This month, for one day only, the artist and musician Pete McKee invites you to attend a unique event where he will be bringing together his two greatest passions of music and art.
The day-long event will take place at Bedford Esquires on Saturday, 15 November and will showcase the artist’s latest exhibition, The Boy with a Leg Named Brian.
Throughout the day, visitors can visit the exhibition for free and take part in a family-friendly cartoon workshop. This will be a unique opportunity as, beyond its unusual setting, Esquires have allowed Pete to use parts of the venue that you wouldn’t normally get to see as a visitor.
In the evening, Esquires will host a live performance by Pete’s band, The Everly Pregnant Brothers, with support from Bedford legends, The Ouse Valley Singles Club.
A unique celebration of art and music
A Pete McKee Celebration will be the first of its kind to be held in a music venue and the organisers are hoping to replicate the format at other venues across the country.
Pete’s love for music is something he talks of often in his work and he attributes a large part of who he has become today to the musical influences he was surrounded with and inspired by during his journey of self-discovery through his adolescent years in the 1980s.
During its year-long run at Sheffield’s Weston Park Museum, Pete McKee’s biggest exhibition to date, A Boy with a Leg Named Brian, has taken over 126,000 visitors on an exploration of the events that shaped his life and influenced his art while growing up in the 70s and 80s.
Split into four sections, the exhibition spans Pete’s earliest memories, beginning with the loss of his mum, and finishing with his teenage years that were defined by the joy of finding his identity through fashion and music.
Although this is the story of Pete’s life growing up on a council estate in 70s and 80s Sheffield, his memories and tales of everyday life and pop culture are relatable experiences shared by many across the UK.
“The exhibtion harks back to a nostalgic era,” said director of the McKee Gallery, Chris Smith.
“Although it’s based on Pete’s life growing up on a Sheffield council estate, the images and memories resonate with so many people. We’ve had so many families coming to the exhibition, sharing their childhood memories with their children.”
“Music is a huge part of my life, and features constantly in my work,” explained Pete.
“In fact, it was the original dream of mine to play on Top of The Pops rather than become an artist. Esquires is a beautiful venue which has played host to some amazing names over the years.
“Grassroots music venues like this are vital for bands like mine to perform to new audiences, so I can’t wait to play on its iconic stage. I love showcasing my artwork in non-traditional spaces too, so this is going to be a real celebration of art and music.”
Fun for all the family
Bedford Esquires by day will showcase The Boy With A Leg Named Brian. At the exhibition, there will be a video of a Cartoon Workshop, led by Pete, playing on the hour during the day.
“These workshops have received a wonderful reception from participants,” said Chris.
“They are a fun and interactive way of inspiring young audiences to engage with Pete’s art and learn about his roots as a cartoonist.”
The daytime exhibition is free to attend with no booking required.
Between 6pm and 7pm, Pete will be holding a talk, with a Q&A at the end, to give visitors the opportunity to learn more about the artist behind the exhibition and pose all of their burning questions. As part of the exhibition, Pete is also creating a special poster which is exclusive to Bedford.
Only 50 will be produced and signed by the artist, with all profits going to the Music Venues Trust and Bedford Esquires in support of the UK’s independent music venues.
The other half of this celebration takes place at night, as Esquires hosts a ticketed live show from The Everly Pregnant Brothers; the comedic ukulele band who are well known for their parodies of popular songs.
Pete was one of the founding members of the band and after a summer of playing festivals, including Tramlines and Rock N Roll Circus, they are excited to be bringing songs from their latest album ‘Never Mind The Ukes, Here’s The Brothers’ to the main stage at Esquires.
The live show is supported by East Anglian legends, The Ouse Valley Singles Club.
“Independent music venues like Esquires are really important to me, not only are they where our band plays but it is also where I have seen countless artists over the years hone their craft,” said Pete.
“Music venues are closing down at a frightening rate across the country and it is important that we work hard to keep them alive. I can’t wait to bring my exhibition to the people of Bedford and show my work in this beautiful and very different space from a gallery.”
Gareth Barber, owner of Esquires: “We’re very excited to be hosting this special event, celebrating and collaborating with the McKee Gallery and Everly Pregnant Brothers.
“We’re long-term fans of Pete’s work, with the gallery supporting us during Covid by donating work for us to auction. His work has adorned the walls of a couple of our former Bedford-based businesses and can also be seen in Esquires.
“This event will be a unique insight into one of the UK’s most-beloved artists and we can’t wait to see the band for the very first time too.
“Art and music are intrinsically interlinked and I’m excited for people to be able to access the former in a non-traditional, but obvious, setting, hopefully paving the way for future collaborations.”
Prize draw: win a McKee goody bag
You can win a McKee goody bag plus a pair of tickets to the Everly Pregnant Brothers’ gig, simply by emailing your answer to the following question to win@bedfordindependent.co.uk by midnight on Sunday, 9 November.
Which city did Pete McKee grow up in?
The goody bag includes an exhibition book, McKee pint glass, McKee slipmat for your record player, signed exclusive Bedford poster designed by Pete and a pair of tickets for the evening show
Terms and conditions can be found here.
A Pete McKee Celebration – Saturday 15th November | Daytime exhibition – Free and open to all ages (no booking required) @ 11am –
4pm | Artist talk and Q&A @ 6pm – 7pm – Free but booking required here. | The Everly Pregnant Brothers @ 7:30pm – £15 advance from SeeTickets and local outlets
