Brand New Buzz

Many are arriving in town and checking in to their Oxford hotel this week, as the much awaited Cropredy Musical Festival is taking place this weekend, August 12, 2009 through August 16.  This promises to be a week of fun and fold music for fans that have traveled far and wide.  This is an annual festival that takes place at the venue of the Fairport Cropredy Convention, and in past years attendance has numbered above twenty thousand people.  Fairport Convention is a band that is legendary in the folk music scene in the area, they organize the festival and are also the head-lining act.

Many guest artists will join them, including Yusuf Islam.  Islam is the folk legend of the United States, from the 1960′s and 70′s known at that time as Cat Stevens.  His set will include music from the older times as well as work included on his new record.  His appearance this year is part of the surprise, as was last year’s appearance by Robert Plant.  Last night’s shows included headliners, the Buzzcocks and Steve Winwood, as well as members from the Fairport band.  This festival has been an annual event since the early 1980′s, and many of the performers are musicians in local bands, as well as some of the big time international musicians who travel in for the event.

Many of those in attendance this year have been making the trip and camping on site for more than twenty five years.  Most are avid music festival attendees who state that the vibe or the feel of this festival is friendly, combined with a great buzz in the air and fueled by tremendous energy.  The idea for the festival came about in the 1970′s, when members of Fairport Convention move to the region.  What began as a few charity concerts, led to one day festivals, which gradually became the current Cropredy Festival of today.

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2. Edinburgh International Festival
3. Sydney’s Under the Blue Moon Festival
4. Mumbai’s International Children’s Film Festival
5. Streaming Music is a Part of Life