Middletown, CT - The Buttonwood Tree presents the musical showcase of multi-talented folk punk singer-songwriter Hamell On Trial.

This concert and other TBT events brought to you by our generous donors and patrons, as well as the following organizations: Middletown Commission on the Art, Community Foundation of Middlesex County, Department of Community and Economic Development.

A one-man explosion, he is loud-as-war one minute, stepping off the microphone to whisper to an enthralled audience the next. Hamell’s unique and dynamic performance style is informed by politics, passion, intelligence and an irreverent sense of humor.

Armed with a battered 1937 Gibson acoustic guitar that he amplifies mightily and strums like a machine gun, a politically astute mind that can't stop moving, and a mouth that can be profane one minute and profound the next, Hamell sets his sights on the new America. He shoots straight with his audience, whether unraveling topical issues or sharing confessional tales from his own past.

In addition to world-class songwriting, a Hamell show is a multidisciplinary experience drawing from the worlds of theatre, stand-up comedy and storytelling. His performances invoke thoughts of the great rebellious satirists and social commentators of the past, from Lenny Bruce to Richard Pryor to Bill Hicks.

Living as an artistic renegade on the fringes of the traditional music industry, Hamell has toured the world tirelessly for decades as an underground DIY artist whose joyous followers pack into dive bars, coffee joints and house concerts, burning over a million miles across the map as an enigmatic punk proletariat. Over 200,000 of those miles have been shared with his son Detroit, who has joined his dad on annual tours since he was seven years old.

Hamell has shared countless stages with fellow anti-establishment icons such as Ani DiFranco, Kimya Dawson, Aesop Rock and The Pogues, as well as winning the coveted Herald Angel Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Hamell’s 2023 full-length record, Bring The Kids, marks the seventeenth release in a discography overflowing with four star reviews and critical acclaim, ranging from major label releases (Mercury / Polygram) to top independents such as New West and Righteous Babe Records. Bring The Kids will mark Hamell’s third record on Texas indie Saustex Records, helmed by Hickoids’ lead singer Jeff Smith. .

Hamell on Trial is the modern day voice of dissent and social commentary, fighting a one-man war armed with irrepressible energy and a seeker's soul. His show is a 75-minute journey into true and authentic connection driven by the willingness to fight for the disenfranchised and celebrate the free thinkers of the world. Don't we need that now more than ever?

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024

Time: 7 PM - 9PM

Location: The Buttonwood Tree Performing Arts and Cultural Center, 605 Main Street, Middletown, CT 06457

Admission: $15

Admission link: https://buttonwood.networkforgood.com/events/71350-hamell-on-trial

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