It’s that time of year again – when many of the farm fields of Cropredy in Oxfordshire get transformed in to a festival city!.. and many things start arriving….The catering stalls, the gift stalls the brilliant Cropredy Bar, the toilets, the showers, the magical stage, the lighting, the fences, the roadways, the walkway path lights, the generators, and most importantly the love .. and the huge family that are Fairport Conventions loyal fans – generations of them… all convening for what is for most, a yearly pilgrimage to the legendary Fairport Conventions Cropredy Festival.
This years Cropredy Festival falls on the 8-10th August.
But this year it is with great sadness we mourn the loss of Fairport’s drummer Gerry Conway, who sadly passed away after a spell of illness from Moto Neurone disease in March. Gerry served as Fairport’s drummer from 1998 until 2022. A man that I became to know from my very limited occasions of meeting and interviewing him to be a kind wonderful, gentle warm hearted beautiful soul and exceptional musician.
Our thoughts, love and condolences are with his partner Jacqui and his family from all of us at the folking.com team.
Cropredy 2024 – spanning the generations..
This year especially reminds us of the multi generational ethos of the festival with the amazing Rick Wakeman, playing his Journey to the centre of the earth album live. This year he will be joined by his son Adam Wakeman another hugely talented and successful musician, on stage playing keyboards alongside his father for this very special performance.
In addition and again in line with the generations of great musicians, Rick Wakeman will also be joined by the brilliant bass player Mr Matthew Pegg – son of none other than Mr Dave Pegg. Matthew is a hugely talented bass player just like his father. Who despite his father Dave Pegg telling me in our latest interview (below) that he tried to encourage Matthew to become a dentist or something similar!! he ignored his fathers advice and has forged a brilliant successful career in the music industry playing with many bands including The City Funk Orchestra and Jethro Tull to name just two often stepping in to deputize on bass for Dave Pegg when he has been injured!
So the generations roll on in that living tradition that now spreads across multiple generations of the band itself as well as their friends, musical acquaintances and the families of the Fairport fans who flock to this magical festival – where the Fairport’s song ‘Meet on the ledge’ so perfectly captures ‘It all comes round again’ really rings true for this years Cropredy festival.
From a personal point of view I like I’m sure thousands of others will be joined this year by my two daughters, who grew up coming to the Cropredy Festival and are now bringing their children… so the generations keep rolling on!
So…the line up. So who can you see????
Fairport have have done it again!…what a fantastic line up for this year – and tickets are selling fast so ‘If you snooze you loose’ as they say so – visit www.fairportconvention.com to buy your tickets asap!
Other ‘generational legends’ performing this year are the brilliant time spanning entertainer Tony Christie.
You can hear me talking to Tony Christie about his appearance at the festival and other life matters including speed awareness courses! in my Pre – Cropredy Chat with Tony Christie here….
Also continuing Fairport’s constant commitment to championing new young bands at the festival there are several younger bands on the bill…among others a fiery, energetic and extremely talented band of Blues Rockers from my neck of the woods (Medway Towns in Kent)
The Zack Shultze Gang
Hear my pre Cropredy chat with Zack Schultze here..
Another catalogue of generational hits from the 80’s 90’s and beyond…will be played by the Brilliant Trevor Horn band!
If you have never been to the Cropredy Festival I can’t express what a special friendly, safe and comfortable festival this is, and always has an eclectic mix of music to suit all tastes, that Dave, Simon, Rick, Chris and Gareth the festival Manager / Director always bring. This is not just a folk or folk rock festival but a music festival that never ceases to amaze with its huge variety of music.
I only have to mention some of the past acts that have performed here over the years to give you an idea, past performances include The Buzzcocks, The levellers, The Proclaimers, The Water Boys, Petula Clarke, Madness, Toyah and Robert Fripp, Alice Cooper , Beach Boys, Level 42, Mark King, Marilion, Robert Plant, Solstice, Nile Rogers.. to name but a few and always topped off with stunning performances on Saturday night from those boys them selves Fairport Convention.
Cropredy will always surprise you, but never disappoint you !!!
So get those tickets booked August 8-10th www.fairportconvention.com
The folking.com crew will also be there bringing you the vibe and the magical atmosphere of the festival via our social media and any further back stage interviews with artists and bands I can bring you…
See you in that magical field…. 8th – 10th August
Paul Johnson
www.folking.com
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