Cropredy 2022 - Band reviews

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Please use this as a template and add your comments

THURSDAY 11 AUGUST
The Trevor Horn Band
Clannad
Edward II
Thumping Tommys
Fairport Convention Acoustic

FRIDAY 12 AUGUST
Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited
Turin Brakes
Sharon Shannon
Slambovian Circus of Dreams
Martyn Joseph
Home Service
Emily Barker
Maddie Morris

SATURDAY 13 AUGUST
Fairport Convention & Friends (inc Full House)
Richard Thompson
Matthews Southern Comfort
Rosalie Cunningham
The Bar Steward Sons Of Val Doonican
Holy Moly & The Crackers
Seth Lakeman

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

OK so no poll.... Shame

So here is my list in European song contest formular:

(only those on the field are included, Kapreka's Constant and Treebeard at the fringe would have been up high otherwise).

12 points go to ............................ The Slambodians
10 points go to ............................ Holy Moly and the Crackers
  8 points go to ............................ Edward 11
  7 points go to ...........................  Clannad
  6 points go to ...........................  Turin Brakes
  5 points go to ...........................  Martyn Joseph    
  4 points go to ...........................  Fairport
  3 points go to ...........................  The Doonicans
  2 points go to ...........................  Steve Hackett
  1 point goes to .........................  The Thumping Tommy's

I didnt see Maddie Morris, Rosalie Cunnigham, Richard Thompson or Seth Lakeman ,otherwise the points may have differed.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

OK so no poll.... Shame

So here is my list in European song contest formular:

(only those on the field are included, Kapreka's Constant and Treebeard at the fringe would have been up high otherwise).

12 points go to ............................ The Slambodians
10 points go to ............................ Holy Moly and the Crackers
  8 points go to ............................ Edward 11
  7 points go to ...........................  Clannad
  6 points go to ...........................  Turin Brakes
  5 points go to ...........................  Martyn Joseph    
  4 points go to ...........................  Fairport
  3 points go to ...........................  The Doonicans
  2 points go to ...........................  Steve Hackett
  1 point goes to .........................  The Thumping Tommy's

No points to Trevor from Trev?

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

I really enjoyed the set and I was wowed by my hometown boy Robert Fripp, but not for me as a point scorer, loved what they do and sung along with most of it ,

but its not really what I go to a festival for. I thought I would feel the same way about Turin Brakes , but what power, what energy.
.

[Nick Reg]

12 points go to ............................ Martyn Joseph
10 points go to ............................ Turin Brakes
  8 points go to ............................ Holy Moly and the Crackers
  7 points go to ...........................  Richard Thompson
  6 points go to ...........................  Iain Matthews
  5 points go to ...........................  Fairport    
  4 points go to ...........................  Slambovians
  3 points go to ...........................  Seth Lakeman
  2 points go to ...........................  Home Service
  1 point goes to .........................  FC Acoustic

If Martyn had just sung the one song he would have got 12! He really meant it. Merry Hell and Trad Arrr at the Brasenose would have featured highly if eligible.

[Bridgwit (Bridget)]

Here's mine:

12 points go to ............................ Turin Brakes - blew me away as always. They get better and better.
10 points go to ............................ Steve Hackett - superb musicians playing superb music
  8 points go to ............................ Trevor Horn Band - Mr Fripp was sublime
  7 points go to ...........................  The Bar Steward Sons Of Val Doonican - love these guys - the lift we needed
  6 points go to ...........................  Seth Lakeman - good to see Benji with him
  5 points go to ...........................  Slambovian Circus of Dreams - my "festival find"  
  4 points go to ...........................  Clannad - have wanted to see these for decades. Beautiful harmonies
  3 points go to ........................... The Matthews Baartmans Conspiracy - a great set with strong songs  
  2 points go to ...........................  Martyn Joseph - a passionate set
  1 point goes to .........................  Maddie Morris - showed immense presence to sing unaccompanied to 15,000 people!  

