Festival season is fast approaching. We present the first in a series of previews to see what Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2025 has to offer.
ONE OF THE GREAT BRITISH FESTIVALS
At The Barrier are huge supporters of Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. We believe that the annual event is one of the great British festivals, if not a British Institution. To get a flavour of the festival, check out our reasons why it is one of the best here.
The festival has been taking place for the best part of 50 years. We hope that there are many years of life left in the old girl yet. One thing’s for certain, as long as there is a Cropredy Festival, At The Barrier will be there to absorb, report and – most importantly, enjoy the event. It’s a musical highlight of the year.
2025 IS A SELL OUT
However, with the constraints of the world being felt, the UK festival industry is finding life tough. The expenses involved in organising and running a festival are vast. Many festivals have sadly folded or opted to take a fallow year. The Fairport Convention team have had the foresight to continue the Cropredy festival by prudent management and planning. It will still provide the full Cropredy experience with the pleasing result that 2025 has already sold out.
In our first preview we take a look at one act for each of the three days of Cropredy.
ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)
Making a swift-ish return after her Cropredy debut in the baking heat of 2022 is Rosalie Cunningham and her band. Highly likely her dad Mark too will be backstage egging them on.
Anyone unfamiliar with the name will find Rosalie first gained recognition as the frontwoman of the band Purson, who blended vintage rock with a shedload of influences to create her own original songs – that’s possibly Mark’s influence again in bringing up Rosalie properly. Her music continues to draw inspiration from ’60s and ’70s prog rock, glam, and folk, often featuring rich storytelling and lush instrumentation. With a charismatic and visually striking stage presence she’s part of a front line that includes fellow guitarist Rosco Wilson and Claudia Gonzalez-Diaz. They conjure up a psychedelic rock sound with a theatrical nouse that will bring a wave of heavy clout to Cropredy.
Rosalie’s latest album, To Shoot Another Day, has seen the band working the songs into the live set with a bout of gigging up and down the UK and into Europe. Expect to hear a clutch of cinematic Bond inspired new material delivered with flair in flares and a smattering from a growing back catalogue – maybe even an old Purson song dusted off for good measure to thrill those who’ve followed since the dim and distant twenty thirteens, with a sprawling Tempest And The Tide. 2025 could see another guest appearance from Ric Sanders. He played on her Two Piece Puzzle album and guested at Cropredy ’22. Whatever, it should be a great start to the Thursday evening of Cropredy 2025.
BOB FOX & BILLY MITCHELL (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)
Two Geordie musicians who form part of the very fabric of Cropredy Festival. Bob Fox made his first Cropredy appearance way back in 1982, along with erstwhile partner Stu Luckley. He’s since appeared on the Cropredy stage in numerous guises – as a solo artist, band member, even as compere for a few years during the early noughties. Currently, he’s working with the mighty Home Service, having earned his stripes by pulling off the almost impossible task of replacing John Tams as that band’s frontman. Bob’s repertoire is packed with fantastic songs – Sally Wheatley, Big River, The Rambling Rover, The Galway Shawl for starters – and we’re sure that several of those old favourites will make a welcome appearance during this duo’s Cropredy spot.
Billy Mitchell’s Cropredy appearances have been almost as frequent as Bob’s. The former Jack The Lad frontman’s first venture onto the Home Farm stage was in 1983 when he and his partner Peter McIntyre appeared as Maxie & Mitch and had the field in stitches. Memories of their performances of Runaway and Donkey Serenade still bring a grin to the faces of many who were there, even after all these years. More recently, Billy has graced the Cropredy stage as a member of Lindisfarne, alongside old mates Ray Laidlaw and Ray Jackson.
Expect to hear loads of songs that you know, including dives into the Bob Fox and Lindisfarne back catalogues, lots of humour and a huge helping of Geordie bonhomie.
THE CHURCHFITTERS (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)
Churchfitters are a vibrant folk band originally formed in England in the late 1970s whose USP is their quirkiness. Now based in Brittany, France, they’re known for their energetic performances and inventive sound. Churchfitters’ music features a wide range of instruments, including fiddles, banjos, flutes, musical saws, and custom-built basses. Yes…musical saws! They fuse traditional folk with elements of rock, jazz, and world music,
The current line-up consist of Chris and Rosie Short with Boris Lebret. Whether performing heartfelt ballads or lively dance tunes, Churchfitters are known for their originality, humour, and passion making them a standout act at festivals across the continent. It is a little over ten years since Churchfitters last appearance at Cropredy, and their third appearance at the festival. It will be great to have them back onstage in Oxfordshire!
Look out for the first of our Cropedy Q&As with Churchfitters in the coming weeks.
Check out our Spotify playlist highlighting the artists playing at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2025 below.
Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2025 has officially sold out. There are no official resale channels, but you can keep an eye on the Fairport Facebook group here, or the event page on Twickets, here.
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