivery on songs like The Night Visiting Song.

The band cover a lot of ground with their tunes; Shetland tune, The New Rigged Ship is bright and bubbly. Just Stop and Eat the Roses mixes pensive contemplation with utter joie-de-vivre, and The stunning One Night In Morana, a tune inspired by a post-COVID trip to Galicia, has the crowd leaping, stomping and shrieking along in the best Galician tradition. It is clear the band are having a marvellous time, indeed, Kieran rocked so hard that his specs flew off at one point; I hope they weren’t broken…! But, just maybe, the highlight of Kathryn’s phenomenal set is the sublime medley, Lindisfarne, The Island; an evocative set of tunes from Kathryn’s own pen. They’re beautiful.

Kathryn Tickell and The Darkening hold Cropredy in the palm of their hand. They are bright and deliciously loud; they make the ground buzz beneath the feet and, for one glorious hour, the now persistent rain is forgotten about. Thanks for a great show, Kathryn – just don’t leave it another 29 years before coming back to Cropredy.

TONY CHRISTIE

Tony Christie walks on stage, nay prowls – like a panther – as per the opening song, with what Scott Doonican (he’s spotted on site on Saturday…) would call a ‘shit hot’ six piece band. He’s primed for stepping up to the plate after a Fairport approved pre-festival build up. “Standards have fallen, my value has dropped,” he croons in the chorus  – we shall see… 

He seems to have been taking notes from the Ric Sanders school of comedy. Self-deprecating references to his dementia and dyeing his hair grey carefully placed to set out a stall that takes us waaaay back and right up to date with songs from the new album recently recorded in Nashville.  

Christie picks the title track and Just Like Yesterday to showcase his newest work. Pretty quickly, it’s back to the early Seventies as we’re warned Don’t Go Down To Reno. As we smooch through Like Sister And Brother the memory banks are given a gentle shake to  awake and remind us most in the field know most of these songs.  The muted trumpet (a key ingredient in the Christie band) hints that Danger Is A Woman In Love would be a perfect Bond theme, but as the muscle memory is warmed, even the bar dwellers are starting to groove to Avenues & Alleyways and I Did What I Did For Maria as the hits flow and Neil Sedaka’s Solitaire and Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon hit the buttons marked tear jerker and lounge jazz.

Naturally, (Is This the Way to) Amarillo provides much fun and frivolity – another Sedaka penned hit that had a resurgence in the early noughties. Kudos to the programming team as the reaction for Tony Christie seems to have paid off. This has been an inspired choice.

RICK WAKEMAN & THE ENGLISH ROCK ENSEMBLE

Resplendent in multi-coloured sequinned cape, Rick Wakeman strolls on to the stage after a 15 year Cropredy absence. One hopes there isn’t another 15 year gap, because not only would he be 90 then, but for the reason that this was a spectacular show in which Wakeman performs Journey To The Centre Of The Earth in a spectacular manner. He and his English Rock Ensemble achieve something not often heard in progressive music; a set you can sing along to because the songs are fabulous, but like his vocalists tonight, you can dance to it. The narration is crystal clear and adds to the amazing atmosphere created by the ensemble, of which he is justly proud.

Throughout the piece, there are a handful of great songs that could stand alone without the instrumentals that surround them. Mollie Marriott and Hayley Sanderson share the lead vocals and deliver the songs admirably with the dancing backing singers Tess Burstone and Izzy Chase enhancing the performance.

The hour it takes to complete whisks by before ending the night with what must be the longest version of Starship Trouper ever played. The piece includes an amazing bass solo from Matt Pegg, a super Adam Wakemen instrumental on an instrument that resembled a strap on piano with a short fret board. There is also a stirring  guitar solo from Dave Colquhoun that  Steve Howe would have been proud of. Father and son trade licks and the expression on Rick’s face can only be described as ‘glowing’. 

There have been many amazing end of first night performances from legendary artists but this was amongst the best.

FRIDAY

JOE BOYD

Joe Boyd is no stranger to the Cropredy stage. Today wasn’t the first time, either, that Fairport’s formative mentor/producer/manager had been invited to regale the Cropredy crowd with some of his extensive recollections. But today WAS a little different.

Joe Boyd has been a busy chap, recently. In fact, he’s been busy for the past 19 years, writing the follow-up to his 2006 memoir, White Bicycles, his recollections of music in the 60s. He was there and, unlike many of his contemporaries, he remembers.

His new book, published just recently, is a detailed – and thoroughly entertaining – analysis of how global musical influences shaped the popular music that we listen to today. Of course, we’re all aware of how Afro-American blues was adapted and – arguably – sanitised by white, suburban, wannabes to form the basis of much of the pop music of the 1950s and 1960s, but Joe was here to give us some examples of other strands of what we now call World Music impacted our listening. Joe gave of us four examples – there are many more in his book, The Roots of Rhythm Remain.

Joe Boyd is an engaging speaker, even when the wind catches his notes and distributes them across the stage, and he held the gathering Friday crowd spellbound for an hour as he shared his thoughts.

Here’s a few things that we learned:

• A New York recital by Ravi Shankar started a chain of of events that led to Roger McGuinn’s and David Crosby’s development of the Raga guitar style and, thereafter, encouraged George Harrison to embrace the sitar. Harrison bought a sitar and was encouraged by John Lennon to add his “Indian thingy” to a song that The Beatles were recording for their Rubber Soul album. Norwegian Wood became a cornerstone of 1960s music and George became a lifelong devotee of Indian music and Indian culture.

