Medina Book Shop

NEWBERRY & VERCH
2026-09-06 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/London) | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Internationally celebrated transatlantic duo Joe Newberry and April Verch bring their rich blend of Appalachian and Canadian folk traditions to Medina Bookshop on Sunday 6th September at 7pm.
Hailing from the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina, Joe Newberry is a renowned old-time banjo player, singer, and songwriter whose deep, soulful voice and masterful musicianship have made him a favourite on the American roots music scene. A longtime champion of traditional Southern music, Joe’s performances are steeped in the stories, rhythms, and spirit of the American South.
From Ottawa Valley in Canada, April Verch is one of the world’s leading exponents of Canadian fiddle traditions. Raised in a region famed for its distinctive fiddle style and stepdancing heritage, she combines dazzling fiddle playing, expressive vocals, and champion-level stepdancing in performances full of vitality and charm. Her music draws on generations of rural Canadian tradition while bringing a fresh and contemporary energy to the stage.
Together, Newberry and Verch create an unforgettable evening of toe-tapping fiddle tunes, old-time melodies, heartfelt ballads, and captivating storytelling — a joyful musical journey across the folk traditions of North America.
Sunday 6th September, 7pm
Tickets: £15

ANTON RIPATTI Performs 'A Tribute to the Original IOW Festivals' and 'Babakamusic'
2026-09-12 19:00 - 21:00
Born and raised in the industrial Russian city of Perm at the base of the Ural mountains, Anton heard only glimpses of the classics of rock that we take for granted, he says ‘The first thing I did when I discovered internet in 1997 was that: I found the guy somewhere in Poland who was selling a pirate VHS concerts and he sent to me Hendrix Isle of Wight. I don’t think anyone in Perm besides me knew who Hendrix was at the time. As for me, I found out about him purely by chance: during my first trip to St. Petersburg earlier that year, I bought a music instruction book at a shop that came with an audio cassette. I bought it simply because the cover featured some guy with an electric guitar. It turned out to be the sheet music for “Are You Experienced?” That cassette probably had the biggest influence on my life. And as it happened, the videotape by polish guy also included a bonus—Miles Davis’s concert at the Isle of Wight Festival! That was how I first discovered who Miles was!’
As a tribute to this formative experience the first half of his Medina Bookshop show will be a performance of songs performed at the original 68/69/70 IOW Festivals in his inimitable, unpredictable style
The second half of the evening will be given over to Babakamusic, a surreal, genre-blending live performance that merges music, theatrical absurdity, visual storytelling, and dynamic lighting into a one-of-a-kind experience. The show draws from jazz, experimental blues, psychedelic folk, dark cabaret and clownery to lead the audience through a humorous and emotional sonic tale. Each show features dynamic stage presence, multilingual vocals, shadow-play and lighting design reminiscent of a Lynchian dreamscape. It’s part cabaret, part concert, part light-theatre, and 100% immersive.

PETUNIA
2026-09-26 19:00 - 21:00
Step into an evening of rich storytelling and spellbinding song as the enigmatic singer-songwriter Petunia brings a rare solo performance to Medina Bookshop.
Blending elements of folk, country, ragtime and old-time roots, Petunia’s music feels both timeless and refreshingly original—like a late-night radio broadcast drifting in from another era. With a voice that can shift from tender and intimate to wild and weathered, and lyrics full of wit, longing and unexpected turns, every song is its own small world.
Expect tales of love and loss, strange journeys and beautiful misadventures, all delivered with charm, humour and a touch of the surreal. In the cosy, book-lined setting of Medina Bookshop, this promises to be a truly immersive and memorable night—part concert, part storybook, and wholly unique.
Come along, settle in, and let Petunia carry you somewhere else for a while.
Petunia is more than just an entertainer, he’s a modern musical enigma. Imagine that David Lynch and Nick Cave had a hillbilly baby, that yodeled… or Tom Waits meets Elvis at Woody Guthrie’s hobo junction. This is just one way of describing the man known simply as Petunia. He’s an adventure seeker, a poker player, and a mysterious stranger. He’s been referred to as “The Savior of Country Music”, and a man who exists in a different era, bringing the past forth as something new to be celebrated and not forgotten.
Petunia grew up in rural Quebec, in exactly the sort of surroundings that a country musician would find idyllic, with old dilapidated barns, secret forts, and acres of unspoiled land. As an adult, the wandering spirit took a firm hold on his life, so he set out on the road, playing every major street corner across Canada and throughout the NYC subway system, before graduating to full fledged touring musician. When he’s not on the road playing shows, Petunia is also involved in the theatre world; building side projects, writing scores, acting, or collaborating with theatre artists. He currently resides in Vancouver BC, and works with several sets of sidemen across Canada, the US and Europe in addition to his own Vancouver based band, The Vipers. A restless wanderer, a musical historian, and a quirky yet amazing talent, Petunia is simply a Canadian treasure joining the greats from north of the 49th.
A poem by Al Mader describing Petunia:
Razor sharp hombre
all snake eyes and boxcars
steals a kiss from a raven-haired
flapper – slips out the side window
of a 1920s speakeasy
Out fleet foots a flat foot
hops a train to
Buddy Bolden’s tombstone
wins some horseflesh playing
high stud – pitches camp
beneath a prairie sky
watched over by a full moon
and a lovesick coyote
howling for mercy…

