Crusade at the Silver Dollar Room: The Schomberg Fair

Image from CMW 2011 @ the Horseshoe Tavern

Minutes into The Schomberg Fair’s set a full blown, foot-stamping, alcohol-fuelled revival erupted, immersed in thunderous drums, rumbling bass, and charging banjo, and it seemed likely that the Devil Himself would show up in the Silver Dollar Room and be struck dead.

The Schomberg Fair’s particular blend of music has deep roots in Depression-era blues, tempered with gospel vocals and rock mentality, played at punk-rock speed. It draws a rare crowd, comfortable in cowboy boots and hell-bent on head banging.

The band cut a relentless pace, taking no breaks between songs to preen and showboat. Driven by breakneck, primal beats of drummer Peter Garthside (who also contributes to vocal harmonies that manage to make you feel lonesome in a packed room), bassist Nathan Sidon growled backing vocals about sorrow and mercy in the deepest of blues registers, and gravely-voiced lead singer Matt Bahen alternated between playing furious banjo chords and steely guitar riffs. His lyrics are biblical, bringing Old Testament gloom to ‘Mark of Cain’ and New Testament exhortation in ‘Oh Mercy’. He occasionally breaks from the microphone to yell – Bahen’s one of the few singers who knows how to yell properly: in time, with a rhythm, and coherent.

Between the bourbon and testifying, I don’t know if the Devil made an appearance; if I had to hazard a guess, he probably quit Toronto for the night.