THE annual spring gathering of musicians associated with the psychedelic folk scene in and around Herefordshire returns next weekend, March 17 to 19, as Sproatly Smith host this year's Weirdshire Weekend.

Special guests include Jo Lepine, the signature voice of left field folk pioneers The Owl Service. Jo will be headlining on Friday evening at De Koffie Pot, playing alongside performances of intricate dark folk songs from Sharron Kraus, introspective folk/post rock from Finglebone and tender harp pickings from Joe Botting.

Bird Radio headlines on Saturday at The Booth Hall, with other performances on the night including chamber pop from Bristol based ‘Snails’ and ‘wistful shimmering folk-pop’ from Mark McDowell and Friends.

Guests at Sunday evening's De Koffie Pot event come from further afield. Trappist Afterland is a drone-folk band from Melbourne and they are joined by Chicago based Constantine, whose recent work ‘Day Of Light’ is described as “a truly wonderful Acid Folk masterpiece”. Bristol based Zeuk, and Herefordshire’s David Ian Roberts also play, alongside a performance from the weekend’s curators, Sproatly Smith, whose sound has been described as “quintessentially British, yet psychedelic … immersed in nature, tuneful and evocative of Britain's folk tradition”.

Entrance is free on Friday evening at De Koffie Pot, £6 on Saturday evening at The Booth Hall, and £8 from 3pm on Sunday at De Koffie Pot. There will also plus local DJs and more local bands at Gordon Bennetts on Sunday lunchtime.