Second Time Around SOLD OUT
2026-01-29 19:00 - 21:30 (Europe/London) | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Following our sell out show at Ventnor Fringe Festival, the band can’t wait to bring you a repeat performance of ‘Across the Pond’, an exploration of the similarities and differences of English and American folk music in the wonderful, intimate atmosphere of Medina Books.
Their rich and varied soundscapes allow them to weave together many genres of music and song of not only traditional folk, but early jazz, Americana, gospel and World music that has kept their audiences entertained and guessing for over a decade.
Bring your own refreshments.
Doors just before 7pm, performance starts just after 7pm.

Lucy Kitchen
2026-02-26 19:00 - 21:30 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Lucy Kitchen is a British folk singer-songwriter based in Romsey, Hampshire. She makes music spanning Folk, Americana, a little bit of Country, and infused with the feel of 70s singer-songwriters. Lucy’s songs explore concepts of grief and loss. She is inspired by lyrical poets, nature, the seasons and making beauty out of hard things.

The Brothers Gillespie
2026-03-07 19:00 - 21:30 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Described by Folk Radio UK as ‘weaving an especially compelling magic’, and ‘showing British acoustic music in its best possible light’, Northumbrian duo The Brothers Gillespie make music that is animated by lyrical songwriting, fine fingerstyle guitar playing, multi-instrumental musicianship and ‘the glorious tones of their blood harmony’ (Sam Lee).
Brothers James and Sam Gillespie found their sound growing up in the fells and valleys of Northumberland, their songs often describing relationships with wild places and the
experience of finding oneself in a world alive with soul. The music comes to them most strongly when walking in the borderlands with their packs and instruments which remains a
regular practice for them. This spirit is channeled into their live performances which have a rare and intimate energy, both ethereal and earthy, romantic and radical. The brothers have travelled far and wide with their music and have played at Cambridge and Sidmouth Folk Festivals and opened for Lankum and Sam Lee. In 2021 they featured in the English Heritage ‘Songs of England’ recording series that appeared on BBC Radio 4. The release of their new album ‘The Merciful Road’ (‘pure magic’, Living Tradition) in Spring 2022 saw them embark on their most extensive national tour to date.
‘The Merciful Road’ was recorded in a cottage by the banks of the river Tweed and like their previous album ‘The Fell’, it blends rootsy, acoustic elements to create a rich warm sound with a touch of vintage magic. In some ways it is an album about finding the thread of love
and belonging in a world that seems to be nonetheless unravelling.
The brothers emerge from the time of lockdowns with a yet greater reverence for the joy and privilege of being with an audience in real time and space.
‘Our music is inspired by the still wild soul of the land in which we live, a land alive withpresences, not owned by anyone. It is about seeing with the eye of the heart and recovering our imaginations. It is about finding home, belonging and each other in a world which is singing to us as we sing to it’.
“Anyone who has seen the brothers live will surely attest that it is an experience that will stay with you. There is a feeling of warmth that exudes from them and affects everyone in the room” – Folk London
“Not since the minimal chamber folk of Simon And Garfunkel has two voices and an acoustic guitar sounded so absolutely perfect.” FATEA
“Stunning songs beautifully sung and played. Without doubt a classic in the making from a duo potent with potential.” – Northern Sky
“Uncluttered, simply but intoxicatingly arranged and adorned by their magical harmonies, musically steeped in the earth, grass and leaves that mark the pathways, this is a road you really need to travel.” – Bright Young Folk
“The stars of the show were The Brother’s Gillespie – more than an hour of fantastic musicianship. Imagine the guitar work of the early Nic Jones, the close harmony work of
the Dransfields and the commitment and honesty of Bob Davenport rolled into two brothers and you’ll get some idea.” Mike Harding

