Cropredy Festival

[Graeme Harvey]

Just got back from the festival yesterday, and thought I'd stick a couple of photos up. The weather was fairly poor this weekend, plenty of rain! However, the music was really good. Here are some pics of a few people we saw:

Thursday:

A punter with one of the best T-shirts I've seen.

Exposure Time: 1/34 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.70 EV (f/3.6)
ISO Speed Rating: 64

Anyone remember "The Selecter"? This is Pauline Black:

Exposure Time: 1/170 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.70 EV (f/3.6)
ISO Speed Rating: 800

Exposure Time: 1/160 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 800
Status Quo:

Exposure Time: 1/100 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 1600

Exposure Time: 1/209 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 1600


Friday:

Jazz guitarist Martin Taylor:

Exposure Time: 1/140 sec.
Aperture Value: 5.00 EV (f/5.7)
ISO Speed Rating: 400

From 3 Daft Monkeys, Tim Ashton and Athene Roberts:

Exposure Time: 1/200 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 400

Exposure Time: 1/110 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.70 EV (f/3.6)
ISO Speed Rating: 400

From Little Johnny England, Guy Fletcher and Friend:

Exposure Time: 1/125 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.70 EV (f/3.6)
ISO Speed Rating: 400

Saturday:

Rick Wakeman:

Exposure Time: 1/209 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 1600

Exposure Time: 1/500 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 1600

Rick Wakeman and Ashley Holt:

Exposure Time: 1/350 sec.
Aperture Value: 4.60 EV (f/4.9)
ISO Speed Rating: 1600

Last but not least: Fairport Convention

Exposure Time: 1/80 sec.
Aperture Value: 3.60 EV (f/3.5)
ISO Speed Rating: 1600

Musically, the highlight of the weekend for me was Rick Wakeman and the English Rock Ensemble who were just stunning and memories of their set will stay with me for a long, long time. However, there were also great performances from Fairport Convention, Little Johnny England, 3 Daft Monkeys, Martin Taylor's Spirit of Django, Pauline Black and of course, Status Quo. Roll on next year.

 

[Glen Roberts]

Some great musical talent on there, makes me wish I was there to see it too.

Some nice shots of the event too.

 

[Vic Shaw]

Nice set Grez, Yes I remember Pauline Black saw The Selector a few years ago at Beautiful Days was great to hear some 2 tone ska again.

3 Daft Monkeys are playing this year at Beautiful Days I have them on my to see list. Looks like the weather wasn't too bad this year.

 

[Graeme Harvey]

Thanks guys.

The weather was iffy to say the least - we had quite a lot of rain and some heavy, but there was sunshine to to warm us up and dry us out. We saw some great talent though - fantastic music of all different types and a real friendly vibe. Vic, 3 Daft Monkeys are well worth seeing!

 

[Chris Dodkin]

Nice captures - especially as I though several of the acts were long dead!

Did the Quo do 'In the Army............... Now'?

 

[Paul Lange]

Nice shots. My friend goes to Cropredy every year but he never takes any photos. He a huge Fairport fan and general music lover with a few thousand CD's!

 

[Graeme Harvey]

Nice shots.

Thanks :$

My friend goes to Cropredy every year but he never takes any photos.

Yeah, once you've been to one it gets very addictive. They'll be giving me a clock next year! I've seen some great bands there over the years, and some unexpected guests appearing with Fairport who've put in amazing performances, such as Steve Harley, Roger Hodgson, Bryn Haworth, Gary Brooker and stuff.

He a huge Fairport fan and general music lover with a few thousand CD's!

Some people get put off because they think of the festival as being a hard-core (or even worse a soft-core) folk festival, which it isn't. I love all kinds of music and get to see all sorts there which is brilliant. Over the years I've seen bands like Stan Webb's Chicken Shack, 10cc, Dennis Lacorriere (Dr. Hook!), Lonnie Donegan, Richard Thompson, Supergrass, The Buzzcocks, All About Eve, Magna Carta, The Hamsters, Ashley Hutchings Morris On Band (complete with 2 teams of Morris Dancers and they were completely mindblowingly good), Robin Williamson, Eddi Reader... need I go on?

The unique thing about the festival though is how friendly everybody is. I've never witnessed a fight or any real nastiness in the 24 I've attended, the festivalgoers respect the village and the villagers, and vice-versa. It's a great place to go once a year to really relax and get away from it all, and to meet lots of great people who can have lots of fun without it getting out of hand.

Rick Wakeman stole the show for me this year with a breathtaking set that included bits from Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Six Wives of Henry VIII, Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, along with Starship Trooper by Yes. Stunningly performed!