UP to 20,000 music-lovers braved sunburn and showers as they gathered on a north Oxfordshire hillside for one of the country’s longest-running festivals.
Cropredy Festival – set up and still run by the folk-rock band Fairport Convention – featured three days of live music last weekend, featuring everything from acoustic folk to funk, reggae, pop and rock.
The gathering, formally known as Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, saw revellers of all ages descending on the steeply-sloping site in Cropredy, near Banbury.
And they gave a resounding thumbs-up to the festival, which attracted stars as diverse as Nile Rodgers - who praised "the vibe", the Easy Star All-Stars, 10CC and founders Fairport Convention who kicked off the event on Thursday and brought it to a rousing finale on Saturday with a mass sing-along to their 1968 anthem Meet on the Ledge.
Unlike most other festivals, Cropredy has just one stage and revellers – many of whom return each year – settle in for each day with deckchairs, picnic tables, cool boxes and, of course, umbrellas.
Highlights included a show by progressive rock innovator and guitarist Robert Fripp with his pop singer wife Toyah Wilcox. The pair, joined by full band, played a punchy set of rock covers and hits by Toyah – who dazzled in an energetic stage show enlivened by cheeky banter with the crowd and plaudits to her rock icon husband – a founder member of the prog rock band King Crimson.
Fair friends: Fairport Convention founder member Simon Nicol greets the folk-rock faithful. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
The stand out star though was composer, producer and guitarist Nile Rodgers, with his disco-funk band Chic.
The multi-Grammy award-winner thrilled the crowd with a career spanning set of his own hits and tracks written or produced for other artists, from the days of disco to the present day. Crowd pleasers included disco club classics Le Freak and Dance, Dance, Dance; Diana Ross song I’m Coming Out; Madonna’s Like a Virgin and Material Girl; David Bowie’s Let’s Dance and Modern Love; Duran Duran’s Notorious; and Daft Punk’s dance anthem Get Lucky.
A clearly impressed Nile said: “We came here tonight to sing, dance and have a good time – and ever since I got here I’ve been picking up the vibe.”
Get lucky: Nile Rodgers brought the party to Cropredy. Picture by Tim Hughes
Leaving the stage, he was visibly delighted by the audience’s reception and the size of the crowd which filled the field.
Celebrating the festival, Fairport Convention founding member Simon Nicol said: “The festival revives the sense of community between us all. It’s more than just a music festival with a terrific bill... it’s a community that brings people together.”
And he was delighted with the eclectic bill, adding: “The only criteria for being there is people making music we like ourselves which is interesting and well-performed.
Fairport and friends: Fairport Convention's headline set. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
"It’s a mixture of welcome returnees, like 10cc, Strawbs and Solstice who we know are going to be great, and people who are brand new but tried and tested. Everyone has something worthwhile to bring to the musical table.”
He added: “It’s wonderful when it all comes together.”
More pictures...
Striking a chord: The livelier revellers - of all ages - headed to the front of the stage: Cropredy Festival crowd. Picture by Tim Hughes
Light moods and dark skies: The crowd settle in for the night at Cropredy Festival. Picture by Tim Hughes
Prog and pop: Robert Fripp and a playful Toyah. Picture by Tim Hughes
Free: A sparkling Toyah on flamboyant form belted out her classics, such as I want to be Free and It's a Mystery. Picture by Tim Hughes
Fripp-hop: Banter between husband and wife Robert Fripp and Toyah. Picture by Tim Hughes
Funk and folk: Nile Rodgers with Fairport's Ric Sanders. Picture by Tim Hughes
Good times: Nile Rodgers and Chic dazzle. Picture by Tim Hughes
On the fiddle: Fairport Convention. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
Meet on the Ledge: Fairport Convention line up. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
Stringing along: Fairport Convention's Dave Pegg and Chris Leslie. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
Strings attached: Ric Sanders and Simon Nicol of Fairport Convention. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
A keg of Pegg: Dave Pegg of Fairport Convention. Picture by Kirstie Handley courtesy of Fairport Convention
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article