The Burning Hell & Jeffrey Lewis at Bannerman Brewing Co.

THE BURNING HELL

Based in PEI and Newfoundland, The Burning Hell is led by songwriter Mathias Kom and currently features multi-instrumentalist collaborators Ariel Sharratt and Jake Nicoll. 2022 will see the release of the band’s latest album Garbage Island on You’ve Changed Records in Canada and BB*Island internationally, supported by tour dates in Canada, the UK, and Europe.

Over a varied musical career, The Burning Hell have remained idiosyncratic and unclassifiable, much to the delight of those who love them. Although musical style and influence differs from record to record, the constant has always remained Kom's singular outlook on the world: wise and naive, cynical and life-affirming, full of brilliant, unexpected narratives and a deeply felt generosity of spirit. The band's live performances underscore these themes: they exhibit a joy and camaraderie too infrequently seen on stage. Indeed, the essence of the band is inclusive and celebratory; whether on stage or on record, there's something for everyone. As Tom Robinson of BBC Introducing said about The Burning Hell, "even Jesus is going to enjoy this, once he finally gets here."

"The wordy songsmith behind Canadian quintet The Burning Hell, Mathias Kom has a dry wit and sharp eye that elevate indie-rock tunes into offbeat storytelling treats."Uncut Magazine

"Canada's The Burning Hell write the kind of literate, funny, catchy songs that makes you want to learn all the words and shout them passionately back in their faces." Drowned in Sound

"Kom sings what he sees, from truculent kids and their smugly indulgent parents to corrupt corporate greed, to some things he doesn't: Norse gods and the futility of cults. His half-spoken baritone will appeal to fans of punk vet Jonathan Richman, the music to those of pioneering alt-rockers They Might Be Giants. If that sounds a little too college-rock clever, rest assured that Kom's music falls on the right side of the indie rails, knowing but always careful to let the listener in on the joke." Q Magazine

“The Burning Hell are expert musicians, but onstage, more than with other bands, there's a palpable sense of friendship that comes first. It made for a contagiously enthusiastic set that fired up the crowd, who packed in close to the stage to celebrate with the band. If Lawnya Vawnya is about music, community and love, then the Burning Hell are perfect standard bearers; their performance was a stirring mix of all three.” Exclaim! Magazine review of The Burning Hell at Lawnya Vawnya

JEFFREY LEWIS

Indie-rock songwriter and comix artist Jeffrey Lewis began recording homemade cassettes in New York City in 1998, and signed to Rough Trade Records in 2001. Many albums and comic books later, Jeffrey still lives in NYC and has played hundreds of gigs all over the world, both solo and with bandmates, habitually assembling different set lists for each night to weave in old songs, new songs, artwork, stories and surprises. His most recent official album is “Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage: Bad Wiring” released on Don Giovanni Records (USA) and Moshi Moshi Records (internationally) in November 2019, but Jeffrey has also digitally self-released three DIY albums from his apartment since the pandemic started. Jeffrey continues to wring folksy spiel and garage bohemianism from his ramshackle guitar, whether with his band or solo, while incorporating his often politically subversive visual artwork into live appearances. Some of these audio/visual projects have been hosted on History.com, such as “The Story of Sitting Bull,” a Jeffrey Lewis illustrated song which won a Webby Award in 2011 for “Best Writing on the Internet

"Weird? Very... but also downright inspiring" (****) - Rolling Stone

"Hands down my favorite contemporary songwriter" - Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie)

“Jeffrey is the best pure songwriter I know of... 'Sad Screaming Old Man’… is one of my favorite songs ever written” - David Berman (Silver Jews)

“Ramshackle and beautiful noise… Lou Reed’s natural successor as punk poet of the New York streets” - Louder Than War

"Bizarre but brilliant" - Uncut

"Dazzling" - Mojo

"Jeffrey is the only artist I've sent fan mail to.” - Jens Lekman

"Really great and impressive and inspiring and exciting... There's not a lot of people that can tell a story and use language like that in music." - Will Oldham