Fairport’s Cropredy Convention takes place, as ever, on the second weekend of August. Here is a little Q&A with someone on the bill who will/should be very familiar to Fairport followers after her appearance at Cropredy in 2022 – Rosalie Cunningham.

ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM

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 her dad’s positive influence 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 nous that will bring a wave of heavy clout to Cropredy.

Rosalie’s latest album, To Shoot Another Day, is packed with a clutch of cinematic Bond inspired material delivered with flair in flares. Hopefully plenty in the Crop set with a smattering from a back catalogue that might include even an old Purson song dusted off for good measure to thrill those who’ve followed since the dim and distant twenty thirteens. 2025 could see another guest appearance from Ric Sanders who played on her Two Piece Puzzle album (as well as To Shoot…) and guested at Cropredy ’22. Whatever, it should be a great start to the Thursday evening of Cropredy 2025.

Ahead of her performance, only days away, Rosalie takes on our Crop ’25 Q&A:

Cropredy is a festival with a long history and iconic status. What sets it apart from other festivals and what does it mean to you to play there?

Cropredy does truly have a unique atmosphere compared with much of the UK festival scene. Everyone you meet is so warm and welcoming, there’s a refreshing lack of overtly corporate culture and of course the line ups are always excellently curated. There’s something for everyone. So, obviously it is a great honour to be invited to be a part of it! 

What memories do you have of Cropredy?

It will be my third visit. The first was as a festival go-er in 2014 and, despite the torrential rain, I had such a wonderful time. Steve Hackett blew my little mind and I got what all the hype about the ‘Cropredy vibe’ was about! I dreamed of playing one day and finally had the opportunity for the first time in 2022. For so many reasons that is an experience I will never forget and I am so looking forward to making more Cropredy memories this year! 

Given the state of the festival programme in the UK with cut backs and cancellations, what’s your view on the UK festival scene? What do you think it would take to restore it to a former glory?

I was sad to hear about the downsizing of Cropredy this year and it does seem to be happening all over. I don’t know the ins and outs of what led to that decision but I am glad it is able to continue, of course. We get to travel a lot around Europe and there are so many places where the music scenes are thriving so it’s sad to see the UK struggling. It’s certainly not a lack of good bands or passionate fans! 

Tell us about your plans post-Cropredy. What does the short and long term future hold?

After Cropredy we shoot off that night back home to Essex as we have Finkenbach, another festival the following day in Germany. Following that, we’ve got a European tour starting from the end of the month, then we return home for a short run of UK dates with a band called FM. It’s been an incredibly full on year of touring for the band and I, so I am looking forward to spending the latter part of the year working on a couple of albums; my next release and also Rabbit Foot, the side project I have with my partner, Rosco. However, that will be interrupted once more in December for a 9 date tour in Mexico! This is very exciting as it’s a new territory for me. Back to the studio after that though. 

And finally, tent or caravan – or hotel? Or arrive/play/go home?!

I love camping but it’s been a while since I’ve done it when performing! We usually do hotels. Last time we played Cropredy we hung out with Ric Sanders in his amazing teepee after the show and that I could certainly manage! Unfortunately, as I mentioned, this year we’re off home that night for an early flight the next day. This is the price you pay being an artist in these situations… you rarely get to fully revel! 

Fairport’s Cropredy Convention 2025 has officially sold out. There are no official resale channels. You can keep a last minute eye on the Fairport Facebook group here or Twickets, here.

Rosalie Cunningham online: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Youtube

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