Reviews

Bob Fox and Billy Mitchell at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention - 11th August 2007

2007 is the 40th Anniversary of this occasion, I was 50 this year and with 60+ Billy on the artistes list this prompted me to my first ever festival under canvas . Local friends Alan and Angela Armstrong made it possible for me and with John Pickles, the four of us had a great time here.

The whole event over 3 days was superb, excellent organisation and a most safe friendly and mature atmosphere amongst 23,000 visitors in soaring heat and sunshine. The musical range and quality was outstanding with, many, many highlights - I was especially taken with many of the youngsters, Seth Lakeman and Kerfuffle especially, and the Bucket Boys blues style was incredible. Jules Holland was notably tight and with Lulu on Shout' was brilliant . Nice too to see some new stuff, Show of Hands were awesome, I saw Iain Matthews for the first time on Woodstock, my old hands The Strawbs, and a great first time experience of the wonderful Richard Digance - my personal favourite, a total hoot having 23,000 pairs of hankies in the air to Two Little Boys and a wonderful operatic Nessun Dorma too. Cracking.
I also got to met the lovely Vicki Clayton and loved the entire Leige and Leif set.

Bob and Billy were last up before the 4 hours of closing Fairport themselves and lining problems were apparent from the start - the chaps subsequently had their set forcibly reduced - twice - but opened up the fingers on the main chords of Rockin’ Chair to a good warm reception. Billy switched to Mandolin Capo 2 for the Bonnie Gateshead Lass/Elsie Marley and some funtime jostling over photographic fame on the stage edge as Billy upfronted Bob yet he never saw it . These close up stage front pubstyle moments contrasted with the need to banter to the 20,000 others but with their usual infectious humour, it came off.

Dance To Your Daddy was well received with much singalong - played today for Bob’s 4 year old grand daughter - ahead of Billys wonderful piss take on the south with Relocating To The City - he had the accents too and they clearly enjoyed playing this one out though with mandolin rather than double guitar it lacked a bit weight from my position at the front.

Next with the 12+6 arrangement we had a lovely mellow and beautifully timed Where My Heart Lives ahead of Bob leading on Big River - the quirky aside on Jimmy Nails acting career was understood by few in the audience but a hoot to those able to get it. The applause a s this song ended was awesome and actually clowded out the closing line, it went down so well.

With Billy apologising for his wife’s absence (not quite true actually young Billy, we both saw her together later on your phone!!) there was much clapalong with Ramblin’Rover (a song on the much promoted CD Box of Peggs) whilst Billy was evidently readjusting his inner garments whilst playing too, you could feel and see the pain!

Planning and promising two encores they were cut to one so Billy offered to the crowd - here’s one chance to play a 27 verse ballad then' and the inevitable Meet Me on The Corner - played on 12 and 6 string combination was met with rapture and was especially popular among the hordes of young folkies dancing at the front.

After 46 minutes it was over and they left to a loud appreciative roar, even Bob got a kiss from violinist Ric Sanders of Fairport. After this I caught them at the signing, met Dave Cousins with a beer and watched the closing tremendous Fairport set.

It was an altogether memorable and prestigious weekend, I enjoyed every minute and proud that our lads' were an essential part of it.

….My tent was provided from Whitley Bays’ Poundstretcher store for £6.99 - an absolute bargain!!

Mike Jessop