• The interaction between Afro-Cuban music and Afro- American culture resulted in a Latin-American style, best exemplified by Tito Puente, that became a passion for a young New York-based immigrant called Bill Graham. As the entrepreneurial proprietor of the Fillmore ballroom, Graham introduced the upcoming San Francisco guitarist, Carlos Santana, to Puente’s Latin rhythms. Things were never the same again.

• Django Reinhardt’s integration of his family’s Romany music and American jazz was a key factor in encouraging BB King to master the guitar.

and…

• Joe’s fascination with the influence of World Music on popular listening styles took root in this very field, when the vocal inflections of Bulgarian vocalist, Marta Sebestyen, performing at the 1985 festival with multi-international band, Mosaic, caught his imagination.

A happy accident, let’s call it…

BLACK WATER COUNTY

Friday’s music kicks off with Black Water County. The ferocious five piece happily step onto a stage free of rain and a crowd even happier that they are dry.

“Let’s crack on,” shouts bassist Tim Harris after a blistering opening to blow the cobwebs away. Shannon Byron accompanies the punk folk music with tin whistle melodies. In fact, there are a selection of whistles nestled on the mic.

“We’re so excited to be here,” announces Byrom before Harris chimes in with comments about the crowds excitement in entering the arena and getting their spot. Songs are culled from their discography with each one proving to be their own highlight.

Questions has a bouncy banjo opening which could fit in with ska groove. Every song does its job in getting the crowd up having a good old dance and jump. Shifts from slow to fast tempos are plentiful. Although they’re expected, they’re bloody good fun.

Dark Days and Rise And Fall deliver more. Thank you’s are gracious and the acknowledgment of that special Cropredy vibe is given by the band. They leave to great applause and no doubt a bunch of new fans. Yes it is loud and fast, and it may not appeal to all, but Black Water County don’t half get the day moving. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their smiles warm the heart. If you’re a fan of bands Skinny Lister, Dropkick Murphys, Green Day etc – Black Water County will be right up your street

SILVERBLUES

The name may be unfamiliar to many, but the individual members of Silverblues certainly aren’t. Silverblues are: Fairport stalwart Ric Sanders on violin, former Lindisfarne frontman Ray Jackson on vocals, mandolin and harmonica, Lindisfarne colleague and Feast of Fiddler Tom Leary on violin, mandolin and lap steel and the inimitable Vo Fletcher on guitar and vocals.

Evergreen compere Anthony John Clarke wasn’t kidding when he warned us: “You’ll know loads of these songs,” as he introduced Silverblues; the band’s joyous mix of blues standards and Lindisfarne classics was the trigger for a raucous early-afternoon singalong. (Incidentally: AJC’s memoir, Anyway Actually Anthony, has just been made available on Kindle. If you haven’t read it yet, it’s well worth checking out.)

We’d already been warmed up, of course, by the heart warming Celtic punk of Black Water County, so we are firmly in the groove. Ric captures the mood, when he says: “Black Water Country are young, and very enthusiastic. Were old, and very enthusiastic.”

There is a cascade of Lindisfarne favourites aired. Many sing along lustily to Road To Kingdom Come, Lady Eleanor and Meet Me On The Corner – and not just to the choruses either – it seems that just about everyone knew every word to each of these classic songs.

The blues tunes were no different- every one was familiar: Lazy Lester’s I’m A Lover Not A Fighter was covered by The Kinks on their debut album. Here, it was embellished by some glorious lap steel licks from Tommy; Vo’s bottleneck acoustic provided similar highlights to Mississippi Fred McDowell’s You Gotta Move, and as for Tommy’s weepy wah-wah fiddle parts on Parchman Farm…! And, all the time, Ray’s magnificent blues harp is on hand.

Ray’s King’s Cross Blues, a song that describes the tribulations of a northern-based musician in the London-centric UK music industry, was a bouncy country-flavoured tune, spiced up by Ric’s sleazy fiddle licks and Ray’s shuffling harmonica. Ric and Tommy’s violins blend beautifully on Evening, one of Lindisfarne’s lesser-known tunes.

How do you conclude such a joyful session as this one? With a song about a weather condition, of course, where “Nobody can see a bloody thing.” The fog on the Tyne was all ours, all ours and everybody did their thing.

DEWOLFF

This Dutch trio have really put a marker down. With ten albums under their belts, the latest recorded at the leendary Muscle Shoals studio, DeWolff have everything cranked up for the Cropredy crowd. Their brand of blues rock, that draws on many of the legends, really rocks. With the sun getting high, DeWolff set about taking the crowd higher.

“Do you mind if we stretch out a little?” Asks singer Pablo van de Poel after stonking opener; Night Train. “Thanks for tolerating us!” he says as they announce a set that will be comprised of four songs. They have an hour to fill.

During 60 minutes, DeWolff play with space and time as their psychedelic blues rock enraptures Cropredy. Robin Piso swirls is Hammond gloriously, providing bass using pedals. His sound is the bedding, with Pablo’s brother Luka holding sway over the tempo.

Pablo gurns through endless guitar licks that evoke the spirit of Humble Pie. When he comes together with Piso they provide delicious twin harmonies as the organ and guitar mesh.