Jon Wilks
2026-10-16 19:00 - 21:00
Jon Wilks is an acclaimed singer, songwriter and fingerpicking guitarist whose music is steeped in English folk traditions, memory and place. Hailed as “one of the driving forces of the London folk scene,” he first made his name reworking traditional songs from Birmingham and the Midlands, before turning toward deeply personal, autobiographical writing on his later releases.
His albums trace a journey from regional storytelling to intimate reflection, with 2023’s Before I Knew What Had Begun I Had Already Lost earning widespread praise, and 2025’s Needless Alley marking a striking shift into original material. In early 2026, he released BONES, a companion collection of demos, outtakes and live recordings — raw, fingerpicked and beautifully unpolished — capturing the quiet spaces between his studio albums.
A former journalist and founder of Tradfolk.co, Wilks brings a keen storyteller’s eye to both his songwriting and his performances. Whether on record or on stage, his work is rich with atmosphere, history and the echoes of lives lived.
“Pulls off that niftiest of tricks – paying due homage to the traditions whilst sounding original and contemporary.” — Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 Folk Show“Jon Wilks is the real deal. He has a deep love for folk music which is coupled with intelligence, curiosity and musicianship. He is a fine guitar player, a really good singer and an excellent writer to boot. What he does is capture the essence of his material.” — Martin Simpson

“Pulls off that niftiest of tricks – paying due homage to the traditions whilst sounding original and contemporary.” — Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2 Folk Show

Chan Reid
2026-10-21 19:00 - 21:00
Chan (Sian in gaelic) Reid is an Irish sean nos singer and celtic fiddle and concertina player from Dublin now living in Hastings. Chan performs her own songs about love, loss and everything in between as well as rare and unusual unaccompanied songs from the celtic and appalachian traditions and guests regularly on Irish television and radio. Chan is a sought after singing and instrumental workshop leader and loves sharing songs and stories in quiet, acoustic spaces. Chan was awarded “saothar” living composer status by the Irish Arts Council in 2024 and her original works can be found in the Irish Traditional Music Archive here www.itma.ie/saothar/sian-reid/

Detta Kenzie
2026-11-06 19:00 - 21:30
DETTA KENZIE is an indie-folk singer and songwriter whose music, while often touched by traditional Celtic folk influences, is guided by a thoroughly modern and independent spirit. Her sound blends the richness of folk storytelling with elements of soul, cinematic minimalism and leftfield pop, creating music that is emotionally expansive, intimate and unmistakably her own.
Her songs are threaded with themes of transformation, survival and renewal. There’s a quiet spellcasting in her work, pulling listeners into a sonic world shaped by a love of language, a skill honed during her years as a secondary English teacher.
In 2025, she began a creative partnership with award-winning guitarist Chris Cleverley. Together they are crafting a sound that feels both grounded and dreamlike, combining intricate, genre-crossing guitar work with immersive arrangements and a shared instinct for musical storytelling. Their collaboration spans co-written songs and bold reinterpretations of folk material, expanding the boundaries of acoustic music.​
Detta has opened for folk greats Martin Simpson and Phil Beer, and collaborated with celebrated artist Tobias ben Jacob. With a growing body of work and a voice defined by precision, boldness and creative intent, Detta Kenzie is emerging as a powerful and distinctive presence in contemporary folk, rooted in tradition yet always reaching beyond it.
“Detta Kenzie is a singer of siren songs with a voice likely to lure the unsuspecting onto the rocks.”
FATEA Magazine
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“Detta has the ability to fully inhabit the song, to wring from it every last emotion. Stunning.”
Downend Folk & Roots
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“A very special singer.”
Gavin McNamara, Bristol24/7
“Detta Kenzie goes in at the deep end with (Reynardine) a bold choice of single… Hitting the heights of a higher register within a few seconds, conjuring up the iconic Sandy Denny take.”
Mike Ainscoe, At The Barrier
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“Her music has a depth and honesty that is both exciting and unique.”
St George’s Bristol

Simon Kempston
2026-11-23 19:00 - 21:00
Join us at Medina Bookshop for a captivating evening with Simon Kempston, hailed as “one of Scotland’s very best songwriters.” Based in Edinburgh, Kempston is a composer and master of fingerstyle guitar, known for a distinctive, intricate playing style that draws on classical, Celtic and blues influences, paired with rich, powerful tenor vocals.
His songwriting is both poetic and thought-provoking, ხშირად stepping beyond traditional themes to explore political and social ideas, as well as inspirations from architecture, travel and literature. His lyrics stand as compelling works in their own right, matched by music of remarkable depth and sensitivity.
A seasoned performer with over a decade of international touring behind him, Simon’s live shows are renowned for their intensity and emotional connection. His latest album, My Dreams Are Theirs (2024), is his most direct and heartfelt work to date, while his recent classical release Moonrise Over Mostar reveals yet another dimension to his artistry.
Immerse yourself in an intimate bookshop setting and experience a truly unique Scottish voice — an evening of beautifully crafted music that promises to transport and inspire.
