Fairport Convention is one of Oxfordshire’s treasures. OK, so the band started in London, but they have strong associations with North Oxfordshire, too – and, of course, their name is virtually synonymous with Cropredy, the festival they started 30 years ago.

So it’s not surprising that a gig in Chipping Norton should prove to be a magnetic draw, and on Saturday Chippy’s diminutive theatre was packed with adoring local fans. And not just local, either — at least two members of the audience had travelled from Glasgow to catch the kings of folk in action. In contrast to these hardcore fans, I must confess to being a bit of a Fairport Convention novice; I’ve heard a lot about them but never seen them perform, so Saturday seemed a good opportunity to go along and see what all the fuss is about.

It soon became clear. This is one of those groups that treat a gig like a family party, and the friendly banter alone is enough to charm the socks off anyone. Every song is preceded by explanatory and usually humorous chat, with different members of the band taking a turn at having his say. Add to that, their virtuosic skills — whether on the guitar, fiddle or drums, or making a temporary switch to the ukelele — and you have a winning formula.

The evening was a trawl through their extensive back catalogue – “from the creakingly ancient to those so new they haven’t even been committed to vinyl yet, or whatever it is these days” as lead vocalist Simon Nicol put it. All, inevitably, were unfamiliar to me, but I was soon toe-tapping along with everyone else, and even managing to sing the occasional line when instructed. Not bad for a beginner, you must admit.

If you missed Fairport this time, you can catch them at Cropredy on August 14; visit www.fairportconvention.com for tickets and info.