Extended pieces that feel like your average Parliament/Funkadelic 70’s jam in length, transitions between songs and sounds are hard to pick out at times. “We got some more where that came from...” shouts Pablo as the band come up for air for a brief moment.

A centrepiece of DeWolff’s latest record, Love, Death & In Between, is Rosita. It is 16 minutes on the album Pablo asks if they “Can stretch this one for 25 minutes?“. The crowd are up for it; the sun is now blazing and that Cropredy feeling is pervading the soul. As the song progresses, Pablo enters the crowd. This is not just a little jump over the barrier; this is a full trip. In what feels like a rock’n’roll exorcism, he serenades various members of the audience…”You’re looking so fine!” Touché, Pablo.

It is once again clear that the mighty power of love is alive in Cropredy. DeWolff succeed in taking the crowd higher as they leave ecstatic and elated. Job done. Friday at Cropredy 2024 is shaping up to be one of the finest on record.

BASKERY

Baskery are no strangers to our website. End Of The Bloodline (review here) was one of our favourites of 2023.

The Swedish trio arrive onstage with zest. During their set, they include plenty of diversity. A couple of Neil Young covers in the form of Heart Of Gold and Down By The River are both familiar.

With a history spanning many years, this Swedish trio of sisters play their hearts out. It is Stella Bondesson who takes care of most of the MC duties in-between songs. Her upright bass work is deliciously rich and warm; the kind of bass tone that rumbles the toes and shakes the lungs.

Sunniva Bondesson shreds her blue guitar throughout. The interplay between her and older sister Greta on drums sees them wearing huge smiles. Speaking of Greta, the way she plays the banjo is delightful. Meshed with thumping bass drum beats, Baskery have the crowds attention.

Musically, the band are superb. They also wow in the vocal department. Their harmonies are gorgeous and when they peel off a traditional Swedish folk song, the hairs stand up; the cathedral sound is regal. To round things off, Baskery pay homage to their homeland’s musical heritage with a rendition of Super Trooper.

Each act on the bill on this particular Friday feels like they’re trying to outdo each other, and each one is stepping up to raise the bar.

ELLES BAILEY

The Elles Bailey one stop musical shop comes to Cropredy. Her set is like one of those trips to the supermarket where you go in for one thing, some soulful RnB say, but emerge with basketful of things you never knew you wanted.

Edmund Blackadder might call Elles Bailey ‘as excited as a terribly excited person who has a really good reason for being terribly excited’. She even confesses that she doesn’t know whether it’s (a) the fact that she’s here playing at Cropredy, (b) it’s the release day of her new album Beneath The Neon Glow, or (c) her incredibly sparkly new (but very hot) coat, that even outshines Miss Sparkles Demi Marriner (and Rick Wakeman come to think of it) – as predicted on these very pages.

The now standard intro of the Stones’ It’s Only Rock And Roll heralds her sparkly entrance and declares how it’s time for a Beneath The Neon Glow Party as she smoulders through Stones. Of course, the new songs get their own spotlight in the set as Elles works the lip of the stage, interacting with the  band and playing up to the video cameras to make sure those at the back get up close and personal.

She introduces “the sassy soulful part of the show” with If This Is Love and although she’s waaaay too young, celebrates the good old days when life was much simpler (and the music was fantastic) in 1972. She tells us how Leave The Light On is her favourite from the new album (yes – we too love the chorus)  before we’re chilled with What’s The Matter With You where the walking bassline and reedy organ give an alternative texture to proceedings.

As well as joining Adam Wakeman and Alberto Bravin as those brave enough to abandon the stage for the front of stage pit, Cropredy also gets treated to the premiere of the new Love Yourself – the RnB soul groove being possibly the highlight  of the set with Demi taking up the hook of the acoustic guitar  strum part– until she takes John Martyn’s Over the Hill by the scruff of the neck and knocks the rest of her already top notch set out of the park. It fair rollicks along and with one last card to play, the appropriately title Sunshine City roars out as the afternoon sun bathes the field. Great songs, great set, great band, bar and temperature raised. Job done.

big big train

With the crowd reflected in Rikard Sjöblom’s sunglasses and warmed by the feel of the sun on their faces after braving the biblical deluge that greeted their performance at Night Of The Prog in Germany recently, Big Big Train are as stoked as anyone to be on the Cropredy stage.  It was a significantly poignant moment with the memory of their late singer, David Longdon, himself a regular visitor to what is many people’s happy place, surely in their thoughts.

As Alberto Bravin bounded and skipped around the stage and Nick D’Virgilio hammed it with those at the barrier, Big Big Train delivered a set of which David would have been proud. Boldly opening with the unaccompanied harmonies of Miramere from their latest The Likes Of Us album that shifts gear into a much heftier middle section, they held back on some of their Prog epics and built a set that showcased the best from seven of their albums.

Folklore and the chorus of Keeper Of Abbeys are catchy enough to see a few ears pricking up and as the bass pedals kick in during The Connection Plan, it helps shake more of any sceptics in attendance into submission. Abbeys also features violinist Clare Lindley and sees multi-instrumentalist Rikard (now taking on all guitar duties) on twelve string. The fluidity of the line up also sees Nick heading up front to duet with Alberto on The Florentine as Gregory Spawton takes up twelve string accompaniment, and also accompanies Rikard on Telling The Bees (while Alberto drums)  – the spirit of David Longdon particularly strong on the latter.

