HE’S been dubbed ‘Liverpool’s new signing’.

And it looks as if Vasily Petrenko could be as popular with the crowds on the Philharmonic’s ‘terraces’ as Stevie Gerrard is down at Anfield - or indeed, after last week’s performance, Andy Johnson at Goodison.
I was one of those lucky enough to be at the Phil last night to see Mr Petrenko lead the opening celebration.
And there was a palpable air of expectation in the packed out hall.
There was also a real cross-section of people.
A young-middle aged couple behind me, who had braved the cloyingly damp weather to see the RLPO at the Pier Head last month, jokingly said they were usually the youngest people in the Philharmonic Hall.
There were a certainly a lot of young faces in the audience, although few as young as the conductor’s son who was apparently there to see dad wield the baton.
And it was quite some baton wielding.
Yes, the Phil has wooed a slew of new, and formerly disaffected fans, by appointing a dynamic, young, blond poster boy.
But it looks as though Petrenko’s talent and conducting passion will more than match his physical saleability.
It was a crackingly good debut, aided by an on-form Phil, a sublime young pianist (Alexander Kobrin) and a good solo performance from RLPO trumpet player Rhys Owens.
I now can’t wait until next week when there’s a return visit to the Philharmonic ‘pitch’.
In fact, I may not have to, as Petrenko is leading the Phil out for a friendly at the Hope Street Festival this Sunday.
It was a good day for Liverpool culture all round yesterday, with the announcement of the winner of John Moores 24.
I fully admit I would never have guessed the winning painting in a million years. It seemed, on the face of it at least so traditional, and you always assume something avant garde will be chosen.
I had two bites at the cherry, having been to the media lunch where the initial announcement was made, and then back to the scrum of the teatime event where Tracey Emin handed out the prizes.
But I do intend to go back for a proper look at all the paintings when things have calmed down a little.
Incidentally, Emin herself has pledged to enter the John Moores in Capital of Culture year, whether she 'gets rejected or not'.
She was full of enthusiasm for Liverpool last night, claiming it was one of her favourite cities in the whole world and she loved to come here at every opportunity and paaarrteee.
Good for her. We need high profile people like Emin (who has just been chosen to represent Britain at the Venice Biennale) to sing our praises.
Even yesterday it was apparent some of the sniffy London critics in town for the Biennial were sharpening their pens.
Apparently an achingly hip reporter from one national newspaper was taking a tour of Greenland Street, the city’s newest arts venue, and offered the opinion that no one in Liverpool seemed to know about or have much interest in the Biennial.
Presumably the underlying insinuation was that we ‘oop north’ aren’t interested in art or culture.
How I yearn for the good people of Liverpool to prove miss trendy trainers wrong.