You Should Go

Last night I went see Hamell on Trial last Mercury Lounge. I can hear you saying, "Hamell on Trial?" No, it's not a new Court TV show. Hamell on Trial is actually just one guy named Ed Hamell and there isn't a courtroom anywhere in site. No Judge Wapner here. It is actually just one man, one guitar and a lot of entertainment. He has been around for awhile, and his latest album is now out on Ani DiFranco's label Righteous Babe Records.

Hamell rocks it. Plain and simple. At a Hamell show you get rock, comedy, folk, crowd participation, jokes, punk, "face solos" and almost anything else you look for in a night out for some tunes (no pyrotechnics though).

Now, before we go on, I will warn you to turn back now if you don't want to be judged. Oh, you’re brave are you? Well, here is your judgment ... if you don’t go see Hamell next time you have the opportunity then I can think that nothing other than YOU MUST BE AN ASSHOLE! Yes, I am judging.

Well, time is ticking to the time where it is determined whether the "asshole" title needs to be applied to you. For those of you in NYC, Hamell will be playing at Fez the first four Tuesdays in August. The 3rd, the 10th, the 17th and the 24th are all options. You have the rest of June and all of July to get your schedule in order. Be there for at least one. I can assure you that you will walk away not regretting it. For those of you elsewhere, you also have an opportunity to catch Hamell tearing up your town. Check out this link for your chance to have your socks rocked off.

I'm sure some of you doubters are thinking, "I'm going to go to a show recommended by a guy who owns albums by Insane Clown Posse, Seven May Three, King Diamond, Tesla, Young Black Teenagers (who aren’t even black), Warrior Soul, Europe, Ugly Kid Joe, Vanilla Ice and other crap-o-ramas? Yeah right." Well, this is different. I promise you. I have yet to know someone to go to a Hamell on Trial show and not leave happy, or at least entertained. If you don't believe me, and would like to hear from "experts" here are snippets from a couple of reviews:

ROLLINGSTONE.COM
"Raucous indie-punk folkie Ed Hamell returns with a fresh brew of satire and sensitivity. Like a machete-wielding man wearing a clown's nose, Hamell takes a few well-chosen targets behind the woodshed for a hefty dose of smarty-pants derision ... "

AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN
"If Hamell were a young cute mop-top in a pair of designer-dirty jeans, he'd be the new White Strokes."

BILLBOARD
"If he were on a major label, he would surely be hailed as "the next big thing." That said, consider Ed Hamell (aka Hamell on Trial) the next "little big man." A genuinely funny guy with a social conscience, a loud mouth and serious songwriting cred, his punk-folk acoustic blasts are like a punchline to the establishment's groin ... "

Try it out or forever wear the title of "asshole" ... OK, maybe you won't be an asshole, but I really think Hamell is something everyone should see. Do yourself and the music world a favor and go.