Artist Information Biography "Seeing The Schomberg Fair is unlike any experience I or presumably you have ever had with a band." - Clash Music 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.  They've been gaining momentum with an explosive live show that will convert the strongest non-beleivers to Fair-fandom and drive the most unsuspecting crowds to frenzy! Inspired by the true stories songwriter Bahen has been privy to in his past job as an outreach worker, The Schomberg Fair’s music grapples with the inclination to destroy oneself, the desire to be saved, and the hope of better things ahead.  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 Band was born when Matt and bassist/vocalist Nathan Sidon re-connected at a party while Bahen was recovering from having cut off all of the fingers on his left hand in a work accident.  The two bonded over their love of pre-war blues and set out to create a band that fused the soul and spirit of the deep blues with the frenetic energy of the birth of punk.  With the addition of drummer Pete Garthside’s thunderous beat  you’re left with an inferno of a whiskey-swilling good time and an unforgettable Saturday night.  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, Elliott Brood, Jim Cuddy, The Pack AD), international acts (Deer Tick, Black Diamond Heavies, The Oholics), and even 85-year-old blues legend T-Model Ford.  Their much anticipated second Full Length album "Gospel" is available on Hi-Hat Recordings October 2009. Press: “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 Instrumentation Matt Bahen - Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica, Lead Vocals. Nathan Sidon - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals. Pete Garthside - Drums. Discography Gospel - 2009 (Hi-Hat Recordings/Sonic Unyon) Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground - LP - 2008 Links http://www.myspace.com/theschombergfair Schomberg Fair Myspace