For the past 20 years or so, Jewish-Canadian accordion player/singer-songwriter/novelist Geoff Berner has travelled the world. He’s played in bars, cafes, festivals, and the occasional stadium. He’s performed in 17 countries, on national radio in 7 of them.
All over Canada, Europe, and America, Berner has garnered a sizable, passionate following of odd, bookish people who like to drink. He packs venues in places like Berlin, London, Oslo, Zurich, Seattle, Toronto, Edmonton and his home city of Vancouver.
Clever and literate, Berner’s songs can make you want to weep, laugh, grind your teeth, or kick out a window--often all at the same time. His writing can be overtly political, overtly left wing, leaning towards anarchy, but free of easy slogans or cliches. His peers consider him a “songwriter’s songwriter” and many artists have taken the time to learn and play his songs, including Corb Lund, the Be Good Tanyas, RotFront and Rae Spoon.