Cyprus Avenue
Member
HAMELL ON TRIAL
Cyprus Avenue, Cork
Mon 25th Feb
Tickets: €15 on sale now from www.cyprusavenue.ie & PLUGD Records
www.myspace.com/hamellsramble
Ani Difranco and the people who brought you Bill Hicks presentCyprus Avenue, Cork
Mon 25th Feb
Tickets: €15 on sale now from www.cyprusavenue.ie & PLUGD Records
www.myspace.com/hamellsramble
Hamell On Trial
The Terrorism Of Everyday Life
The Terrorism Of Everyday Life
One-man band meets one-man show:
Ed Hamell’s Edinburgh appearance marks his first UK residency, as he takes a rare break from touring American comedy clubs and music gigs. Under the moniker Hamell On Trial, Ed has already attracted the attention of the British music press through his albums winning such plaudits as five-star review in Uncut. Now he’s honed a show that mixes his angry, political music with stand-up comedy.
“Hamell is Bill Hicks, Hunter S. Thompson and Joe Strummer all rolled into one sweaty, snarling, pugnacious pit bull of a man. And he’s scabrously, filthily, twistedly funny.” Philadelphia Weekly
This new show looks at Hamell’s take on terrorism in the widest sense of the word through exploring his life, ranging from memories of road trips with his father, through recollections of the bizarre jobs he held down before his performing career took off, to his recent experience of becoming a parent himself. (But don’t worry, he’s not gone soft – his last album was Songs For Parents Who Enjoy Drugs.)
“Genius is a rare commodity - but here it is in a one-man folk-punk band.” New York Post
The Hamell On Trial concept was born from an invitation for Ed to perform at a benefit. With no band to accompany him, he borrowed an acoustic guitar, came up with the name, and delivered a stunning performance inspired by the characters he’d encountered working in a New York bar. That material was the foundation of his album Choochtown, which he recorded for $250 – an investment that paid dividends for the worldwide exposure it brought. A major European tour to build on that interest had to be cancelled when a car accident saw him confined to hospital for nine months. He’s been back on the road for a few years and is now making up for lost time with a 2 week run at the Edinburgh festival last year and a 10 night stand at London's Soho Theatre
“The crowd laughed, gasped, and reveled at the insights of the father with an axe to grind, story to tell, guitar to play. Hamell put on a heck of a trial, loaded with complexity, pathos, anger, unsavoury details, righteousness and truths beyond the facts.” Anchorage Daily News