Dom Pipkin - Piano from London, soul from New Orleans
2026-03-12 19:00 - 22:00 | Island Sailing Club, 70 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RE, United Kingdom
Alongside a glittering session career (David Byrne, Ray Davies, Morcheeba), piano player and songwriter Dom Pipkin has been described by Blues in Britain as “one of the world’s greatest exponents of New Orleans piano”. He first discovered the New Orleans style in the early 90s, and has gone on to become a regular visitor and performer in that city, with appearances that include the highly acclaimed “Piano Night” and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage festival. He is a regular fixture on the European blues and boogie-woogie festival circuit having played 1000’s of club and theatre, radio and TV dates in a career spanning nearly three decades. Jazz star Jamie Cullum says “I can’t hold a candle to this guy”.
Pipkin developed a particular specialisation for the unique flavours of maverick New Orleans piano star James Booker (1939 – 1983) capturing the player’s trademark combination of driving blues married with rhapsodic classical influences. He was invited to play at the world premiere of the documentary “Bayou Maharajah” at SXSW in 2014, and at multiple subsequent screenings of the film.
Pipkin regularly performs and records in New Orleans, and has shared stages with legends such as Allen Toussaint , Dr John and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Grammy award winner Jon Cleary invites him to jam whenever he’s in town. In live shows Pipkin mixes his own compelling songwriting with blues and Big Easy classics that “..cooks up a steaming musical stew that has the crowd dancing and clapping for more” Classic Rock Blues Magazine.
During the Covid lockdown he performed more than 120 broadcast shows from his home and completed his solo album “C’mon Sunshine” – an all-original collection of songs on the subject of hope, jammed full of spicy New Orleans and blues piano styles. The album “Live At The Temple” followed in 2023 – a spontaneous mix of two live sets at London’s Temple Of Art And Music.
Pipkin’s on screen appearances include the new Netflix thriller, Black Doves (5 Dec 2024), and A Thousand Blows by the creators of Peaky Blinders (released Feb 21 2025), and he can be seen jamming boogie-woogie with king of Mandopop, Jay Chou, in the latest Rimowa commercial.
Alongside his own career, Pipkin has travelled the world with the band Morcheeba (with whom he has been associated since the bands inception in 1996). He is also active as an educator, running a highly popular New Orleans jam session in London, and writes articles based around keyboards for Blues Matters magazine.
WEBSITE https://www.dompipkin.com

Johnny Campbell
2026-03-18 19:00 - 21:30 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Johnny Campbell emerged onto the UK folk scene writing self-penned material and delving deep into Northern English folk song and story.
‘A Modern-Day Billy Bragg’ – Tradfolk
The album From Hull & Halifax & Hell (2020) took him to The Faroe Islands where he recorded a live album on the island of Nolsoy. Since musical instruments hadn’t arrived on the islands until the 19th century, this is perhaps the first time Northern English traditional song has been recorded on these islands.
This album earned him album of the week with Blues and Roots radio and reviews with British folk press:
‘The spirit of the folk clubs in their heyday runs in his veins’ Folking.com
‘I defy anyone not to be galvanised by the total integrity of his exceptional rendition of (Ewan MacColl’s) Moving On Song’ The Living Tradition
‘A truly entertaining work. Lose yourself in the true folk experience’ Fatea Magazine
Since March 2020, Campbell hasn’t relented, releasing three singles, Hard Times of Old England, Winter Hill Trespass & A Right to Roam. The former receiving play on Ian Lynch’s (Lankum) Fire Draw Near podcast, Winter Hill Trespass (2021) gained national press in Country Walking Magazine & The Guardian.
‘Nobody else seems to be doing what Campbell is doing right now, and his passion and determination deserve recognition’ – Jon Wilks
A Right to Roam (2022) is a collaboration with Commoners Choir & Skelmanthorpe Brass Band which received the accolade of ‘One of the Best Folk Songs of 2022’ alongside contemporaries such as Eliza Carthy, Jon Boden, Angeline Morrison & more, chosen by Tradfolk.
2024 sees Campbell releasing True North, an album of Northern English traditional songs recorded on their respective county summits, garnering press from Country Walking Magazine, Folk on Foot & BBC Radio 4 Open Country. Richard Thompson declared True North as one of his top five albums of the year in ‘My Year in Music’ in UNCUT Magazine.
‘I can’t think of another project quite like this!’ Richard Thompson
⭐⭐⭐⭐'(True North) is a psychogeography field trip’ MOJO
Through extensive touring in UK and Europe, Campbell finds time to write for Britian’s best selling walking magazine, Country Walking as well as being billed with BBC Folk award nominees & winners in recent years such as Stick In the Wheel, Martin Carthy, Ye Vagabonds, Lankum, Daoiri Farrell, Ewan McLennan, The Men They Couldn’t Hang and many more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐’Haunting, Evocative & Pure’ SONGLINES

