Chris Gravett

I promised some more photos from Cropredy Festival and here they are. First up an image I've called Early Bird

There's a little story attached. Each morning at Cropredy photographers with press acreditation have to visit the backstage entrance - fondly known as Moira's gate - and book pit slots for the day. It's all very formal and somewhat unusual but you have to be there at 10 am or you are likely to miss out. The festival arena is closed to the public until 11am. On this particular day as I dragged myself from my tent across the site to Moiras gate I spotted this fellow sitting alone in the area he should not have been in. It was around 0930. I went and booked my slots and on the way back noticed he was still sitting there. It was  an hour until the area opened and about three hours before the first band was to play. I made my way over to him to have a chat. His name is Jim and he told me he was over from Philadelphia just for the festival. I enquired how he got here and he answered by bus from Banbury! I then explained in more detail how I was surprised he a) was sitting here so early (he had hardly chosen a prime position) and b) how he got past security. Jim explained that the day before he had arrived at around 0900 when the bus got in from his hotel in Banbury and that there was no security. So he made his way to this spot and waited. The previous day the first band was not on until 4pm so he must have sat there for seven hours before the festival began. Today he arrived and was confronted by security at the gate, he explanied about his previous days experience and the security guy said well if you go in and sit there I'm not going to move you! So here Jim was, waiting patiently having bagged a somewhat ahem, mediocre poistion!

This is Jim, all the way from Philadelphia and waiting to see the band that had attracted him across the pond to Cropredy, Home Service. He didn't seem to think this long wait was in anyway unusual. His only real frustration was that the food and drink outlets were not open. I bid him farewell and went off to get some breakfast.

This is Home Service, the band Jim had travelled so far and waited so long to see.

There are many interesting folk to meet at Cropredy. As you would expect there is a fair proportion of, what shall I say, people who are more September than May, but then again there's also many young children as well.

A young Beatle fan for example

and here's a young shopaholic

Sophisticated girl on Dad's shoulders

and girl on the shoulders of her somewhat unsophisticated Dad

Well at least her Dad could cover up with a slightly larger shirt. Unlike this fella who has made his decision and is stuck with it. Mind you he's happy.