In our second Cropredy 2026 preview we take a look at what to expect from Friday’s line up.
CROPREDY PRIMARY SCHOOL FOLK CLASS
After their 2025 debut the Cropredy Primary School Folk Class is set to become a fixture to open Friday in much the same way that Richard Digance did every Saturday (but not this year…). Last year, the Oxfordshire County Council Folk Teacher, Katie Harris led a massed rank of 43 supremely talented children as they worked their way through a delightful set of folk songs and shanties. Armed with a variety of instruments – accordions and whistles were predominant – the children wowed the assembling crowd. Parents, teachers and – especially – the children had a great time and their enjoyment was infectious. Expect more of the same this year – it’ll be great to welcome them back!
DANNY AND THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD
Formed in London in 2007, although frontman Danny George Wilson had already been performing and recording for a good many years by then. Danny and the Champions of the World specialise in all things American and influences include the rootsy Americana of The Band and the joyous statement-making of artists such as Bruce Springsteen, as well as the soulful sounds of Muscle Shoals and the Stax contingent. With an instrumental lineup that includes – alongside the guitar/bass/drums core – keyboards, pedal steel and (hopefully) a bit of brass, they’ve certainly got the toolkit to deliver. Expect a setlist that’s loaded with material from the band’s most recent album, 2024’s You Are Not a Stranger Here. Danny and the Champions of the World last appeared on the Cropredy stage 13 years ago. We’ve waited a long time. It’s great to have them back!
DANNY BRADLEY
Danny Bradley strode into our world about 18 months ago when he accompanied Fairport on their 2025 Winter Tour. Liverpudlian Danny is a finger-style guitarist of extraordinary talent. It’s a talent that’s been formally recognised, too – Danny was the winner of the Liverpool Acoustic Judges’ Award, 2021 and, less formally, Simon Nicol has been known to refer to Danny as a “guitar botherer.” And Danny is also an outstanding songwriter. Small Talk Songs, Danny’s 2025 debut album (and an ATB Album of the Year), is packed with well-crafted songs, loaded with observational, thought-provoking, sometimes enigmatic lyrics. His voice is clear and tuneful and he has an engaging stage presence. Danny guested with Fairport during their 2025 headlining set. Now, he’s back in his own right. Don’t miss him!
THE CELTIC SOCIAL CLUB
Prepare to be stunned. Franco-Hibernian ensemble The Celtic Social Club and Fairport’s Cropredy Convention is a marriage made in heaven. And the inhabitants of the Home Farm field should expect should expect an irresistible fusion of sound that merges reggae, hip-hop, blues, punk, metal and pop into the Celts’ base mix of Breton, Irish, Scottish and Asturian folk. Formed in 2013, The Celtic Social Club have five studio albums (most recently, 2025’s You Should Know) and six live albums to their name. There’s a clue there… And our advice? Fold up your deck chair and get your dancing shoes on. The Celtic Social Club shouldn’t be taken sitting down.
MARSHALL GILMOUR WEBBS
Marshall Gilmour Webbs are: Louise Marshall (celebrated vocalist from the Jools Holland band), Romany Gilmour (of the hit single Between Two Points), and sisters Hattie & Charley Webb (known for their work with Leonard Cohen and Tom Petty). Romany is the daughter of Pink Floyd guitarist/vocalist David Gilmore and the group formed their bond when they sang vocals on David’s Summer 2024 Luck and Strange tour. After the tour had finished, the girls went on to perform in their own right, grabbing particular attention with their show at London’s prestigious Piano Smithfield venue. Subsequently they have worked with RGB Sessions to release their music online.
With swelling vocals, ethereal harmonies and eclectic instrumentation, the ladies’ repertoire includes material by The Roches, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Minnie Riperton and more, along with their own original songs written collaboratively from Louise’s living room.
Speculation will, no doubt, sweep the Cropredy arena with regard to a possible appearance from the famous parent. That will, of course, be nice if it happens but expect Marshall Gilmore Webbs to charm the Cropredy audience – with or without outside help.
BREABACH
Award-winning Scottish 5-piece, Breabach are no strangers to the Cropredy stage, although its now some while since they were last here. In fact, it was 2010 when this highly-talented band of outstanding musicians last graced our favourite stage and we’ve missed them. With an instrumental lineup that features pipes, whistles and fiddles, you won’t be surprised to hear that Scottish traditional tunes form a large part of Beabach’s repertoire. But they’re also unafraid to mix in a healthy dose of 21st century influence into their music, with plenty of their own material and subtle use of electronics. Calum McCrimmon (pipes, whistles, bouzouki, vocals), Megan Henderson (fiddle, vocals), Ewan Robertson (guitar, cajon, vocals), James Lindsay (double bass, vocals and not so ;ong ago almost omnipresent on the ATB pages) and Conal McDonagh (pipes, whistles, vocals) are all masters of their respective craft. We loved Breabach’s 2022 album, Fàs and we’re delighted to see them back on the Cropredy bill.
SPOOKY MEN’S CHORALE
Two years after they left a Cropredy audience stunned, delighted and exhilarated with their heady mix of musicality, humour, political commentary and sheer bonhomie, Spooky Men’s Chorale are back. Just as we’d hoped they would be. Back in 2024, it’s fair to say that we really didn’t know quite what to expect from Steve Taberner and his fourteen-or-so singing colleagues. Are we any better placed this time around? Possibly, but – expect the unexpected… After all, who could have predicted that a double-headed tribute to the (then) recently-deceased Tina Turner and the very-much-alive Taylor Swift would be followed by a nod in the direction of Tom Waits and a sequence of musical pleas for world peace? That’s what happened last time the Spooky men were here, and it took our breath away! And, the Chorale’s parting shot of Bohemian Rhapsody is a Cropredy memory that will endure forever. Brace yourselves, Cropredy!
RICHARD THOMPSON WITH ZARA PHILLIPS (Plus Simon Nicol, Dave Pegg and Dave Mattacks)
It’s a familiar way to end a Cropredy Friday and it’s always a delight to welcome RT and friends back to the Cropredy stage. He was last here in 2024, when he stepped in at fairly short notice as a replacement for the unavailable Trevor Horn and Richard’s mixed set of acoustic and electric classics would have brought the house down. If there’d been a house… Back then, Richard had a new album, Ship To Shore, to promote. The album still stands as one of Richard’s best and, come Friday evening this year, maybe we’ll be served another helping of songs from the album – plus, possibly, a couple from the new album that Richard is apparently working on… But, there’s no denying that the prospect of Richard Thompson, with Zara and a phalanx of his Fairport buddies sends a shiver down the spine. The possibilities are, literally, endless. Wall of Death? Bright Lights? Valerie? What about – as a special favour to me – Hokey Pokey? We could speculate from now until August but one thing’s for sure: whatever RT has planned for us, we’ll be thrilled.
OUR FRIDAY ‘ONE TO WATCH‘
With such a wealth of exciting talent on display it seems almost churlish to pick out one act. Friday 14th August will be a special day, with a continual stream of excellent music from start to finish – all topped off by the great Richard Thompson and his band. But, if pushed, we’d have to admit that we’re particularly looking forward to Breabach. Their heady blend of Scottish traditional sounds and prog influences is tailor-made for a warm Cropredy afternoon. It’s great to have Breabach back, bach!
