IRELAND (CelebrityAccess) – The music industry mourns the loss of Vince Power, the visionary concert promoter behind iconic festivals like Reading and Leeds, who passed away at the age of 76. In a statement, his family remembered him as “a visionary entrepreneur who enhanced and influenced the music industry significantly whilst always being a dedicated, loving father and a loyal friend to so many.”
Born John Vincent Power in Waterford in 1947, Power’s journey from Ireland to London marked the beginning of his impactful career. In 1982, he established the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden. This venue initially hosted Irish folk and country music but soon attracted renowned artists like Eric Clapton, Annie Lennox, and Roy Orbison.
Power’s venture expanded, with the Mean Fiddler Group acquiring prominent London venues such as the Jazz Cafe, the Garage, and the Astoria. In 1989, he took on the challenge of rescuing the imperiled Reading festival, later adding the Leeds festival location in 1999. Power continued to shape the music landscape despite financial setbacks, like the £2.5m debt following the 1993 Tramore racecourse gig.
The Phoenix Festival in 1993 showcased alternative music with headliners like David Bowie, Neil Young, Björk, and the reformed Sex Pistols. Power’s Fleadh events, including those in London’s Finsbury Park, celebrated Irish rock and folk.
While Mean Fiddler faced financial struggles, it went public and briefly held a stake in the Glastonbury festival in 2002. Power sold his share in 2004 and founded the Vince Power Music Group, organizing the Hop Farm festival from 2008 to 2012. Despite losses, the festival featured headline sets from Prince, Eagles, and Bob Dylan.
In 2014, Power’s management of Hop Farm without a performing rights license resulted in a temporary ban from promoting live music. His ownership of Festival Internacional de Benicàssim in Spain and a venture into Feis Liverpool in 2019 had mixed outcomes. Power’s contributions earned him an honorary CBE in 2006.
Imelda May and Tanita Tikaram expressed gratitude for Power’s impact, with May stating, “I adored him and will be forever grateful to him for giving me a chance when I needed it most when starting out.” Vince Power is survived by his eight children, leaving a lasting legacy in the music and festival scene.
Eight children survive him.