Jason McNiff - Songs of Love, Loss and Light, featuring the songs of Leonard Cohen
2026-05-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Jason McNiff, acclaimed English singer, songwriter and guitarist, returns with a compelling new show that brings together the timeless songs of Leonard Cohen with his own deeply lyrical work.
Born in Bradford and moving to London in the 1990s, McNiff became a central figure in the city’s thriving folk and Americana scene. A regular performer at the legendary 12 Bar Club on Denmark Street, he supported Bert Jansch on numerous occasions and signed to Snowstorm Records in 2000. His debut album, Off the Rails, received widespread acclaim, earning glowing reviews, particularly from Time Out magazine.
McNiff’s second album, Nobody’s Son, was named Americana UK Album of the Year in 2003, while his fourth release, April Cruel, was nominated for Best Alt-Country Album at the Independent Music Awards in the United States. Over the years, he has collaborated widely, forming duos with Emily Barker and Emma Tricca, and later the folk group Lone Malones.
In addition to his recording career, McNiff has been an active force in the live music community. He co-ran the Easycome Acoustic Club with Andy Allan (Hank Dogs) and was a regular at Alan Tyler’s celebrated “Come Down and Meet the Folks” sessions. Since moving to Hastings in 2019, he has hosted “The Sundowner” at the Jenny Lind, welcoming musicians from around the world, and performs regularly with his band.
Now working on his tenth album, McNiff continues to evolve as an artist.
In Songs of Love, Loss and Light, he places his own acclaimed songwriting alongside that of the Canadian master Leonard Cohen, tracing the subtle thread between influence and originality. The result is an intimate and moving performance that offers audiences a rare glimpse into the enduring art of songcraft.
Blending reverence with individuality, McNiff reimagines Cohen’s legacy while showcasing the poetic depth of his own work—creating an evening that is both reflective and inspiring.

Awake Mother
2026-05-15 19:00 - 21:00 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Awake Mother are a new duo from the south of England.
They are keen to share music from the folk tradition, reigniting old favourites and introducing you to new songs and tales from times gone by.
Awake Mother are Minnie Birch and Kathleen P, two award winning, critically acclaimed musicians who have joined together to present something new and special in the folk tradition.
Minnie Birch has been writing and releasing music for many years. In 2020 she released an album called “You’re not singing anymore” which was a contemporary look at the relationship between football terrace songs and folk music. This work received critical acclaim and was named a Sunday Times Album of the year. She has toured extensively, performed at The Great Escape Festival, been BBC Radio 1s introducing artist of the week, named Buzzfeed’s “one to watch” and supported Joan Armatrading on tour.
Kathy Pilkinton is an award winning folk musician. With her trio Said the Maiden, she has performed at many of the countries prestigious folk clubs and festivals including Folk By The Oak, Folkeast, Gate to Southwell, Shepley and Bunkfest. These opportunities have in turn led to invitations to support many fantastic artists including The Fisherman’s Friends, Jim Moray, Megson, Martin Carthy and David Swarbrick.
“I think every folk club in the country will be beating a path to their door”
Fatea

