Fairport return with Cropredy Convention and headliners Nile Rodgers and 10cc

Cropredy Convention returns tomorrow with hosts Fairport Convention set to headline alongside Nile Rodgers & CHIC and 10CC.

The annual festival takes place in Williamscot – on the Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire border – and runs from Thursday, August 10 to Saturday, August 12.

The festival will feature its usual eclectic mix of acts - everything from acoustic folk to rock and prog and all things in between.

In keeping with Cropredy tradition, hosts Fairport Convention will open the festival on the Thursday afternoon with a short acoustic set, before returning to bring the event to a close on the Saturday night.

Thursday night headliner Nile Rodgers is a multiple Grammy Award winning songwriter, composer, producer, arranger and guitarist and also a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee.

As the co-founder of CHIC, he pioneered a musical language that generated chart-topping hits like Le Freak, the biggest selling single in the history of Atlantic Records and helped sparked the advent of hip-hop with Good Times.

​His work in the CHIC Organization includes tracks such as We Are Family with Sister Sledge and I’m Coming Out with Diana Ross.

He has also produced for David Bowie, Madonna and Duran Duran resulting in record sales of more than 500 million albums and 100 million singles and has collaborated with the likes of Daft Punk, Daddy Yankee and Beyonce.

Also performing on the opening day will be Merry Hell, Wilson & Wakeman and Toyah Willcox & Robert Fripp.

After a surprise appearance at Cropredy last year, the pair are back with a full band featuring Robert on guitar.

The following day will be headlined by 10cc. Forming in Stockport in the early 1970s, the art rock act is led by founding member, singer and guitarist Graham Gouldman.

He’s joined by drummer Paul Burgess and guitarist and keyboard player Rick Fenn who have both been part of 10cc since the 1970s. All are joined by multi-instrumentalists Keith Hayman and Iain Hornal.

Also playing on the Friday are Fisherman’s Friends, Strawbs, Richie Owens and The Farm Bureau, Easy Star All-Stars, Peat & Diesel, Kiki Dee & Carmelo Luggeri and the Joshua Burnell & Band.

The closing day at Cropredy will be headlined by hosts Fairport Convention. Last year, the band announced after 24-years, drummer Gerry Conway was stepping down from the band.

Richard Digance will open proceedings and be followed by Morganway, Beans on Toast, Solstice, The Young 'uns and Gilbert O’Sullivan ahead of Fairport’s traditional festival closing show.

Three-day adult tickets for Cropredy Convention cost £175, two-day adult tickets £140 and one-day adult tickets £85.

Concessions for teenagers are available. Admission for children under 11-years-old is free. Camping and parking passes are also available.

Visit www.fairportconvention.com