Cult group Penguin Café coming to Sunderland's Fire Station

The group, which will perform at The Fire Station on Thursday, November 2, combines folk, classical music and minimalism in a uniquely distinctive style.

Penguin Cafe was founded by Arthur Jeffes in 2009, bringing together a group of talented bur very different musicians initially to perform his father Simon Jeffes’ legacy of world-renowned Penguin Café Orchestra (PCO) music, 10 years after his untimely death in 1997.

Arthur, a talented composer in his own right, quickly began to create new music, with the philosophy of the original PCO always in his mind.

Five new albums of original music followed: A Matter of Life… in 2008, The Red Book in 2014 and The Imperfect Sea released on Erased Tapes in 2017.

The same year Arthur paid tribute to his late father by performing PCO’s seminal record Union Cafe live to a sold out Union Chapel, coinciding with the album’s re-issue on Erased Tapes.

Then in 2019, the group released Handfuls of Night. A tour coincided with the album launch, culminating in a sell out show at Southbank’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

Now the group is touring a new album, Rain Before Seven – starting with the gig on Wearside.

Tamsin Austin, venue director at The Fire Station, said: “The Penguins will be performing music from their new album and plenty of their back catalogue favourites – as well as performing music from the original Penguin Café Orchestra repertoire.

“Arthur leads an ensemble of genuine quality, and the variety of instruments they play – upright and grand pianos, cello, percussion, bass, violins, synthesiser and harmonium to name a few – create an unforgettable and unique sound.

“There is a cleverness and a poignancy to their music which their cult following can’t get enough of, and we’re thrilled to be able to present their music to a new audience in Sunderland.

“Get down early as we will also have a special all-vinyl warm-up set for Penguin Café by DeJa Brew DJs, drawing on neo-classical, ambient jazz and film-scores, from 6:30pm.”

Tickets are from £17. To book, or for more information, visit www.thefirestation.org.uk.