Tom Bright
2026-06-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Tom Bright is a relentlessly touring songwriter whose songs land with emotional weight and unvarnished honesty. 2025 saw him make his third television appearance on BBC One’s Sunday Morning Live, serenade thousands at his fifth Glastonbury Festival, and sell out shows across the UK and beyond.
Armed with a guitar signed by Johnny Marr of The Smiths and John Squire of the Stone Roses, Bright’s tireless graft has seen him hit iconic heights of the London Palladium, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, appear on BBC’s The One Show and Sky News, and record countless live sessions and interviews for BBC Radio 2, 5 Live, Radio X and more. Along the way, he’s shared stages with The Libertines, Mystery Jets, Tom Grennan, Reverend & The Makers, Katherine Priddy, Ed Harcourt and others.
He has collaborated with The The, earned continued support from tastemakers Guy Garvey and John Kennedy and spent two years on Spotify’s Most Beautiful Songs in the World playlist with ‘If I Met Your Shadow’.
In May, Tom released Young Old Bloke, a collection of early songs produced by Mick Jones (The Clash) and Dirty White. He has three previous albums in the world — all produced by Ed Harcourt. Away from the stage, his story is just as remarkable: once the UK’s youngest pub landlord, and a childhood marked by multiple life-saving surgeries.
Tom is currently working on his fifth studio album, with Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets) handling production.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombrightmusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tombrightmusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5FeiISr6o8mHNSTNtwKceS
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombrightmusic

An Evening Of Old Songs Sung By 'Soft Lap'
2026-06-18 19:00 - 21:30 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
‘I have fallen so completely in love with this book… just one of the finest, most covetable things around’ Katherine Rundell
Best-selling historian and author Amy Jeffs, musician Natalie Brice and illustrator Gwen Burns have created Old Songs, a reimagining of ten traditional British ballads. Each artist applied her primary trade: word, music and image respectively, but each also influenced the others’ work.
In this live performance, Amy will offer historical insights and readings from the stories, while Gwen will showcase animations created from the illustrations and Natalie will lead them both in mesmerising sung renditions of the earliest known melodies of the ballads themselves. Old Songs fuses short stories, histories, lyrics and illustrations in an enthralling reimagining of traditional folk ballads. Sunday Times Bestselling historian Amy Jeffs and Illustrator Gwen Burns combine forces to create a rich compendium, singing of travel, mystery, magic and the essential urges of humanity.
Featuring iterations of fairy tales and sinister descendants of Greek myths and bible stories, as well as a cast of lesser-known characters with names like Tam Lim, Child Wynd and Maisery, Old Songs threads a tapestry of Britain’s landscape, history and cultures. At the base of hills we can visit to this day, elf queens kidnap hapless poets and carry them through rivers of blood; and at the foot of a tree whose offspring still stand in the forests of Northumberland, a girl mimes combing the hairless head of a dragon who was once her brother.
Dr Amy Jeffs is an author, artist and medievalist. During her PhD in Art History at the University of Cambridge, she co-convened a project researching medieval badges and pilgrim souvenirs at the British Museum. She then worked in the British Library’s department of Ancient, Medieval and Early Modern manuscripts. Now a Somerset-based author, she illustrates her books with print and paper cutout. Storyland: A New Mythology of Britain was published in 2021. It was a Sunday Times bestseller and a Waterstones Book of the Month, as well as being shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year. Wild: Tales from Early Medieval Britain was published in 2022. Its audiobook, illustrated with 7 original songs, was named Audiobook of the Week by the Guardian and the Times.
Amy will be discussing her work with Bookshop manager Paul Armfield on the following night Friday 19th.

