West Art Welcomes Jessica Smucker & The End of Everything

Jessica Smucker & The End of Everything invite you to ring in the holiday cheer with their unique variety of snarky optimism: love songs for people who are sick of love, Christmas-ish carols for cranky parents, and apocalyptic anthems celebrating the end of the world’s silver linings. 

Award-winning songwriter, singer, and piano player Jessica Smucker is joined on stage by her band of merry doomsayers: the OG Innocence Mission rhythm duo, Mike Bitts (bass, synths) and Steve Brown (drums, percussion), with James Lipka (of The Ogham Stones) on guitar. Things may go a little deep and dark - there's no way out but through - but in a fun way! If you're into smart lyrics, catchy melodies, and real talk, we are here to boost your mood.

Kicking things off are Charlie in the Question Mark (AKA Charlie Muench of The Stray Birds) and the inimitable Hadassah Edith. 

What to expect at the show

>> Doors will open at 7:00. The show will start at 7:30.

>> Tickets are $15 in advance for GA. Tickets at the door will be $20 if not sold out. Balcony seating is also available for purchase. As always, we’re proud to present an all-ages show!

>> Parking may be available in the small lot across the street. Beyond that, there’s parking available around Buchanan Park and F&M College in the blocks surrounding West Art.

>> Format: This will be a standing show with limited seating available in City Hall. Our space is ADA accessible, and we will do our best to accommodate any specific needs.

>> If you haven't yet discovered the magic of the West Art Coffee⚡Bar, now's your chance! We're open from 7 am-10 pm daily, with a full and delicious espresso bar menu, along with a lovely selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, plenty of N/A options, and some tasty bites from our favorite local bakeries. Something for everyone, all day long! Come hang out before the show and experience it for yourself!

>> Please note that all ticket sales are final. Thank you for supporting great music!

Artist Bios:

Jessica Smucker & The End of Everything: Jessica is based in Lancaster, PA but has toured nationwide and performs regularly throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. Locally, she hosts Songwriters in the Raw, an in-the-round concert series showcasing national and regional artists. 

After several years of prioritizing her solo career and swearing off bands, Jessica succumbed to an offer she couldn’t refuse when her studio bassist Mike Bitts recruited her to start a new musical adventure with him and his longtime bandmate from The Innocence Mission, Steve Brown. James Lipka was added to the mix a few months in, and The End of Everything was born. 

Charlie in the Question Mark is the solo project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Muench.  Playing mostly supportive roles as a musician throughout his career, You Were Dreaming (released June 28, 2024) puts him front and center for the first time. The songs set him on a new course, seeking to leave behind stagnant and wooden ideas about what it means to be a musician and a creative being. The record is a collection of songs that seeks sweeping emotional honesty and deep-dives into the subconscious. 

Hadassah Edith makes music that moves you. That movement could be anywhere from physical to spiritual, but with a voice that can range between angelic and guttural all in one song, know that you will be moved one way or another. 

Her songs wind up being journeys unto themselves, often delicately layered with mini-movements throughout their four and five minute runtimes. With a voice somewhere between Jeff Buckley and Tracy Chapman, Hadassah knows how to guide a haunting melody from her soul to yours.

In a club or concert hall, from the cheap seats to VIP, Hadassah will leave her mark by the end of her set, if not by the end of her first song.