Pushing out a succession of choice cuts, there’s a glorious moment in the sun for Curator Of Butterflies before penultimate number Hedgerow combines Beatles quirkiness with more delicious harmonies before they sign out with an instrumental that some fans in the BBT tour programme highlight as ‘a song that sings to me’. Apollo sees Alberto running the gauntlet in the pit at the climax and with trumpeter Paul Mitchell taking on the role normally occupied by a full brass section, the piece often called their Los Endos is a suitable crescendo as the sun begins to set behind the trees on the Jonah’s Oak side of the field. Some of us on the team need no convincing, but Big Big Train just add anticipation to their September tour.

spooky mens chorale

It was the perfect time, as the sun set, to be treated to one of those excellent quirky acts that Cropredy often delivers. Being introduced as ‘offering melodic choreography’ by MC AJ Clarke, this was the perfect description of this talented group of men who were  expertly led by Steve Taberner.

The result was a sound as crystal clear and precise as as a top class classical choir you could hear at the current Proms at the Albert Hall. Even though they were supposed to be ‘shit scared’ confronted with the largest audience they played to on their UK tour earlier in the day, they prepared by being naked in pig oil! To open, a song announcing that They Were Not A Men’s Group; the audience intrigue rapidly turns to appreciative applause. The harmonies on the passionately sung Sweetest Kick In The Heart about the fickleness of love was a thing of beauty. Aural nectar to the ears!

Sung as a comical psalm, we’re introduced to Kevin The Unusual, then encouraged to be adventurous in We’ll Give It A Go. In a creative rendition of Jolene we’re invited to dream and even to consider that Taylor Swift may supplement or forfeit her stardom for running a bakery!

All  this humour was delivered by Steve Taberner, the chorale’s founder,  with a facial expression akin to a forlorn Stan Laurel but his dry wit was much enjoyed by the appreciative thousands in the field who he admitted gave out a “palpable warmth.”

The song Tee Tee Tay Tay gave us commemorative arrangements of the hits Nutbush City Limits/ Proud Mary and What’s Love Got To Do With It. As a tribute to the late Tina Turner it was simply the best (the Tee Tee bit). Throw in nods to Taylor Swift in the form of Shake It Off and We Are Never Getting Back Together (the Tay Tay bit) and you have a brilliantly unique mash up delivered in a way that only this collective can. This is followed up by another tribute to the enigmatic Tom Waits with chorale member Dave Warren stealing the limelight.

Political conscience is on show with a horse riding song from Georgia but balanced things up with a Ukranian song. Also with the song Treaty linked to global political situation. It was clearly noticeable that at this time as the temperature dropped the hearts of the audience were warmed.

Cropredy audiences are always aware that lost loved one’s can be sensitively remembered annually including admired artists and family or friends .  Appropriately this was the theme of Crossing the Bar.

This feelgood performance ended with a superb rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody but I don’t think Freddie Mercury with all his creative nature anticipated yodelling as part of it.  When they once again return to these shores I am sure many will hope they are invited back to grace the Cropredy stage again. There was a proper standing ovation up and down the field for one of the star turns of the weekend.

RICHARD THOMPSON

Although we should have been listening to Trevor Horn’s huge catalogue of hits he has produced, mixed, recorded,  his spot was filled by Cropredy hero Richard Thompson. Like Richard, At The Barrier wishes Trevor a speedy recovery and looks forward to seeing you next year we hope.

Beginning with an acoustic solo set, I Misunderstood and the truly gorgeous Beeswing are a brilliant opening duo. Valerie feels rocky with the camera’s close-up revealing a string-bending masterclass. (although Richard Digance would label it a search to find the right note!). A rapid rock n roll riff for If I Could Live My Life Again leads to Vincent Black Lightning 1952; it motors along like the said bike. A modern day shanty, Johnny’s Far Away, is dedicated to troubadours and their on the road antics followed but in this case on cruise ships. There wasn’t a heave away haul a way in sight! ‘It’s basically about sex,’ jibes Thompson in an Alan Partridge style quip.

Zara Phillips offers more harmony with a mix of mid 70’s songs with new arrangements to Hokey Pokey and Withered and Died. Sandwiched in between was his first visit to his new album Ship (yes ShiP) To Shore with tale of Singapore Sadie. He made ribald tongue-in-cheek fun of those who didn’t purchase the Bright Lights album first time round, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.

More of his subtle wit ensued when he refers to three erstwhile musicians confined to  a local nursing home. When Messrs Nicol, Pegg and Mattacks join in, the dynamic substantially increases. Wall Of Death (recently covered on the latest Twisters movie) is a perennial classic and Shoot Out The Lights sounds brilliantly heavy. The guitars crunch showing that Richard can really hang with the heaviest when it comes to guitar tone. Tear Stained Letter is another classic and Jealous Words is one that Thommo had dusted off for his most recent tour. Pegg and Nicol hadn’t performed the song before; there is an element of peril, but being the pros that they are, everything clicks. When their much celebrated ‘usefulness’ was over RT completed the evening as he began…solo with an acoustic rendition of Persuasion.

With many in the darkening Cropredy field well versed in following RT, a man who knows him better than anyone (Richard Digance), claimed that Thommo was at his very best on this night. Few could disagree.

