Sound of Yeovil telling the stories of Yeovil with sound and music. We are delighted to be partners with EPS Yeovil in bringing back the legendary Wyrd Wild West Festival. Produced by Stephen Ives, the festival puts experimental sound and art across the town, including EPS Yeovil, Yeovil Art Space, HMV and The 94 Club. Part of SuperSaturday on Saturday 16 September.

wyrdfest.co.uk

Source: Grassroots - A Bournemouth Music Archive

Part of Sound of Yeovil, we present STORY OF D.I.Y. (16 September – 18 November, 2023), an exhibition telling the story of Yeovil through a collection of Yeovil-related music memorabilia, such as Fanzines, tickets, posters, original photos, along with an extensive archive of vintage recordings.

Celebrating the wealth of creativity in Yeovil through home-made music and its visual manifestation, the exhibition brings together a comprehensive collection of music fanzines circulated in and around Yeovil from the 70s onwards, including All the Madmen, Feeding the Fish, Still Crazy, Human Debris, Clique, Screed and other one-off wonders. It also shows original photos, artworks and rare finds contributed by individuals, especially for this exhibition.

Responding to Sound of Yeovil, the 2nd public programme for the Story of Yeovil,  the Community Curatorial Group has explored the Heritage Collection for stories and objects that give visibility to the sounds that surround us every day. The display aims to offer a glimpse into the past while recognising their ongoing presence in our lives today.

Heartbeat of Yeovil

Yeovil Library, 16 September - 18 November, 2023

There are familiar sounds that form the backdrop of our lives here in Yeovil. Some are pervasive: the whirr of a helicopter overhead; the pounding of a jackhammer; the drone of passing traffic; the squawking of gulls. Other sounds are more joyous: children excitedly chattering in the school playground; a busker serenading shoppers in Middle Street; the cheer of the pantomime audience; the peal of the bells at St John’s Church. These are not new sounds; they have provided the heartbeat of Yeovil for many years. 

Without listening, the sounds we hear around us are without meaning. Within the display, we tell the story of Yeovil’s Royal Observer Corps - a civil defence organisation who listened for the sound of aircraft flying in our skies, to keep our town safe. 

Sounds often create a powerful connection to past memories. We hope this display will prompt recollections from the past as well as reflecting the heartbeat of Yeovil today.

Published booklet with details about the collection in the display, written collectively by the Curatorial Group members. Copies is available at Yeovil Art Space.
Booklet designed by Mimi Gafney.

This exhibition highlights much of the history of the performance of sound and music in Yeovil, from earliest times to the present.

The exhibition features not only musicians and singers, but also venues - all (very) roughly in chronological order. The list is not exhaustive, and apologies to any group or individual unintentionally omitted.

Curated by Bob Osborn 

Visit the exhibition at Yeovil's Virtual Museum