published: 25 /
10 /
2023
Nick Dent-Robinson enjoys this year’s three day Fairport’s Cropredy Convention, which as well as Fairport Convention also featured excellent sets from Robert Fripp and Toyah and Nile Rodgers.
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Cropredy Festival, originated and still run by folk-rock band Fairport Convention. was another huge success this year. Around 20,000 music-lovers of several generations braved sunburn and heavy showers as they gathered on the usual North Oxfordshire hillside for three days of musical bliss! The 2023 line-up included New York's Nile Rodgers and his disco-funk band Chic, 10CC, the Easy Star All-Stars, King Crimson founder - the progressive rock guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife Toyah Wilcox, Strawbs and prog rock band Solstice with Fairport Convention both opening the event and closing it with a mass sing-along to their 1968 anthem ‘Meet on the Ledge’.
Highlights included a punchy set by Robert Fripp and Toyah supported by a full band and playing an assortment of covers plus hits by Toyah plus the stand-out guest star of the festival, multi-Grammy award winner Nile Rodgers who thrilled the crowd with a career-spanning set of his own hits plus various tracks produced or written for other artists. These included the disco club classics, ‘Le Freak’ and ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’, Madonna's ‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘Material Girl’, the Diana Ross song ‘I'm Coming Out’ and Bowie's ‘Let's Dance’ plus Duran Duran's ‘Notorious’. After his performance, Nile Rodgers - who was visibly delighted by the size of the crowd and their reaction, commented, “This has been fantastic. We just came here tonight to sing, dance and have a good time and, boy, did we do that! Ever since we got here I've been feeling the vibe. It has been amazing! Thank you Cropredy!”
As the event closed, Fairport Convention founder-member Simon Nicol said, “We all love Cropredy. Somehow the annual festival always revives the sense of community and belonging between us all. This is more than just another music festival - it is a community that really brings people together. The eclectic bill is important too. The only criteria for appearing here is playing music that we like and that is interesting and well-performed. It is always a mix of welcome returnees with newcomers who have something great to offer. It is wonderful to see it all come together so beautifully. It is hard work but we are already looking forward to 2024's Cropredy Convention!”
Band Links:-
http://www.fairportconvention.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Fairportoffic
https://twitter.com/faircropfest
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