Grateful Fred Presents: From the USA "Petunia In Concert"
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On Wednesday 16th September I’m bringing one of Canada’s most extraordinary and utterly unique musical talents to the Bijou stage - Petunia.
If you don’t know the name yet, you will do by the time you leave. Someone once described him as what you’d get if David Lynch and Nick Cave had a hillbilly baby that yodelled, or Tom Waits meeting Elvis at Woody Guthrie’s hobo junction - and honestly, both of those are fair. He’s a modern musical enigma, a restless wanderer, a musical historian, and he’s been called, with a straight face, “The Saviour of Country Music.”
Petunia grew up in rural Quebec, among dilapidated old barns and acres of unspoiled land - exactly the kind of surroundings that shape a roots musician - before his wandering spirit took him busking on street corners across Canada and down in the NYC subway system, and on to full-fledged touring musician playing venues and festivals across North America and Europe. He’s deeply into theatre too - writing scores, acting, collaborating with theatre artists - and that cinematic storytelling instinct comes through in everything he does. The man glides effortlessly between country, swing, jazz, blues and rockabilly, bringing the past forward as something new to be celebrated, never just nostalgia.
Bob Harris has championed him on BBC Radio 2, the CBC named him one of Canada’s best indie acts, and the New York Post, No Depression, Exclaim! and Americana UK have all sung his praises. American Roots UK reckon he’s “a total one off, with it being almost impossible to compare him to anyone else.” Paul Kerr at Americana UK called him “extraordinary - a left field genius,” and Phil Alvin simply said, “One of the best in the world today, of any kind.” I’ll take their word for it, because I can’t think of a comparison either.
Normally Petunia tours with his band, the Vipers, but this time round he’s crossing the Atlantic on his own - just him, his guitar and that voice. Stripped right back, no band to hide behind, nowhere to hide at all really. If you’ve ever wondered what an artist sounds like with all the padding taken away, this is your chance to find out, and there’s nowhere better to hear it than somewhere as close-up and quiet as the Bijou. No gimmicks, no fuss, just a proper songwriter doing what he does best a few feet in front of you.
Opening the night are Rob Jones & Rob White, and if you haven’t caught them yet you’re in for a treat. Two Robs, heartfelt songwriting, and proper wry Liverpool wit. Sharp lyrics, lovely tight harmonies, and a dry sense of humour that catches you off guard between the sadder songs. They write about middle-aged mischief, romantic regret and the small daily absurdities of life - the kind of songs that make you laugh one minute and well up the next. Decades of experience between them and deep roots in Merseyside’s music scene, they’ve quietly become one of Liverpool’s best-kept musical secrets. Come along and let’s not keep it a secret much longer.
So that’s the night: a genuine one-off solo set from an artist who normally you’d only ever see with a full band, plus two of Liverpool’s finest to get things going. It’s exactly the kind of evening the Bijou does best - close up, relaxed, and all about the music.
Tickets are £13.50 and I’d really encourage you to grab yours in advance rather than chance it on the door.
The Grateful Fred Bijou Sessions have a habit of selling out, and buying ahead makes a real difference to me in putting these nights on - it lets me plan properly and, more importantly, it tells touring artists like Petunia that Southport is worth coming back to. So if you’re even half thinking about it, please don’t wait.
Tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.com/southport-bijou-cinema/t-lddxem
Find out more about Petunia at petuniaandthevipers.com
Please come along, support live music, and bring a friend. It’ll be a good one.
If you don’t know the name yet, you will do by the time you leave. Someone once described him as what you’d get if David Lynch and Nick Cave had a hillbilly baby that yodelled, or Tom Waits meeting Elvis at Woody Guthrie’s hobo junction - and honestly, both of those are fair. He’s a modern musical enigma, a restless wanderer, a musical historian, and he’s been called, with a straight face, “The Saviour of Country Music.”
Petunia grew up in rural Quebec, among dilapidated old barns and acres of unspoiled land - exactly the kind of surroundings that shape a roots musician - before his wandering spirit took him busking on street corners across Canada and down in the NYC subway system, and on to full-fledged touring musician playing venues and festivals across North America and Europe. He’s deeply into theatre too - writing scores, acting, collaborating with theatre artists - and that cinematic storytelling instinct comes through in everything he does. The man glides effortlessly between country, swing, jazz, blues and rockabilly, bringing the past forward as something new to be celebrated, never just nostalgia.
Bob Harris has championed him on BBC Radio 2, the CBC named him one of Canada’s best indie acts, and the New York Post, No Depression, Exclaim! and Americana UK have all sung his praises. American Roots UK reckon he’s “a total one off, with it being almost impossible to compare him to anyone else.” Paul Kerr at Americana UK called him “extraordinary - a left field genius,” and Phil Alvin simply said, “One of the best in the world today, of any kind.” I’ll take their word for it, because I can’t think of a comparison either.
Normally Petunia tours with his band, the Vipers, but this time round he’s crossing the Atlantic on his own - just him, his guitar and that voice. Stripped right back, no band to hide behind, nowhere to hide at all really. If you’ve ever wondered what an artist sounds like with all the padding taken away, this is your chance to find out, and there’s nowhere better to hear it than somewhere as close-up and quiet as the Bijou. No gimmicks, no fuss, just a proper songwriter doing what he does best a few feet in front of you.
Opening the night are Rob Jones & Rob White, and if you haven’t caught them yet you’re in for a treat. Two Robs, heartfelt songwriting, and proper wry Liverpool wit. Sharp lyrics, lovely tight harmonies, and a dry sense of humour that catches you off guard between the sadder songs. They write about middle-aged mischief, romantic regret and the small daily absurdities of life - the kind of songs that make you laugh one minute and well up the next. Decades of experience between them and deep roots in Merseyside’s music scene, they’ve quietly become one of Liverpool’s best-kept musical secrets. Come along and let’s not keep it a secret much longer.
So that’s the night: a genuine one-off solo set from an artist who normally you’d only ever see with a full band, plus two of Liverpool’s finest to get things going. It’s exactly the kind of evening the Bijou does best - close up, relaxed, and all about the music.
Tickets are £13.50 and I’d really encourage you to grab yours in advance rather than chance it on the door.
The Grateful Fred Bijou Sessions have a habit of selling out, and buying ahead makes a real difference to me in putting these nights on - it lets me plan properly and, more importantly, it tells touring artists like Petunia that Southport is worth coming back to. So if you’re even half thinking about it, please don’t wait.
Tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.com/southport-bijou-cinema/t-lddxem
Find out more about Petunia at petuniaandthevipers.com
Please come along, support live music, and bring a friend. It’ll be a good one.
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Where is it happening?
Southport Bijou Cinema, 8 Post Office Avenue,Southport, United Kingdom
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherColin Maddocks
