Summer is well and truly here and that means one thing – Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2025 is just around the corner. We continue our preview of the treats in store when that magical weekend of 7th-9th August finally arrives.

Here’s our fifth delve into the treats that Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2025 has to offer.

ONE OF THE GREAT BRITISH FESTIVALS

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.

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.

2025 SOLD OUT!

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 fifth preview of the musical delights on offer, we look forward to Trevor Horn, City Funk Orchestra and The Salts.

TREVOR HORN (SPOTIFY / APPLE MUSIC)

Trevor Horn is becoming somewhat of a regular at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. After a turn in 2017 that went down incredibly, The Trevor Horn Band retuned to headline in 2022. In 2025, Horn and his band will appear after having to postpone in 2024.

Boasting a musical CV bursting at the seems, Trevor Horn builds his set with songs that he has been involved in, be it writing, performing, producing etc. When you look at what his setlists could be, every single track points to one of the biggest jukeboxes known to all.

Yes, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, The Buggles, Paul McCartney, Grace Jones, Seal, Rod Stewart, The Pretenders, ABC, Eddi Reader, John Legend, LeAnn Rimes, Pet Shop Boys, Robbie Williams…the list is huge. You can bet your bottom dollar that after a day in the sunshine (all being well), The Trevor Horn Band will bring the good times. Expect Relax, Kiss From A Rose, Can’t Fight The Moonlight, Video Killed The Radio Star, Slave To The Rhythm…and that’s just for a start.

There might be a choice special guest or two as well. Horn regularly invites gests to come and sing with the band. Seal, Grace Jones and Robbie Williams have all been known to perform with The Trevor Horn Band. You’ll have to be there to see what transpires.

What gives this set a little more edge this year is that Trevor Horn released a new album in 2023. It contained reworkings of some of the songs you associate with him. There are different vocalists including Rick Astley doing ‘Owner’ and Toyah and Robert Fripp helping take on Relax. One of the highlights of the album is Horn’s take on the Kendrick Lamar track Swimming Pool (Drank). What’s more, Tori Amos delivers a stunning vocal atop the melody and lush strings. This could be a real showstopper.

CITY FUNK ORCHESTRA

City Funk Orchestra boasts some of the finest soul singers and musicians in the UK and promise a full set of guaranteed dance-‘til-you-drop authentic soul and funk. The line-up is matched with a song-list of the funkiest dance-floor classics, soul and R&B anthems from the golden era of the genre. The band’s personnel perform or have performed with many of the greatest artistes in music. Bee Gees, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Incognito, Van Morrison, Seal, Joe Cocker, Culture Club, Donna Summer, Sister Sledge – have all featured CFO members in their line-ups. Expect pumping funky dance-floor specialities with a sprinkling of cheek-to-cheek soul ballads. True Funk is guaranteed!

Originating with a weekly band residency in an exclusive City of London nightclub, City Funk Orchestra soon spread its’ reach with regular appearances in the capitals’ mainstream music venues and on to festivals in UK and Europe, all the while firmly establishing itself as the finest and most exciting dance-oriented soul/funk band in town. 

THE SALTS (APPLE MUSIC)

As we outline in our The Salts’ Cropredy Q&A, the guys in The Salts are a high‑energy folk‑rock collective from Surrey/Dorking, with distinct penchant for sea shanties and folk traditions. The current line up Lee Collinson (banjo, guitar), Brian Doran (mandolin, whistle), Jeremy Hart (guitar), Tim Cantrell (double bass), and Richard Nash (drums), all contribute vocals and tight harmonies to their rollicking songs and rowdy folk spirit.

For the uninitiated, try out their Brave album from 2018 which managed widespread praise for its polished production, infectious rhythms, and unique takes on classics like Drunken Sailor and Bulgine Run (check out the video below)..

Mike Harding’s has called their music “gutsy stuff with a big sound,” while Phil Beer says “Good band The Salts. Great folk rock.” They have a Live In London Town CD in their store that might sell like the proverbial hot cake once they’re Folk Rocked Cropredy and with ace melodeon-ist Simon Care as their agent, all the ingredients are in place.

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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