A Music Phenomena
Petronia Street, A Music Phenomena
The secret is out and Friday night crowds are growing
Almost 2 million tourists visit Key West annually. With the advent of the Coffee Butler Amphitheater, music tourism is growing. Another recent Key West music phenomena is the burgeoning Petronia Street music corridor.
You’re not in Kansas anymore!
The Key West graveyard splits Petronia Street from the Meadows through Duval Street were a tall gateway marks the entrance of Bahama Village. The late sixth generation Conch James Chapman was born on Petronia Street and lived almost his entire 80 year life there. Most of Bahama Village has been gentrified over the years, but still contains elements of the original residents and their neighborhood feeling and now, it has a vibrant evening music scene.
The entrance to Blue Heaven
A former bordello, where Hemingway refereed boxing matches in the gravel yard is now home to one of the best restaurants, Blue Heaven. Owner Richard Hatch, said the historic building was built in 1886 and added to in the 1930s.
Hatch reflects on the bad old days when he was writing the “Crime Report” in 1988 for the Key West Citizen. Petronia and Thomas Streets made the paper almost every day for drugs and arrests. Today, Petronia Street boasts Blue Heaven as one of the best restaurants in Key West and across the street, a very fancy French restaurant, La Crêperie French Café. Next door is Viv Wine Bistro. There are several novelty and gift shops, like Besame Mucho, along with an art gallery thriving along Petronia. Recently Rams Head bought the corner property on Whitehead and Petronia and they feature music daily at Rams Head Southernmost..
The first musicians Richard hired at Blue Heaven were Blue Lou Feinberg, Mike Gillis, and Mary Spear. It was the first music west of Whitehead Street in decades. Blue Lou and Mike have passed on but Mary Spear has held a steady gig at Blue Heaven for over 30 years. Richard uses music to set the ambiance and entertain his restaurant guests. The morning musicians are encouraged to play 30 minute sets. Richard also strongly encourages his musicians to perform their original music. He has half-jokingly banned Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl.
Richard Hatch joins in the fun at Andy’s Cabana
Richard has two sons Ricky and Andy. Ricky works at Blue Heaven and Andy is a very successful engineer in Denver, Colorado. Originally Richard’s restaurant was called Ricky’s Blue Heaven, so when Richard acquired and old Conch Shop across the street eight years ago, he named it Andy’s Cabana.
Thursday night Open Mike jam is pure Key West funkyness.
Andy’s is a very cool yet funky location with special consideration for noise impacts to the neighbors. The first idea was to have an overflow spot for Blue Heaven while customers were waiting on a table.
Poet Laureate Tortuga Jack Hackett at Andy’s Cabana.
Richard now looks forward to spending evenings listening to music on Petronia Street. Cayman Smith-Martin’s Reggae alternates between Blue Heaven and Andy’s Cabana. Sam Carlson also performs at both locations. They and others have hosted very successful ticketed shows upstairs in the old “Bordello” section of Blue Heaven. Wednesday violinist Martin Sedlak often teams up with Alexander Michael performing “gypsy jazz” at Viv Wine Bistro. Thursday nights are becoming a famous open mike jam night at Andy’s Cabana with many musicians participating.
Key West artist and musician Dave Wegman and Richard frequently do a puppet show together at Andy’s Cabana, Tortuga Jack Hackett, the Key West poet laureate, usually brings a poem or two, a fire dancer performed last week. Andy’s is one of the last bastions of Key West ‘do as you please’ funk.
Gypsy Jazz inside Viv Wine Bistro
Channing Lynn and Gabriel Donohue celebrate Bastille Day at Viv Wine Bistro.
This past July 14rth Channing Lynn celebrated Bastille Day at Viv’s with and all French music revue. Labor Day Weekend Cayman performed a now famous tribute to his good friend Jimmy Buffett at his Andy’s Cabana gig. Friday evenings are becoming very special on Petronia Street. Music is playing at Viv Wine Bistro, Blue Heaven, Andy’s Cabana, and Rams Head Southernmost. The secret is out and the crowds are growing.
While sitting outside of Viv, a smallish yet well-appointed French Wine and Cheese shop that hosts music three nights a week, talking to long time Key West musician Scott Kirby, as he related feeling a very special comfortable ambiance, we all agreed. While we listened to classic jazz sitting at a sidewalk table.
Channing Lynn’s amazing clarinet was inside playing a Fench classic tune Si tu vois ma mère‘ (translation -If You See My Mother) written in Paris by Sidney Bechet, made famous in Woody Allen’s 2011 movie Midnight In Paris. Scott said he was reminded of the sidewalks of 1920s Paris which was dramatically portrayed in the movie. We all agreed again.
Two cuties at Viv Wine Bistro
Two blocks down the street is the home of another historic Bahama Village venue the American Legion Post 168 which had featured many black performers like Louis Armstrong, Etta James, BB King, James Brown, and many others, all avoiding then segregated Duval Street to perform at what was referred to as the “Black Townhall.” Today the Post is bringing music back to a rejuvenated location with the best dance floor in town. It was reopened in February 2020 by Bahama Village’s favorite son Coffee Butler. Rumor has it that the King of Key West Soul, Robert Albury is negotiating a steady gig at Post 168.
American Legion Post 168 just off Petronia on Emma Street has the best dance floor in Key West.
Many enjoy finding an alternative to crowded and noisy Duval Street.The Petronia Street Music Corridor is becoming a very comfortable place, with a great vibe, to enjoy and evening with friends. The conversations are usually light, the music is varied and pronounced.
The ghosts of Hemingway and other famous, and not so famous, still roam the neighborhood.
A typical Thursday “open mike” jam at Andy’s Cabana everyone is invited.
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