News
It’s finally upon us, CNSP 2013 is officially open for business!
It’s not too late to join the party, there are weekend and day tickets still available. Why not have a look at the line-up to help you decide which day to come? Please bring cash to purchase tickets from the gate here on in. Have a read of our travel info to help you get here and if you do have any queries just pop them over to [email protected] and we’ll get back to you.
The forecast is looking great and we really will be turning sunshine into music! It’s still worth bringing wellies just in case though…
While you’re at the festival make sure you get lots of snaps and share them on Facebook and Twitter (#CNSP) to be in with the chance of winning CNSP goodies over the weekend!
Think about what you bring, although we recycle litter on site we’re trying to reduce the amount of waste the festival makes. Leave all glass at home, make sure you have a refillable bottle for water and don’t forget to use the recycling bins around the site!
All that remains to say is HAVE A BLIMMING GOOD FESTIVAL CROISSANT NEUFERS, and we’ll see you in our favourite field in Usk!
CNSP HQ x
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This Summer we’re in for a treat as UNICORN are set to play their first gig since 1977 on the Big Top solar-powered stage at CNSP!
Following the path laid by bands such as The Byrds, Poco and The Eagles; Unicorn instilled their own British flair into country rock in the 1970s. Championed by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, they released albums in the UK and USA on Capitol Records.
CNSP Festival Director Andy Hope saw the band live in the 70s and got in touch with bassist and founding member, Pat Martin, to see if they would consider playing at the festival based near Usk in Monmouthshire. This led to original members Pat and Ken Baker inviting guitarists Nick Powell and Chris Wiley to a jam session where, Pat explains,
We haven’t played together since [original drummer] Pete Perryer died and It was the first time Ken had played in a band situation since the late 70s, but we felt the buzz and wanted to play live again.
With former Skunk Anansie drummer Wayne Riches completing the line up the five-piece are now in rehearsal sessions for their set in the CNSP solar-powered Big Top on Saturday 10th August.
Unicorn was originally formed in 1963 as vocalist Ken Baker and bassist Pat Martin met at school. They were joined by Pete Perryer on drums and eventually guitarist Kevin Smith. In 1973, after limited success playing around the UK and Europe, Dave Gilmour saw Unicorn play at a friend’s wedding
“I was impressed by their vocal harmonies, their tightness and the fact it was their drummer that sang lead vocals. It was the songs themselves I liked best. I invited them to my studio in Essex to record some demos. This was the start of an association that was to cover 3 albums over the next couple of years” -David Gilmour
Following a signing with Capitol Records in the USA and Harvest in the UK and the recording of their first album, Blue Pine Trees, the band embarked on a US tour. This started with news from Capitol Records that the album was number one in the FM action charts and was followed by gigs supporting Fleetwood Mac and a then unheard of Patti Smith supporting them.
The band went on to record two more albums. The song There’s No Way Out of Here from the album Too Many Crooks was re-recorded by Dave Gilmour on his eponymous debut solo album in 1976. A UK tour followed but from 1977 Unicorn became a casualty of the emerging punk rock scene and decided to call time on the band.
Despite playing no more live shows the popularity of the band has remained intact, leading to the release of The Best of Unicorn in 1999 which continues to be popular with music lovers around the world.
A recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle put Unicorn, alongside The Byrds and Gram Parsons, as one the top 10 defining bands of the genre, read the article here!
BUY THEIR ALBUMS HERE!
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DRINKS ARE ON ME! A corker of a competition
This year the fantastic BUTTS BREWERY is providing a range of delicious beers at Croissant Neuf Summer Party. Butts brewery is one of only a handful of totally dedicated organic breweries and their range of award winning cask and bottle conditioned ales fit with our ethos perfectly!
BUTT we need your help. One of the delicious ales that will be available at our two brand-spanking new onsite pubs doesn’t have a name. This is sad news. It’s a corker of a pint- 4.0% ABV of rich golden beery goodness with a hint of fruitiness- but who will drink it if they don’t know what to ask for?
Here’s where you come in- if you want to enter our competition and get YOUR NAME on this delicious hop-based beverage AND a weekend CNSP ticket AND a free pint of your personalised beer on arrival it’s really very easy to enter! Just send an email to [email protected] with the subject ‘Drinks are on me!’ by 5pm on June 17th and we’ll select a winner at random from the entries.
Imagine it now, kicking back, watching your favourite band with your very own, personalised pint. We’re too good to you lot!
GOOD LUCK!