IT has been said that Herefordshire embodies a “sense of otherness", and this weekend three of Hereford’s top venues will play host to a festival exploring the ‘otherness’ of Herefordshire’s live folk music scene.

The second Weirdshire Weekend is curated as before by local band Sproatly Smith, and draws on the fertile presence around Herefordshire of musicians who inhabit the edgy corners of contemporary folk. Over three nights at three venues in the city 13 bands will be playing, including David Ian Roberts, Andy Skellam, Elspeth Anne, Tobion, Alula Down, Mike Whittaker, Vaginapocalypse, Mark Stevenson, Liz Harres and Bird Radio.

This year’s Weirdshire Weekend also hosts two exceptional guest folk artists.

Steve Ashley is one of British folk’s finest singer-songwriters. His music has been covered by a legion of folk singers, and he’s recorded with folk royalty, including Anne Briggs, Maddy Prior and Richard Thompson. A former lead singer with The Albion Country Band and Ragged Robin, Steve is a consummate entertainer and has what America’s Variety magazine has called ‘one of the funniest dry stage raps’.

Leigh Folk Festival regulars Bones and the Aft are a band like no other. Sometimes described as 'primal rock theatre', they embody a world of homemade costumes, elaborate pop–up stage sets, stark state-of-the-nation storytelling and virtuoso musicianship. With Admiral Lord Biscuit on drums, glockenspiel and harmonium, Ian Mckean on virtuoso guitar, and John Bently-Bones on words, costumes, hand-made books and voice.

Sproatly Smith will be performing on Saturday night at the Booth Hall, and will also be promoting a new compilation of locally connected ‘weird folk’ artists – providing a soundtrack to the 'mysterious underside to this county' and an insight into the bands that are part of the local alt-folk and psych-folk scene.

Weirdshire Weekend opens at De Koffie Pot tomorrow at 8pm with free entry. Steve Ashley headlines at The Booth Hall on Saturday (music from 5pm, £6 on the door), and Bones and The Aft play at The Barrels on Sunday, (music from 4pm, free entry).