"Seeing The Schomberg Fair is unlike any experience I or presumably you have ever had with a band." - Clash Music
“They’re Awesome!” - Craig Norris CBC Radio 3
“You'd have to be iron-hard-hearted, deaf drunk, dead, or all three to not appreciate the rumbling blues-punk roots of Toronto tripod of "speed-gospel" The Schomberg Fair” –Ottawa Xpress
“The Schomberg Fair’s CD knocked me on my ass with their Gun Club take on traditional form, so for those of you who like their twang a bit on the dark and gloomy side...” - Montreal Mirror
“Just when everybody’s feeling a little too drunk and tired, these guys will swagger on to the stage and tear the place up with their unusual style of speed-gospel. People who were putting their scarves on will be tearing off their shirts.” - CHARTattack
“Mixing traditional instruments like the banjo and harmonica with electric guitar, The Schomberg Fair fuse the soul and spirit of the deep blues, singing about desperate times and desperate people, while still managing to do it with a frenetic energy that is undeniably fun” - The Monitor, Montreal
With three years and hundreds of shows under their belts, the Toronto roots-rock trio The Schomberg Fair have developed a reputation for their hard-breathing, sweat-stained, late-night speed-gospel sets. It is with great pride that they announce the release of their sophomore long player “Gospel” - out October 2009 on Hi-Hat Records / Sonic Unyon Distribution.
The Schomberg Fair’s music grapples with the inclination to destroy oneself, the desire to be saved, and the hope of better things ahead. The band itself was born out of the near destruction of the musical ambitions of lead singer, guitarist/banjo and primary songwriter Matt Bahen. At 24, Bahen cut off all of the fingers from his left hand in a work accident, and had them reattached. While recuperating, he reconnected with high school friend Nathan Sidon, and the two bonded over their mutual appreciation of pre-war blues. It was as Bahen regained movement in his digits that The Schomberg Fair was born, named for the spring agricultural fair of their small Ontario hometown, the one time a year that teenage townies look forward to most. With the addition of drummer Pete Garthside’s thunderous beat and high lonesome vocals harmonies, along side Sidon’s punk-rock bass technique and rich bass vocal and you’re left with an inferno of a whiskey-swilling good time and an unforgettable Saturday night.
The true stories songwriter Bahen has been privy to in his job as an outreach worker heavily inspires ‘Gospel’. These are tales of the dispossessed, the hurt, the vulnerable, the lost, the cruel and ultimately, the survivors. But the music is raucous, rousing and wild - it is within this dichotomy that the band shines brightest. The result is a sober reality with decidedly dynamic delivery.
This past year has seen The Schomberg Fair touring everything from dive bars to major festivals across Canada and the United States, sharing stages with Canadian indie stars (The Handsome Furs, Slim Twig, The Pack AD), international imports (The Oholics), and even 85-year-old blues legend T-Model Ford. Look for them as they cross Canada once again this fall.
Nice review of "Gospel" in this issue of Exclaim Magazine "With most of the original material inspired by Bahen's day job as an outreach worker, there's a constant tug-of-war between sin and salvation throughout the album, and well-executed covers of "Wayfaring Stranger" and "Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down" fit in nicely with Gospel's overarching theme"
you are all incredibly talented gentlemen . (a bit too much, eh...) You are more than welcome back anytime you you get within 1,000 miles again... Thank you so much. Donn
The Rivoli better get ready, because tonight VEDETTE, Canary Mine and Little Foot Long Foot are coming to party, and bringing all of their party people. Each act is super-pumped to bring you their best set EVER, and we can't wait to see you there! If you miss out, then you'll be one of those sucky "I missed out people", and someone will play a sad, farty old tuba song in your honour... Don't be like that. This one's definitely gonna be a party, and you won't believe what's in store for you. So c'mon by the Rivoli tonight! 334 Queen Street West (which is basically at Queen & Spadina.)
~The Fuzz
