Vince Power dies aged 76: Tributes to 'visionary' promoter who built up the ... trends now

Tributes have been paid to the 'visionary' promotor behind the Mean Fiddler empire after his death aged 76. 

The Irish-born father-of-eight Vince Power had a succession of jobs, including packing ice cream bars into boxes, before he rose to become a central figure in the music industry.

He turned the Reading Festival from a struggling jazz event - which he took it on in 1989 - into a highlight of the music scene, with headline acts ranging from Nirvana and the Stone Roses to Eminem and Dizzee Rascal.

The Leeds Festival joined Power's portfolio in 1999 and he was also the man behind the Madstock festival in Finsbury Park and later took on the running of Glastonbury.

The Mean Fiddler venue opened its doors in 1982 in a former gambling den in Harlesden, north-west London, that had once been frequented by gangsters the Kray twins and the Richardsons.

It was there that the likes of the Pogues, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison performed.

Power's daughter Nell paid tribute to her father yesterday on Instagram. She posted a series of pictures of them together and wrote: 'My eternally positive funny driven generous warm dad.' 

A host of stars had their own warm words for the promoter. Paul Weller, former frontman of the Jam, wrote on X: 'I'm sorry to hear of the passing of Vince Power, who was a good friend to us, and will be greatly missed. Bless you mate and thank you.'

Cerys Matthews, a founding member of Welsh band Catatonia, wrote: 'I'm going to miss you so very much, my friend in music, in thinking, in dreaming. love you very much. RiP.' 

Singer Imelda May said: 'I adored him and will be forever grateful to him for giving me a chance when I needed it most when starting out.' 

Folk singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram said: 'So sad to hear Vince Power has passed away.

'Like many artists I owe so much to Vince, he gave me my first gig at the Mean Fiddler acoustic Room attended by about 3 people but he made sure 1 of them was an important agent ! My condolences to Vince's family and loved ones.'

Billy Bragg added: 'Vince Power turned the Mean Fiddler into the best place for live music in mid-80s London. 

'The Saturday bill of his 1989 Reading Festival consisted of bands you might see any night of the week at the Fiddler, bands he had actively nurtured. He loved music. RIP.'

Power was born in Kilmacthomas, Country Waterford, Ireland, in 1947. He was the fourth of 11 children of parents Jack Power and Brigid.

His unnamed twin sister was among four of his siblings who died at birth. The family lived with no hot water and no toilet.

Power won a scholarship to study artificial insemination at Galway Architectural College but, reluctant to spend three years studying, he instead moved to Hemel Hempstead to live with his aunt.