Headfirst Editor's Pick
"Sell out warning! Activist, comedian and radical troubadour Grace Petrie brings her unique brand of fist-in-the-air protest folk to the Trinity, examining social and political issues of austerity-ravaged modern Britain with Bragg-approved anthems of solidarity and solace. Big FFO: Frank Turner, Laura Jane Grace, Kirsty MacColl, Onsind, Mischief Brew."
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A gig held at The Trinity Centre on Friday 9th May. The event starts at 20:00.
Ear Trumpet Presents: Grace Petrie, Standing Show at Trinity Centre, Trinity Rd, St Jude's, Bristol BS2 0NW- 14+ (Under 16s to be accompanied by a responsible adult)
Doors 7:00pm Show 8:00pm
Forged in the political fires of a generation of Tory rule, Grace Petrie is a protest singer for the modern era.
Emerging onto the UK folk scene in 2010 with a handful of unpolished, low-fi acoustic songs, her razor-sharp lyricism and the unassuming charm of her performance style began to grab attention from the get-go. In 2011, The Guardian hailed her as a “powerful songwriting voice”, and the legendary Tom Robinson invited her to perform in session on his BBC 6Music show.
Support slots with the likes of Billy Bragg, Robin Ince, and Josie Long followed, and Petrie spent the 2010s amassing a genre-defying army of fans that crossed the boundaries of folk, punk, protest, LGBTQ+ activism, and alternative comedy. Proudly DIY, crowdfunding allowed her to independently release her first studio-recorded album in 2018 – the critically acclaimed Queer As Folk. Comprising a raft of passion-infused folk anthems, the crowning jewel was breakout single Black Tie, for which she is still best known today. Written as an encouraging, hopeful missive to her unhappy younger self, the song provided an emotive hymn to queer joy that was embraced by thousands of people both in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond and catapulted Petrie from fan favourite to mainstream attention, with glowing reviews in MOJO, The Observer, and The New Yorker, to name a few.
Following a BBC Radio 2 live session for Jo Whiley, she was invited to open Frank Turner’s 12-date UK arena tour, requested as a support act in Europe for Emmy-winner Hannah Gadsby, and became a regular musical guest on the smash-hit comedy podcast The Guilty Feminist. Black Tie continues to draw new fans from the first listen and to date has accrued 1.2 million streams on Spotify.
Her latest release BUILD SOMETHING BETTER is a return to blistering form. A decade after being hailed as “a millennial’s Billy Bragg” (Huffington Post), the protest anthems pour out of her as fierce as ever, and production from folk-punk legend Frank Turner sees them elevated to the crowd barrier hollering anthems he is known for. Upon release, it smashed the UK top 30 and topped both the UK folk and UK download charts, cementing her status as one of Britain’s most beloved songwriters.
“An effervescent charm-bomb of a performer” - The New Yorker
“She’s the urgent, pulsing, compassionate talent this world desperately needs” - The Observer
“It’s good to have Grace back” - Jo Whiley
The Maes
The Maes present their fourth full-length record, Abreast. Recorded in the central Victorian town of Mollongghip, engineered by Josh Barber (Gretta Ray) and mixed by Tom Iansek (Maple Glider, Big Scary), this record is an exploration of grief, catharsis, and complex, post-pandemic joy. Featuring Isaac Gunnoo on double bass and Kyrie Anderson on drums, as well as The Maes’ iconic vocal harmonies, this record is a soaring expansion of their distinctive Australian folk sound. Abreast: Side by side and facing the same way (Oxford English Dictionary).
The Maes is the tender-hearted, fearsome-skinned folk music of sisters Maggie and Elsie Rigby. They have made a name for themselves around the world as an outstanding live band, known for their engaging storytelling, world-class harmonies, and sophisticated instrumental arrangements. With an exceptional ability to take audiences on an emotional journey, The Maes have evolved from bright-eyed teenagers on festival blackboard stages to celebrated festival favorites, selling out headline shows both nationally and internationally. Their festival appearances span the globe, from Auckland to Orkney, Edmonton to Colorado, WOMADelaide to Woodford.
Their self-titled 2019 album earned them rave reviews, sold-out shows, and prestigious festival appearances. The album won the Music Victoria Folk/Roots Album of the Year, while their song Driving Ali Through Mining Towns was a finalist for the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition. Their 2017 Nashville-produced album, Take Care Take Cover, also won Music Victoria Folk Album of the Year and received a five-star review from The Australian.
