with Saviours & Black Cobra
The Underworld, Camden
17/06/10
Photo by John Prolly
‘Dixie’ Dave Collins, the lead singer, bassist and ring leader of North Carolina’s Weedeater has a certain reputation. This is the dude that toured relentlessly with notorious, drug-riddled, sludge outfits Buzzo*ven and Sourvein and earlier this year he even shot off his own toe cleaning his shot gun. With all these facts mixed in with second hand tales and myths about the man and the band there is a definite level of expectation to the evening.
With a good mix of liquor, amongst many other substances, we are the perfect company for a band that are at home playing to wasted crowd. With his insane crossed eyes, Dixie Dave psychotically spits his words and rattles his head giving the impression that he might just be as insane as the stories and rumours suggest.
Collins, drummer Keko and guitarist Shep tear through the band’s back catalogue severing up blunt sized portions that have the well baked attendees inflicting drunken violence on each other. ‘God Luck & Good Speed’, ‘Wizard Fight’ and the awesome ‘Weed Monkey’ just add fuel on the fire and the band even throw in a cover of Lynyrd Skynard’s ‘Gimme Back My Bullets’ just in case you forgot these boys were from the deep south.
With typical southern tenacity, Weedeater’s performance is second to none tonight. The sheer weight of the riffs chugged out by Collins and co are absolutely crushing. The word ‘heavy’ simply does not do Weedeater justice.
Burn one to these dudes for best results.
Tom Lindsey