The Burning Hell, Steven Lambke, Jake Nicoll @ Jimmys, Liverpool – 30/05/2023

The sun is out and with summer almost here, what better way than to crawl out from under a rock, go wild, and actually go to a gig! Yes, they are quite rare things around these parts, and as The Burning Hell are back in town, not only is it a good excuse, but with You’ve Changed Records co-founder Steven Lambke along for the ride, it’s a no-brainer.

To continue tonight’s chatter of all things avian, touring artists of Lambke’s ilk are rare birds in 2023. What with the scourge of Brexit and the strangling effect of capitalism, the two factors alone make the economic viability for international acts to tour the U.K. nigh on impossible. The whole exercise just about rendered all too hard, so it’s a delight to see the former Constantines driving force back on Merseyside in support of his excellent 2022 LP, Volcano Volcano.

He’s got very able sidekicks in The Burning Hell, who themselves are no strangers around these parts, and after tonight, they imbue the kind of hope that makes me think that international touring bands may just survive for a little longer yet.

Over the years, the Canadian act (vocalist/guitarist Mathias Kom and multi-instrumentalists Ariel Sharratt and Jake Nicoll) have developed a cult following of folk heads and bookish punks up and down the country. One of those bands that for some inexplicable reason make their way into your blood stream in subtle unforceful ways, and while their moniker maybe more aligned with black metal, The Burning Hell are all about the thought-provoking juxtaposition. Heavy dealers and hyper intelligent wordplay and sharp melodies, Kom, Sharratt and Nicoll blend a punk-inspired energy with anthemic electric folk that very few can match.

Truth Marks: In Conversation with Steven Lambke

Tonight is special, and not just because going to a gig is a cause for celebration. It’s the whole DIY ethos that goes into this show that is the big winner. No mediocre support band per the advice of a local promoter who doesn’t get the vibe. No, this is a Canadian love-in with virtuoso on tap.

Starting with The Burning Hell’s drummer/flutist, Jake Nicoll, who slowly unveils delicate folk songs born from equally delicate places. Accompanied by his bandmates, including Lambke on bass, Nicoll’s songs have woodsy finesse that kick start the night and prove as a nice lead-in to Lambke’s set.

Which is gorgeous in every sense. As expected, the set is heavy with material from Volcano Volcano, including the eponymous track and April, May, and June, which spearheads the album that possesses a heavy emphasis on exploring the nostalgia of our environment and how we plan to protect and preserve its future. Closing with Fireworks (taken from 2019’s Dark Blue), Lambke just about tears the place a part with an electric Neil Young-inspired wig out, while those tones that made the Constantines the most important band in the world shine through.

The Burning Hell: Garbage Island

He continues to weave his magic, joining The Burning Hell as the fourth member, further underlining the musicianship and DIY ethos on offer tonight; each member spending the night effortlessly bouncing around from instrument to instrument. Particularly Sharratt, who is so adept at everything she plays, you wonder if the likes of Springsteen will come knocking on the door soon enough…

Her performance underpins the magic of Kom’s sharp-witted diatribes that give The Burnng Hell’s songs the kind of depth most other bands could only dream of. The songs from Garbage Island continuing the narrative for climate action, starting with the wonderful No Peace. The mind-bending The End of the End of the World follows later, while the blend of humour and horror arrives during Nigel the Gannet and Dirty Microphones. A new untitled song recorded earlier on the tour has the kind of zest and gallop that exemplifies the love in the room for this band.

Which is fitting, considering they finish with Fuck the Government, I Love You. The apple in the eye of just about every fan of The Burning Hell, Fuck the Government, I Love You embodies their true DIY spirit.

With the customary goodbyes and shared smiles, the night draws to a close as The Burning Hell deliver what really does feel like a celebration of independent music. Together, it feels like we can survive the force of everything else pushing against us.  

“Pass the wine. Fuck the government. I love you.”

Indeed.