Sheep Music is a three-day world music festival which takes place during July each year in Presteigne. It has 22 years of history, starting as a party on The Warden in 1991. Since moving to its current site at Wentes Meadow in the mid 1990s it has developed into music festival. In addition to several music stages, the festival also features workshops, craft activities, and local food and ales.
Location
Sheep Music is currently held on community land known as Wentes Meadow, owned by Presteigne and Norton Town Council. This reserve is between the south bank of the River Lugg and the north-western edge of Presteigne, a border town located in Powys, Mid-Wales. It can be accessed from Joe Deakins Road and the B4355.
Recent history
Over the years bands who have played at Sheep Music include Transglobal Underground, Zion Train, the Haggis Horns, Smerins Anti-social Club, Nizlopi, The Cat Empire and Attack and Defend. In 2006, Sheep Music took a year’s sabbatical and returned in 2007, with the event taking place on the weekend of 20, 21 and 22 July. The event was hit hard by the summer’s wet weather when severe floods affected the region. The main site turned to mud, and the rising waters of the nearby River Lugg meant the camping fields had to be evacuated. Bands struggled to reach the festival through the flooded roads, and the festival was in danger of being cancelled on safety grounds. Sheep Music was back in 2009. Friday night saw Sicknote play alongside the Hot 8 Brass band from New Orleans. Saturday night was tech-country rock bandYes Sir Boss warming up for Maroon Town. On Sunday the Destroyers, 17 Hippies Royal Gala Extra Curricular Ash Grunwald and Dub Pistols featured. Sheep Music returned once again in 2012 and thanks to a combination of great bands including Lazy Habits and East Park Reggae Collective, good organisation and a bit of luck with the weather it was a massive hit. E festivals said "will be going straight in my diary for future years, as I had easily my best weekend this year, with its family friendly atmosphere and ethical approach, I cannot see anyone this festival would not appeal to" It was announced in May that in 2013 Sheep Music will be holding a scaled-down two-day event by the name of "Pasture Bedtime" on 19 and 20 July again at Wendes Meadow in Presteigne, Powys. The Friday will feature Bristol Afro Beat Project, Sheelanagig and headline act They Say Jump, the Saturday will include Sam Green and the Midnight Feast, Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate and will be headlined by OnlyJoe.
Organization
Sheep Music is run by a limited company number 04427679, Sheep Music Ltd, incorporated on 30 April 2002. Sheep Music Ltd has also been a registered charity, number 1099690, since 26 September 1993. The trustees responsible for the company currently number nine people. Decisions regarding the festival and other company operations are usually decided by a committee. The festival itself is primarily staffed by volunteers, who work in exchange for free entry to the ground. Apart from the music festival, Sheep Music Limited also arranges other local music events throughout the year, which are usually held in either The Dukes Arms, Presteigne, or in The Royal British Legion, Presteigne. In addition to this, Sheep Music also supports an organization called Black Sheep White Sheep, a youth band run by John Hymas which meets weekly in Presteigne assembly rooms. Due to the success of the 2012 festival the charity that administers Sheep Music were able to award grants in the local community to amongst others Gladestry Primary School, Mid-Borders Arts, Kington Little Orchard Nursery, Shobdon Primary School, Presteigne Youth Project and Knighton Church in Wales School totaling almost £7000.