SATURDAY

richard digance

The beauty of Cropredy is more than just the awesome collection of musical experiences, it is the freedom to spend the day doing what you will but we can be sticklers for some traditions. One of them is the carefree comedy and amusing anecdotes of Richard Digance on a Saturday lunch time.

In fact there is tradition within this tradition which is the mass morris dance at the end of his set which now goes globally viral. Richard usually finds a target for his funny jibes and this year it was the legendary Richard Thompson who came in for a bit of stick. Yet Thompson has no  greater admirer than Mr Digance himself  who in playing Anji showed he is no stranger to guitar musical talent. 

There are familiar tunes  with their jaunty refrains like ‘What’s the use of worrying, when you don’t have anything, ‘ and ‘we are rebels.’  Digance also showcases some new material for his upcoming musical about one of his heroes; Isambard Kingdom Brunel. As well as his comic talents, he’s extremely educative! This is something to look out for over the next 12 months.

There are rather poignant moments too. It is hard to think of a time seeing him quite as emotional, not just when dedicating a song to passed loved ones, but to his commitment to the whole ethos and history of the Cropredy festival and its preservation.

So as we wave our toilet roll, dishcloth, paper hankies; we move on and look forward to another year. It would not be Cropredy without Mr Digance.

HANNAH SANDERS AND BEN SAVAGE

We’ve been campaigning for this for quite some time and now, at last, it’s a reality. Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage have made their debut Cropredy appearance as a billed act. It certainly won’t be their last.

You know what you’re going to get at a Hannah and Ben show. Angelic singing, divine harmonies, superb musicianship and an immaculate selection of material are all on the agenda. This time, things are extra special, with the duo’s already delightful sound fully fleshed out by their band: John Thorne on bass, Matt Crum on keys and Josh Clark on drums. A Pentangle for the 2020s? That’s probably a fair assessment. They achieved the intimacy of a small club, in a field of 20,000; quite some achievement.

Hannah looked and sang like a dream and Ben harmonised as only he can as they float into their opening number, their lazy, jazzy take on the folk standard, Let No Man Steal Your Time. Matt’s organ lifts Johnny Dickinson’s Castles And Old Kings onto a new plane, before Hannah picks up her dulcimer for the stunning Ribbons And Bows – “The cheeriest ever song about dying,” according to Hannah. Her expressive singing is supplemented by some delightful arm movements and a cheeky back-kick, at every mention of the word “feet.”

Sandy Denny’s Quiet Joys Of Brotherhood is a bona-fide Cropredy anthem, and Hannah and Ben’s version of the song is, quite possibly, the finest rendition ever to grace this hallowed stage. They nail it, make no mistake. Matt’s organ swirls, John’s drums shuffle and Hannah’s dulcimer is the perfect fit. Completely ethereal.

Woody Guthrie’s Way Over Yonder In A Minor Key and the charming A Life A Lie were quickly followed by the deliciously risqué I Gave My Love A Cherry (“its’s really about sex“), with Ben switching to dobro for the first – but not the last – time of the day.

Ben takes lead vocal responsibilities for A Thousand New Moons and Hannah’s harmonies brought a tear to many an eye in the growing crowd. Hannah and Ben could clearly sense the emotional impact that their music was having: “As musicians, we absolutely live for this,” said Ben before signing off with a stunning, peaceful, blissful version of Dylan’s Boots Of Spanish Leather.

Keep an eye out for Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage, their music veers as close to perfection as it’s possible to be. Look out too for Hannah and Ben’s forthcoming new album. In The Dark We Grow (not a concept album about mushroom cultivation, as Hannah is keen to emphasise) will be in the shops on 20th September. It’ll be a doozie…

zac schulze gang

How we feeling Cropredy? The Zac Schultz Gang are a power blues rock trio. They deal in a brand of blues that harps back to the legend of Rory Gallagher.

On stage, the three are energetic. As the first track reaches its conclusion, the crowd are already warm to their no nonsense style.

The set is made up of new tracks and songs from the bands short history. Included too, are plenty of standards. Singer and guitarist, Zac Sculze, is an enigmatic presence with his vociferous playing and impassioned vocal delivery. Bassist, Ant Greenwell, is equally as impressive on his 4 strings; an early solo allows him to show off his skills.

Hole In My Pocket has a Stevie Ray Vaughan swagger and sees bassist Greenwell take on lead vocals. There’s just something magical about a guitarist shredding a Fender Stratocaster within an inch of its life. Glorious.

“It’s an honour to be here; we’re The Zac Sculze Trio from Gillingham!” Zac’s cheeky and quick patter is brilliant.

Walking the Dog allows a slower pace; bass rumbles around the field as another blistering solo is greeted by the crowd with applause.

Nods to the lately and sadly departed John Mayall are included, as well as homage to Canvey Island’s greatest – Dr Feelgood – on She Does It Right. A fantastic rendition of Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick is brilliant to hear. Naturally, the dedication is to all the Blockheads in the audience. Playful teases of Stairway To Heaven and Sweet Home Alabama raise a smile. Smiles are even bigger when the band tears into Messin’ With The Kid to round out a brilliant set.