Overall, it was bloody good, wasn't it? We're very lucky to be able to go to something like Cropredy. So many horror stories about other festivals, but "ours" is indeed the friendliest and the best. Roll on 2023  

[davidmjs]

Everyone's really feeling the love for the Fairport family around here, aren't they...Fairport (and their component parts) well down most lists (or not even in the team at all)

[StephenB]

maybe ir should be clarified at the start whether Fairport are to be included or not, as I'm guessing several may not include them for fairness, although still rating them very highly.

[Will S]

This is my score for the weekend:

12 points go to ............................ Fairport - both the Sat night set and the acoustic introduction were excellent
10 points go to ............................ Clannad - so happy to finally get to see them after all these years, and they were great
  8 points go to ............................ Richard Thompson - one of the best acoustic sets I've seen him play
  7 points go to ...........................  Seth Lakeman - excellent start to Saturday. Shame it was a short set.
  6 points go to ...........................  Sharon Shannon - joyous set of Irish tunes and songs
  5 points go to ...........................  Edward II - lovely to see them back on the stage again
  4 points go to ...........................  Holy Moly and the Crackers - hi-energy and great fun
  3 points go to ........................... Trevor Horn Band - just a fun way to round off Thursday night  
  2 points go to ...........................  Steve Hackett - I enjoyed it, but not as much as the previous times I have seen him
  1 point goes to .......................... Martyn Joseph - lots of passion and engagement

If I hadn't missed them in order to see the excellent Kaprekar's Constant, I'm sure Home Service would have featured in the list.  As it was I just heard the end of Babylon as I made it back to the field.

[davidmjs]

maybe ir should be clarified at the start whether Fairport are to be included or not, as I'm guessing several may not include them for fairness, although still rating them very highly.

They're only not in one person's list - they're just low down the others (although not any more)  

[Lubiloo (Lorna)]

maybe ir should be clarified at the start whether Fairport are to be included or not, as I'm guessing several may not include them for fairness, although still rating them very highly.

I was assuming it’s a ‘given’ that we hold them on high.

I can’t do the ratings as I missed too many, but absolutely loved Clannad, Trevor Horn, Martyn Joseph, Iain Matthews, they’d be my 12-7 with Fairport and RT as 12+.

 

[Field 7 is Heaven (Trev)]

David MJS

Very early days....only five people have voted yet...but Fairport's are in the lead.

Only Martyn Joseph has received votes from everyone.

When (if) we get into double figures of voting I will put up a table.

[Amethyst (Jenny)]

My votes…

12 points to the fabulous Fairport both acoustic and full band
Joint 11… Edward 2 and the Bar Stewards
Joint 9… Martyn Joseph and Seth Lakeman and Clannad and Sharon Shannon and Richard Thompson and Ian Matthews
joint 4… Rosalie Cunningham and Home Service
Joint 3…most of the rest

[Polly Oxford (Andie)]

I just can't place them, I heard virtually everything on the field and had the most fun for years, I thought the whole festival was exceptional. The only act I didn"t love was Steve Hackett, but I stood in the mosh pit and marvelled at the musicuanship and the ecstasy of the devotees surrounding me.
Teary moments : RT and Ian Matthews,  Home Service , EII, Clannad, Full House..... but then there was the sheer ebulliance of virtually everyone else! (Martin Joseph special exception perhaps)
Well worth the wait, but please don't let it be delayed agsin!

[Nick Reg]

Oh bugger, I forgot Edward 11. Sorry Simon.

[Andy]

As we missed Friday afternoon and Saturday, it would be unfair for me to award any points.

I will say that I enjoyed Trevor Horn (& guests) hugely and found the Thumping Tommys godawful.