"Simply superb" — The Australian
"Quite simply breathtaking" — Rhythms Magazine
eartrumpet
Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio
Doors 7:00pm Show 8:00pm
Forged in the political fires of a generation of Tory rule, Grace Petrie is a protest singer for the modern era.
Emerging onto the UK folk scene in 2010 with a handful of unpolished, low-fi acoustic songs, her razor-sharp lyricism and the unassuming charm of her performance style began to grab attention from the get-go. In 2011, The Guardian hailed her as a “powerful songwriting voice”, and the legendary Tom Robinson invited her to perform in session on his BBC 6Music show.
Support slots with the likes of Billy Bragg, Robin Ince, and Josie Long followed, and Petrie spent the 2010s amassing a genre-defying army of fans that crossed the boundaries of folk, punk, protest, LGBTQ+ activism, and alternative comedy. Proudly DIY, crowdfunding allowed her to independently release her first studio-recorded album in 2018 – the critically acclaimed Queer As Folk. Comprising a raft of passion-infused folk anthems, the crowning jewel was breakout single Black Tie, for which she is still best known today. Written as an encouraging, hopeful missive to her unhappy younger self, the song provided an emotive hymn to queer joy that was embraced by thousands of people both in the LGBTQ+ community and beyond and catapulted Petrie from fan favourite to mainstream attention, with glowing reviews in MOJO, The Observer, and The New Yorker, to name a few.
Following a BBC Radio 2 live session for Jo Whiley, she was invited to open Frank Turner’s 12-date UK arena tour, requested as a support act in Europe for Emmy-winner Hannah Gadsby, and became a regular musical guest on the smash-hit comedy podcast The Guilty Feminist. Black Tie continues to draw new fans from the first listen and to date has accrued 1.2 million streams on Spotify.
Her latest release BUILD SOMETHING BETTER is a return to blistering form. A decade after being hailed as “a millennial’s Billy Bragg” (Huffington Post), the protest anthems pour out of her as fierce as ever, and production from folk-punk legend Frank Turner sees them elevated to the crowd barrier hollering anthems he is known for. Upon release, it smashed the UK top 30 and topped both the UK folk and UK download charts, cementing her status as one of Britain’s most beloved songwriters.
“An effervescent charm-bomb of a performer” - The New Yorker
“She’s the urgent, pulsing, compassionate talent this world desperately needs” - The Observer
“It’s good to have Grace back” - Jo Whiley
The Maes
The Maes present their fourth full-length record, Abreast. Recorded in the central Victorian town of Mollongghip, engineered by Josh Barber (Gretta Ray) and mixed by Tom Iansek (Maple Glider, Big Scary), this record is an exploration of grief, catharsis, and complex, post-pandemic joy. Featuring Isaac Gunnoo on double bass and Kyrie Anderson on drums, as well as The Maes’ iconic vocal harmonies, this record is a soaring expansion of their distinctive Australian folk sound. Abreast: Side by side and facing the same way (Oxford English Dictionary).
The Maes is the tender-hearted, fearsome-skinned folk music of sisters Maggie and Elsie Rigby. They have made a name for themselves around the world as an outstanding live band, known for their engaging storytelling, world-class harmonies, and sophisticated instrumental arrangements. With an exceptional ability to take audiences on an emotional journey, The Maes have evolved from bright-eyed teenagers on festival blackboard stages to celebrated festival favorites, selling out headline shows both nationally and internationally. Their festival appearances span the globe, from Auckland to Orkney, Edmonton to Colorado, WOMADelaide to Woodford.
Their self-titled 2019 album earned them rave reviews, sold-out shows, and prestigious festival appearances. The album won the Music Victoria Folk/Roots Album of the Year, while their song Driving Ali Through Mining Towns was a finalist for the Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition. Their 2017 Nashville-produced album, Take Care Take Cover, also won Music Victoria Folk Album of the Year and received a five-star review from The Australian.
"Simply superb" — The Australian
"Quite simply breathtaking" — Rhythms Magazine
eartrumpet
Entry requirements: 14+, any under 18s accompanied by 21+ adult 1:1 ratio
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