A contender for set of the weekend? Absolutely. The Zac Schulze Gang are not overawed by the vast crowd and they embrace the chance to impress superbly. They also receive a great ovation across the field with punters in the line for the signing tent singing their praises.

ranagri

With Simon Nicol watching from the wings, in approval we should add, there’s no pressure for Ranagri… Another band living the Cropredy dream, their Celtic influences pepper the very broad alt-folk brush with which they’re often painted.

A band who’ve worked with Tony Christie (but no crossovers here) frontman Dónal Rogers goes out of his way to introduce new listeners to their unique makeup that follows the explosive fire of Zac Schulze with something much more restful.

The Hare is a delightful tune that Ian Anderson would kill for and sees Eliza Marshall’s light flute lead the dance with a sprightly bounce that’s much in contrast with The Bogeyman and Medication Show that follow. “We’re not political,” says Eliza as she shows admirable restraint on holding back from a dedication to a certain politician of some repute.

Working both the traditional with the contemporary, the Ranagri kaleidoscope continues to swirl as Courting Is A Pleasure and the lovely Molly of the lyric  get a tribal beat, as does Say Hello,  as Eliza joins forces with Jordan Murray who flits between the kit and providing gunshot cracks on the bodhran. The tribute the The Hebrides on Fear a’ Bhàta see flute and harp in union as the Ranagri philosophy of “taking traditional tunes and songs to pieces and putting them back together again” sees a thundering Wife Of Ushers Well hit the heights as one of the top performances of the weekend. The tense drama setting up an expectancy in a fabulous display of great storytelling and interpretation.

Falling Down and Out There (the latter not in the vein of their Great Irish Songbook project, but  one which would fit with the Tony Christie collaboration possibly?) continue to vary the palette with Dónal on keys. We’re encouraged to get our dancing shoes on for Digging as Dónal orders “Do a jig!”  and the quartet head into the finale with a suitably jiggy melody. For 75 minutes, Cropredy bears witness to Ranagri  working  their magic.

FOCUS

Guitar solos which rip your heart apart, long keyboard sections and pizzicato tunes, Thijs Van Leer’s unique vocals, soaring flute melodies, blends of rock and jazz all come together to make instantly recognisable Focus sound. Pounding guitar solos, and stunning drum solos, syncopated vocals and keyboards are all thrown in too. All this epitomise their sound. All of Focus’ trademarks are on show in the first tune – Focus 1.

Their more familiar chart successes of House of the King and Sylvia are shuffled in between their longer opuses like Eruption. In the majestic cathedral opening, guitarist Menno Gootjes and the keyboards of Thijs create a frenzy. Pierre Van der Linden’s staccato drumming and constant tempo changes and the superfast bass runs of Udo Pannekeet match the pace of guitar. The amazing rolling bass intro to jazzy keyboards helped to fill up this 25 minute epic.

Sylvia’s opening was part of the soundtrack of the early70’s. The memorable guitar melody sounds so simple that aspiring guitarists would try to learn it and then decide to take up  simpler careers like teaching or nuclear physics.

Thijs can not only play flute and keyboards simultaneously but add on choral effects to make one voice replicate a huge choir.

The original opening to Hocus Pocus, which incidentally also brought yodelling into rock music, is followed by the iconic guitar solo. Menno puts his own touch to the the Ackerman original. He ended the set with the sung band introduction and Thijs can still reach that high note on Thijs Van Leeeeeer!

Finally, as an encore, Focus 3 keeps the guitar solo that sends you into raptures and reminds us that Moving Waves was the album that was recommended to demonstrate the power of stereo for purchases of new hi fi systems. After  the melodic flute notes floated over the Cropredy field  Thijs, clearly influenced by the Cropredy spirit, thanked the audience for making them feel at home. Well it’s what we do isn’t it?

EDDI READER

There’s a special magic in the air whenever the boards of the Cropredy stage are graced by the presence of the majestic Eddi Reader (MBE). It’s been 22 years since we last experienced that magic, but, in 2024, it happened again – and the lady meant business…

Accompanied by hubby John Douglas on guitar and ukulele, Alan Kelly on accordion, Kevin McGuire on bass and the great Boo Hewerdine on guitar, Eddi and her band pulled out all the stops as they surged through a dynamic, entertaining set that left the Cropredy crowd charmed and exhilarated in equal measures.

The passing years have brought maturity and confidence to Eddi Reader, or maybe some earlier perceptions of her demeanour were just plain wrong. From her previous Cropredy appearances, memory serves up a quiet, respectful, hippy-ish performer; nowadays – MBE or no – we’ve got a powerful, feisty lady on our hands.

Indeed, today’s Eddi Reader is sufficiently confident to stride on to the Cropredy stage without the safety net of a setlist, comfortable in the knowledge that she and her accompanists can hold the attention of 20,000 people by playing whatever the mood suggests. And they do exactly that. Despite the advancing years (yet still at the younger end of the Cropredy demographic) she can still knock out the shapes.

An easy-going pace starts us off with the country-flavoured Humming Bird, before Eddi makes the first of several visits to the writings of Robert Burns for the great man’s ode to womanhood, Green Grow the Rushes-O (“It’s bullshit, but it’s good bullshit,” quips Eddi). Eddi plays guitar and the song is decorated by a sprinkling of tasty accordion licks from Alan.