[StephenB]

12 points go to ............................ Fairport (Superb as ususal, ++ for Full House and +++ for flatback Caper)
10 points go to ............................ Steve Hackett (Supreme musicality and the soundtrack to my life.
  8 points go to ............................ Clannad  (Bowed out after 50 years sounding as fresh as when they started out)
  7 points go to ...........................  Doonicans (Yes, you can tell the same joke twice IF you happen to be superb musicians and showmen as well as jolly nice chaps as well.)
  6 points go to ...........................  Sharon Shannon (Heard her many times but she rose to this occasion, her smile was more radiant than ever, and her "Lost harmonium" blew me away.
  5 points go to ........................... Holy Moly (refreshing sunny Cropredy fare
  4 points go to ........................... Slambovians (Pleasantly nuts)
  3 points go to ........................... Martyn Joseph (I don't normally get single males on guitar but was impressed by his heartfelt lyrics)
  2 points go to ...........................  Home Service (Just for seeing them for the first time, though they didn't swee me off my feet.)
  1 point goes to ......................... Trevor Horne (Great musicality but I still see it as a covers band...but hey...)

I didn't see Maddie Morris, Rosalie Cunnigham, Edward II, Richard Thompson,Seth Lakeman or Turin Brakes, otherwise the points may have differed...

[malcolm talking elephant]

Well I just loved The Slambovians, what a show and Iain Matthews - Simply Wonderful wit BJ Baartmans.

OK well I am a little biased I guess.

Overall though what a bloody Great Cropredy this year. A Great comeback despite the heat.

So looking forward to next year

[Sue & Chris]

12 points go to ............................ Richard Thompson - on good form, I thought. Galway to Graceland with Iain Matthews was my moment of the Festival.
10 points go to ............................ Trevor Horn Band - for sheer entertainment value, the best of the fest.
  8 points go to ............................ Grand Slambovians - wasn't sure what to expect, hoped they'd be good and they were. Reminded me of The Decemberists at times (this is high praise indeed.)
  7 points go to.............................  Seth Lakeman - bossed the Digance slot and seemed to really enjoy himself.  Great to see a performer of this calibre opening the day. Loved the impromptu Morris dance at the end!
  6 points go to ...........................  Fairport Convention - good set, well played apart from some issues during Full House. Always great to hear Honour and Praise, Moses Waits was - surprisingly - another highlight.
  5 points go to ...........................  Home Service - bravo, comrades!
  4 points go to ...........................  Clannad - much more rocky than I'd expected, plus the Robin of Sherwood medley was a wonderful blast from the past. Shame I spent half their set queuing at the bar.
  3 points go to ...........................  Martyn Joseph - committed, forceful playing as ever. .
  2 points go to ...........................  Turin Brakes - took a while to grow on me, was loving it by the end.
  1 point goes to .........................  Maddie Morris - joyous. Particularly enjoyed the folk song with extra verses.

Bubbling under : Sharon Shannon, Edward II, Rosalie Cunningham.

Not for me : Steve Hackett, Thumping Tommys, Holy Moly and the Crackers.

[kenhughes]

Challenging in the heat, but here you go.

12 points go to ……………………………… The Lads. Great sound and the most emotional moments. Jack!
10 points go to ............................ Slambovian Circus of Dreams. I was struggling to get them by listening to album tracks, but a great experience live. They also get immense credit for mingling on the field and being so approachable!
  8 points go to ............................ Turin Breaks. Seen them before, but this was great and the best we have seen of them. What about their drummer being a Cropredy regular; so pleased for him to get on that stage!
  7 points go to ............................ Emily Barker (despite the poem). Such an underrated talent! Often seen with just a guitar, but with a band even better.
  6 points go to ...........................  Martyn Joseph. Can someone tell me which album to buy based on that set please 😊
  5 points go to ...........................  Home Service. I think they were better than last time. Whatever they do they have Alright Jack in their repertoire, so they are folk rock royalty.
  4 points go to ...........................  Steve Hackett. A flower!
  3 points go to ...........................  Seth. Missed Mr Digence, but very good.
  2 points go to .......................... Clannad. Great to see them and the sundown slot really suited them as the arena began to cool down.
  1 point goes to ...........................  Holy Moly and the Crackers. They were good, but I expected them to be better. Very samey songs (and I have an album!)

Sad this will be the last opportunity we have to do this!!