A poet laureate, a snooker legend, an Emmy-nominated artist a few owls and a steam engine - sounds like a typical music festival organised by British Sea Power.

The Cumbrian-born, Brighton-based indie band launched their first-ever Krankenhaus at Muncaster Castle today.

Lasting until Sunday, BSP will be playing THREE times over the weekend.

Tonight's performance promises to be a raucous, punkier show, tomorrow will feature a 'greatest hits' type set, while Sunday will be a gentle 60 minute acoustic-based relaxed affair.

The event also includes performances from Bo Ningen, Will Burns & Hannah Peel's Chalk Hill Blue project, Alison Cotton, The Pictish Trail, Squid and Snapped Ankles.

Peel has been nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score) for her score for the HBO Games of Thrones: The Last Watch documentary.

Poet laureate Simon Armitage will be reading and playing a DJ set, snooker great Steve Davis will appear with this band The Utopia Strong and Steve will also DJ.

Joy Division and New Order drummer Stephen Morris will also be reading from his book, Record, Play Pause.

BSP’s by bassist and singer Neil Hamilton came across the Muncaster site on one of his regular walks in the Lakes and was so smitten by the C13th building that he suggested it as a venue.

BSP guitarist Martin Noble explained: "The idea is to provide more than a music festival and offer people the chance to have a bit of a holiday over the weekend.

"The setting in spectacular, you can walk up a fell go to the beach or wander round the castle, with music and loads of other stuff in the evenings and afternoons.

"We ran a little festival a few years ago at Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales, the highest pub in the UK. It was great fun – we had falconry displays, husky races, the Booze Olympics and bands. We wanted to do something like that again.

Typical of the band, they have arranged a 50% discount for festival goers for trips on the La'al Ratty Ravenglass & Eskdale Steam Railway.