Cropredy's summer festival takes shape

Fairport Convention crowd: David Jackson

Organisers of the 40th Fairport Cropredy Convention have announced next year's line-up which features some new faces and old favourites.

Thursday, August 8 will see a welcome return to the festival having last played there in 2014. The Scottish-Irish folk rock band have been around since 1983 with Mike Scott the only remaining original member.

Friday, August 9, also sees a welcome return to an old favourite as guitar maestro Richard Thompson returns after a one year hiatus.

Former Fairport member Thompson will appear alongside Dave Mattacks, Dave Pegg and Simon Nicol.

Saturday night will be headlined by, of course, Fairport Convention themselves along with a few surprise guests.

Other acts confirmed for the three day music festival include award-winning acoustic guitarist Martin Simpson, who will be making his first appearance at Cropredy.

Fresh from a world tour with Robert Plant, Seth Lakeman returns to Cropredy after a ten year absence.

Pioneers of Canterbury’s prog rock scene, Caravan will be making their Cropredy debut.

Scottish singer-guitarist Zal Cleminson’s Sin’dogs will make their festival debut after a high-octane prog-metal performance during last year’s Cropredy fringe festival.

BAFTA nominee Richard Digance returns to his traditional Saturday lunchtime slot.

Daphne’s Flight, comprised of five female singer songwriters; Will Pound and Eddy Jay, among the UK’s finest harmonica and accordion players and multi-instrumentalist Lil Jim are also all confirmed.

Tickets for the August festival went on sale yesterday and are available from the festival’s official website.