FEATURE: FAIRPORT’S CROPREDY CONVENTION 2010

FAIRPORT’S 2010 Despite its size, the single stage, eclectic line- CROPREDY up and one-bar-serves-all formula makes Cropredy the great leveller. Words and CONVENTION pictures by Noel Harvey. n the 60s and early 70s, you’re all in it together. labelling of the music as ‘Bible of the great and good (announced festival punters were not Local band Leatherat played a belt noir’, while Martyn Joseph’s or otherwise) stepped up for a overly keen on having too thrashing, metal-hued blend of interjected analysis of Bruce turn. Johnny Logan, Martin Barre, much choice. Perhaps folk-rock that amply justifi ed the Springsteen’s ‘One Step Up, Two Jacqui McShee, and yes, even the it was the pervading ideals of preponderance of fans proudly Steps Back’ may yet fi nd itself (once) late, great Dave Swarbrick egalitarianismI and free love, or wearing their T-shirts. Cornwall transcribed and handed in as part made an appearance. † ere were maybe it was something in the air trio 3 Daft Monkeys delivered an of an essay by some hopeful media classics aplenty, of course. ‘Walk (or the roll-ups). But whatever it eclectic melee of folk, Gypsy and studies student. Awhile’, ‘Crazy Man Michael’, was, you needed neither a degree goodness knows what else with † ose in search of bona fi de ‘Matty Groves’ and a fi nal, rousing in logistics nor a clear head to be an energy that was anarchic and legends could happily return home ‘Meet On † e Ledge’ must have at the right stage at the right time exuberant enough to permeate and announce they’d seen Rick fi red up many a fading memory. for the right act. Why? Because even the muddiest fi eld. Breabach Wakeman, Little Feat and Status Easy enough to imagine † e Lady there was only one stage, and doff ed their hats politely (but Quo all in the same weekend. And looking down on it all, and loving nobody thought for a minute it creatively) to Scottish tradition. when a much changed but still every magnifi cent, plangent note should be any diff erent. Ahab, the up-and-coming alt- recognisable Fairport Convention of it. Fast-forward 40 years and country band from London’s closed the show with an epic Noel Harvey Fairport’s Cropredy Convention Dalston, off ered multilayered three-hour slot, more than a few is still packing the crowds in harmonies, tight, often intense with much the same formula – playing, and some very shapely probably unique for a festival of biceps to boot – more than its size. And it doesn’t end there. enough to attract a sizable crush of † ere’s only one bar, serving bright young things in skinny tops punters and performers alike. to the front, while still holding the † at body-double queuing behind attentions of an older and less agile you is probably the real McCoy. audience a long way further back. It’s all delightfully levelling and Be afraid, Seth. Be very afraid. might go some way to explaining Flying the fl ag from across why, despite frequent sheeting the pond, the Dixie Bee-Liners rain, even the lesser-known acts pushed against the boundaries of still found themselves performing bluegrass to deliver a truly original to a sizable and irrepressibly – and utterly compelling – sound enthusiastic crowd. At Cropredy, that amply justifi ed their own

99

Cropredy Report.indd 43 25/11/2010 12:03