We stick with Scottish culture for Charlie Is My Darling (“A song about how easy it is to make love in kilt”) and Eddi laces her singing with vibrant whoops and knowing winks, and peppers the lyrics with references to the catering franchises around the fringes of the field. The song ends at breakneck speed and a cry from Eddi of (unless I’m much mistaken) “Too much testosterone!”

The Fairground Attraction oldie, Find My Love is greeted with cheers of recognition from Eddi’s many fans, clustered around the stage front; the song has those fans swaying and shimmying. It’s a glorious Mariachi Serenade, illuminated by more of Alan’s accordion, and the irony of Eddi’s dedication of the song to Donald Trump (“He’s lost his troosers, as well as his mind”) was appreciated by one-and-all.

It is great to see Eddi Reader lose herself in the delivery of a song, and she does just that as the band turn their attention to Boo’s Dragonflies; a wonderful Cuban-flavoured waltz that offers the wise advice to “Do the right-now.” And the spirit of Edith Piaf enters the Cropredy air for the magnificent Fairground Attraction. It’s a song that blends Paris burlesque with Glasgow chutzpah; that’s a mix that you don’t mess with!

Whether he’s real or imagined, We wouldn’t like to be in Frank McCafferty’s shoes. Allegedly he’s an ex-partner of Eddi’s who pee-ed on his chips in no uncertain fashion when they broke up. Please Don’t Ask Me To Dance is Eddi’s song about that type of bitter breakup, and it’s a ballad that bends the heartstrings. Sail Baby Sail comes next, then a stunningly beautiful version of Van Morrison’s Across the Bridge Where Angels Dwell.

As the end of this stunning set approaches, there is still time for a couple more charmers. The tune to And The Primrose Lass was composed by husband John (with assistance from his buddy, Johnny Walker) and the words come from the Book of Kells. It’s a jolly tune that has us all, Eddi included, tapping our feet and dancing.

All great things come to an end, but Eddi Reader has a special weapon that’s guaranteed to turn any gathering into a gloriously unapologetic party – her number one hit, Perfect. She had the whole field singing. We came for a party, and that’s what we got – and how!

The anecdote of how she learned to sing in the company of her boozy Glasgow family – Auntie Betty, Uncle Frank, Uncle Danny, Auntie Marion, Grandad and Mother Jean (still going at 87) and all – led to signing off with a marvellous reading of Moon River. Please don’t leave it another 22 years, Eddi. The world needs escapes like the one you gave us.

special surprise guest – JASPER CARROTT

Not too many would have guessed. No clues at all – none that we saw – over the course of three days would have suggested Jasper Carrott would have been the man to fill the pre-Fairport slot. The non-musical choice, opting for a few/shedload (depending on how funny you find him)laughs felt like quite a cool choice.

Reflecting on old age, the passing of time and the joys that come with it he runs through a set that revisits some familiar themes – no insurance claims this time though. There are the jokes about blind bungee jumpers (and their dogs), Donald J Trump (with Carrot suggesting Trump thinks the J stands for genius and the pitfalls of modern technology.

It is a nice surprise for many – and not the first time Jasper Carrott has performed in the field. Maybe a comedic turn should be added more often?

FAIRPORT CONVENTION

So – the prophecies were true.  It has indeed, as written, all come round again.  A blissful weekend – despite Thursday’s rain. The music was superb. There may have been naysayers but the line-up showcased a wonderful breadth of genre and style. It is what makes this festival so damn special. A phrase heard repeatedly walking around the field was: “Well – I never thought for a moment that xxx would be THAT good!”  Oh ye of little faith.

As 21.30 on Saturday evening rolls around, Fairport Convention are played on by a brilliant video tribute to Gerry Conway. It’s a lovely touch to kick off the show. The series of clips covered all phases of Gerry’s life. As the crowd were transfixed on the screens, Fairport Convention readied themselves. You can watch the video for Gerry, here.

Any guesses about the opening number? Correct! Walk Awhile is one of those songs that is essentially an old friend in these parts.

THE LAST ACT…IS US!

It’s unusual to detect even the slightest of political gestures at Cropredy but we can’t have been the only people to have been delighted to see Ric sporting a Kamala Harris tee-shirt.  Next year’s festival – and there WILL be a next year’s festival (yippee!) – will be so much more enjoyable with sanity in the White House.

Simon’s welcome to those – including several of our friends – that were experiencing their first taste of Cropredy magic and giggled at his self-effacing observation that… “After all of the wonderful music that we’ve heard this weekend, it’s an increasingly daunting thought that the last act on the bill is… us!” 

The sequence of the words to Claudy Banks may have proved a challenge, but the guys still nail it, before Fairport plunge a little deeper into their 300+ song back-catalogue to retrieve Chris Leslie’s tribute to the work of Fossil Hunter Mary Anning, a song now beautifully embellished by the tones of Chris’s whistle.

FIVE STRINGS ARE EASIER TO MASTER THAN SIX!

Five guitar strings are, apparently, easier to master than six, which is, it seems, why Peggy sticks to the bass on his 1978 composition, Bankruptured, a tune now enlivened by Ric’s Stephane Grappelli-inspired violin flourishes.  Next – a trip back to 1973 and a blast through Polly on the Shore, a Pegg/Lucas collaboration from that year’s triumphal Nine album. This year, it’s dedicated to Peggy’s infirm Aunt Polly – such a wonderful gesture – and the song sounded as fresh as ever, with Dave Mattacks calling the shots from the engine room.

