Assembly George Square
14-25 August
£12
21.30
Edinburgh Festivals gladly welcome back the self-confessed whore-lovin, poor-lovin, self-righteous, potty-mouthed & anarchistic american comedic singer-songwriter, Hamell. Two years ago, he won the Herald Angel Award at the for his previous show, ‘The Terrorism of Everyday Life.’ This time round he’s the ‘Happiest man in the World,’ & god bless him, he guy is just pure entertainment. His exxcellent musicianship is played out on a beaten-up 1937 acoustic Gibson guitar, & the delivery of his songs is riveting.
Wide-eyed & swigging redbull after arriving in Edinburgh from New York only a ferw hours previously, Hamell swaggered to work; a cross between Eminem, Beck & Dylan doing Subterranean Homesick Blues, I was completely entranced by his words & almost demonic guitar-work. The root of this, I guess, is the fact he he took mescalin capsules every day between the ages of 13 & 21. He touches on all sorts of subjects for huis music – real down-to-earth stuff, & finished off the show with one of teh best pieces of performance poetry Ive ever heard. Inbetween the songs, he does throw insome pretty cheesy jokes, & like Hamells says, the mix ghe provides is ‘very fringey.’Iif this was his first night & he still had jet-lag, then future punters are in for a right treat! FOUR STARS
Reviewer – Damo Bullen
Mumble Comedy 