Charity Quiz Night for Independent Arts
2026-07-16 19:00 - 22:00 | Island Sailing Club, 70 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RE, United Kingdom
With prizes aplenty and various alcoholic incentives throughout the evening, expect challenging but fun rounds on various topics devised by quizmaster Paul Armfield, including two music rounds performed live by the wonderfully entertaining Ventnor Darlings duo. You’ll have loads of fun raising money for a very worthy cause:
Independent Arts – Transforming Lives Through Creativity
Founded in 1987, Independent Arts is a pioneering Isle of Wight charity dedicated to improving wellbeing, reducing social isolation, and enhancing quality of life through the arts.
At the heart of its work is the belief that creativity can bring people together, build confidence, and support mental and emotional health across all ages and backgrounds.
Creative Health & Wellbeing
Independent Arts delivers a wide range of arts-based programmes designed to support wellbeing. These include visual arts, music, movement, and creative workshops that encourage self-expression while providing vital social connection.
Their activities are particularly impactful for:
Older people and care home residents
Individuals experiencing loneliness or isolation
People with disabilities or mental health challenges
Through initiatives like Workshops for Wellbeing, the charity reaches thousands of participants each year, helping unlock creativity, stimulate memory, and improve overall happiness and health.
Extensive Community Reach
The charity runs around 25 weekly workshops across the Island, both at its Creative Hub in Newport and in community settings such as schools and care homes.
Its work extends into:
Schools and youth programmes
Family-friendly creative sessions
Outreach projects in rural and urban communities
These programmes are designed to be inclusive and accessible, often free or low-cost, ensuring that as many Islanders as possible can take part.
Supporting Young People
Independent Arts has delivered targeted projects for young people, using creativity to build confidence, skills, and connections to the Island’s landscape and heritage.
For example, collaborative projects like public murals have helped young participants explore their environment, develop artistic skills, and feel a sense of ownership and pride in their community.
Celebrating Creativity Across Generations
A key strength of Independent Arts is its intergenerational work. From young people to care home residents, the charity brings together diverse groups through shared creative experiences.
Their exhibitions—often showcasing work created in workshops—highlight the talent and voices of participants, reinforcing the idea that creativity is for everyone, at any stage of life.
Events, Exhibitions & Cultural Contribution
Through exhibitions, festivals, and community collaborations (such as involvement in initiatives like The Big Draw), Independent Arts plays a vital role in the Island’s cultural life.
Their Creative Hub in Newport acts as a welcoming space where people can:
Take part in workshops
View community artwork
Connect with others through shared creative experiences
A Lasting Impact
Overall, Independent Arts has made a profound contribution to the Isle of Wight by:
Reducing loneliness and social isolation
Improving mental health and wellbeing
Creating accessible opportunities for creativity
Strengthening community connections
Celebrating local voices and talent
Their work demonstrates how the arts can be a powerful tool for positive social change—bringing people together, inspiring confidence, and enriching lives across the Island.

'East Cowes Shanty' singing songs of the sea for Cowes Week
2026-08-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
Celebrate Cowes Week with an evening of rousing sea songs and maritime tradition as East Cowes Shanty bring their unmistakable energy to Medina Bookshop.
Known for their rich harmonies and spirited performances, this much-loved local group will transport you to the high seas with a collection of traditional sea shanties and nautical favourites. Expect tales of adventure, hardship and camaraderie, all delivered with warmth, humour and plenty of audience participation.
Set in the intimate surroundings of Medina Bookshop, this special concert offers a unique chance to experience the sounds of the sea in the heart of Cowes Week festivities.
Come along, join in, and let the rhythm of the waves carry you away.

PETUNIA
2026-09-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
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…

Detta Kenzie
2026-11-06 19:00 - 21:30 | Medina Bookshop, 50 High Street, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7RR, United Kingdom
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
​
“Detta has the ability to fully inhabit the song, to wring from it every last emotion. Stunning.”
Downend Folk & Roots
​
“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
​​
“Her music has a depth and honesty that is both exciting and unique.”
St George’s Bristol