Morris said “Hi” to rock & roll with Chris’s Shuffle and Go, the ultimate ode to the half-gypping jivers of Bampton, and we stay with the marvellous Shuffle and Go album for the next two numbers, too.  For any regular visitor to Brittany, Cider Rain will be an enduring favourite. Looking around the field, it is noticeable that Year of ‘59 has the (surprisingly high number of) flying saucer believers scanning the sky for extra-terrestrial visitors.  Haymaker tends to have that effect.  And we doo-wopped for all we were worth.  By the time the song was over, even those who didn’t know it were at it!

I AM NOT A NUMBER!

People know their parts at Cropredy and, when Ric shouts “I am not a number,” we all knew how to respond.  Portmerion is a tune guaranteed to charm even the most cynical or tone-deaf of those amongst us; perhaps Kamala Harris should adopt it as a campaign anthem. There’s an extra-special resonance to Ralph McTell’s Hiring Fair when it’s performed in this sainted field (that’s a description that Simon has used more that once, but it’s so very appropriate and no apology will be made for repeating it). Tonight, it seems especially ethereal.

Mattacks steps forward for a short dialogue that combines pathos with heartfelt emotion. First, introduces the band (noting that, without Simon’s contribution as a founder member, none of this Cropredy rigmarole would be even necessary) before moving on to the most moving tribute to the percussive skills of his successor/predecessor, the wonderful Gerry Conway.  It drew a massive cheer; Rest In Peace, Gerry – we miss you so very, very much.  And, after such a wonderful tribute, there was really only one place to go, and that was to Gerry’s percussion showpiece, the lovely Don’t Reveal My Name.

Simon recalls the communal living experiences (is that the right word) of Fairport’s early seventies incarnation at The Angel in Much Hadham, in his introduction to the mighty Sir William Gower, a standout track from the under-rated Angel Delight album. 

SPECIAL GUESTS

An enduring feature of Fairport’s Cropredy set is the quality of the guests that they invite to join them onstage. As always, they had a few special treats in store this year.  First-up were Plumhall – husband and wife duo Michelle Plum and Nick Hall – for a breath taking run through One Star Awake, the title track of their recent album.  Cropredy was a big, big show and we know that Michelle and and Nick were so looking forward to it.  They come through with flying colours and, if you haven’t heard their album yet, your life isn’t as complete as it could be.  One Star Awake is a leading contender for one of our Album’s of the Year.  And Michelle and Nick are such lovely people, too!

Moondust And Solitude, Chris’s recreation of the experiences of Michael Collins, the astronaut who stayed aboard the mothership whilst Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong stole the glory by being the first humans to descend to the lunar surface is, of course, one of the best songs ever written.  It’s a difficult one to follow, but Fairport managed it – was it cheating? – by inviting Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage up to reprise their stunning performance of Reynardine.  Hannah spoke for us all as she announced how happy she was to be in a field where there were NO bad vibes.

LUSCIOUS HARMONIES

And that wasn’t the end of the guests, either.  annA rydeR joins the fun for the first performance of Chris’s My Love is In America since God-knows-when. Peggy will be touring with the one and only Ralph McTell later this year and we were given a foretaste of what they might have in store when Ralph led the charge with a warming blast of Cajun magic.  The party goes on!

Those at the Tuesday night warm-up show in Banbury had a preview of the majesty to follow. The luscious harmony vocal that Michelle Plum and Hannah Sanders would be contributing to Red and Gold is a mouth watering thought. It is one of the most evocative of the many Cropredy anthems.  But, as we saw Simon slipping off sneakily in the direction of the Gents, it was clear that further treats were in store. Ralph stepped up to the mic – after, all, it’s his song – and the audio-movie of the civil war battle that took place in this very field, back in 1644, was made whole by Ed Witcombe’s stirring trumpet.

SLOTH

It wouldn’t be Cropredy without Sloth and, this year, we had another special version.  Peggy’s bass solo never fails to astound and Ric set the night on fire with his very own violin pyrotechnics in a solo that concluded with him lying flat on his back and howling into his violin pick-ups.

The midnight hour was approaching, but there was still time for a burst of Steampunkery, before we were treated to the most important, welcome announcement of the day, the weekend, even the year.  We’d been willing for this; praying for it.  Remember the childhood game, Simon Says?  Well, tonight, Simon said it:

“Same time next year?”

You bet your boots!  We’ll be back.  And, judging by the roar that greeted that momentous statement, so will everyone else.

An announcement like that is difficult to follow but Fairport managed it.  Farewell, Farewell is a song for all occasions, and it wouldn’t be Cropredy without a reminder of how Matty Groves managed to shag himself into an early grave. Maybe the Lego videos could be reprised for next years show?!

MEET ON THE LEDGE

Meet On The Ledge is an annual opportunity to embrace and savour the company of friends and loved ones that you may not see until yet another year has passed. We hug, sway and sing; the view across the arena, to see everyone else doing the same thing, is magical.  We live in a troubled world but the solution to greed, strife and hatred was right there in a field in Oxfordshire.  Love is the answer.

Fairport’s Cropredy Convention has once again delivered the goods. Musically, it is eclectic and exciting. There are only good vibes in the field which is genuinely the friendliest festival. It is a unique and completely special place.

See you all again next year, when it all comes around again.

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