Bikers1 - Hayseed Dixie - Scotland 2004

Having finished drinking at 5am they had to do a bit of sightseeing then prepare for the gig at Studio 24. I'd been 'punting' them here for a while and sending out emails to all and sundry, not like me to evangalise about any band, but they really couldn't be missed.

A good crowd had turned out for the gig, Studio24 was pretty near capacity if not, at it. A hot and sweaty, beer swillin, fast pickin', shit kickin' set ensued. Notwithstanding problems with Dale's mandolin, they played through like true pro's.

Having pounded their instruments to the point that it would take longer to fix them than the night was long, they finished after being called for two encores by an extremely noisy and insistent crowd.

All in all a great couple of nights, thanks guys, here's hoping that they get to come back over soon. If they survive Glasgow and Aberdeen that is.

Words & Pics by Al, alchohol by Mr Daniels

	Dale had already aquired a kilt for the occassion, click here to hear John's thoughts on that matter. I understand that Hayseed have been getting some airplay on Radio 1 and 2, not before time. Maybe it's their striking rendition of the Darkness' "I Believe in Love" that caught their attention, being so recently in the charts. These guys deserve a whole lot more airplay. But then radio is run by the record companies who punt 'sure fire fast-buck makers' to the radio stations and all but a few good folk step up to the mark and promote real music. This was the first time I'd heard their version of 'Ace Of Spades', they'd been keen render their version of this classic for some time, the record company took a hell of a lot of persuading says John. I think any band should be flattered that such a bunch of talented and creative guys should think the song good enough to cover. Er, in case you're wonderin', they're not paying me to say this and they didn't buy me no beer, but I figure I haven't been so entertained by new music for a very long time, sure there's good stuff about but, a new fusion such as this doesn't come along too often. Hayseed Dixie's description of the embryonic genre is 'Rockgrass' hence the title of the new album 'Let there Be Rockgrass'.
	Having finished drinking at 5am they had to do a bit of sightseeing then prepare for the gig at Studio 24. I'd been 'punting' them here for a while and sending out emails to all and sundry, not like me to evangalise about any band, but they really couldn't be missed. A good crowd had turned out for the gig, Studio24 was pretty near capacity if not, at it. A hot and sweaty, beer swillin, fast pickin', shit kickin' set ensued. Notwithstanding problems with Dale's mandolin, they played through like true pro's. Having pounded their instruments to the point that it would take longer to fix them than the night was long, they finished after being called for two encores by an extremely noisy and insistent crowd. All in all a great couple of nights, thanks guys, here's hoping that they get to come back over soon. If they survive Glasgow and Aberdeen that is. Words & Pics by Al, alchohol by Mr Daniels


	More info on Hayseed Dixie at www.hayseed-dixie.com More info on The Blind Beggar at www.blindbeggar.co.uk
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You may have wandered in here not knowing who the hell Hayseed Dixie are. Well, if ye don't, I thoroughly recommend ye seek them out. Hailing from the Appallachian Mountains in the US of A John Wheelan, Singer, Fiddler and Guitarist explained to me that they are not a Country band, they are a Rock band that plays Hillbilly instruments ! Their first album "A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC" spawned from their belief that there was little or no new music around worth listening to, or at least drinking to. They recorded it in a couple of days, intending to copy a few CD's for their friends and family. Luckily for us the CD made a bid for escape into the wide open yonder, it even managed to make it over to these 'ere shores where I first heard it over a year ago. Once my cavernous grin had subsided from my face, this IS highly entertaining stuff, I sought them out on the internet. The allmusicguide Internet music encyclopedia describes them, most disingenuously, as a 'novelty band' FFS !. Make no bones about it, these guys are World Class Musicians with a capital W, and er, an C and an M. Brothers Dale and Don Wayne Reno, Banjo and Mandolin players respectively, can play those instruments faster and better than anyone I've ever come across. With Grant? (oops, missed his surname) on bass and John Wheelan's red-hot fiddle playing is both wailing and staccato which along with similar styles on the other instruments makes a drummer superfluous. The rythm section duties being anchored by the bass and shared around by the other players. I've seen more than my fair share of 'cover' bands, their singular mission appears to be to to emulate the original song down to the last 'half hammer-on', two beats before the middle-eight kinda thing. It takes bravery and pure talent to completely re-interpret someone elses song and carry it off as well as Hayseed Dixie do. Moral of the story, this ain't comedy, this is real music, even though it makes you grin and laugh. e.g. 'Keepin' yer poop' which of course, for young folk is an abject lesson on the likely state of their future emotional baggage should they become embroiled with those of the opposite sex, and indeed how to overcome the pain of heartbreak albeit in a not particularly hygenic manner.. As John says "A good song is........... a good song" , I'll drink to that.
The band were over in the UK for the AC/DC tribute fest in Wrexham. Grant at the Blind Beggar in Edinburgh was determined to get them up to Scotland, and through Grant, Geoff and Dave's tireless efforts they made it happen. I was fortunate enough to get invited to the "Welcome to Scotland" party in the Blind Beggar the day before their first gig. Hayseed played a couple of blinding sets to about fifty folk crammed into the pub. This for me is the ideal way environment in which to see any band. A few folk, band two feet away and a beer in my hand. Talking with the band, they were excited about coming to and playing in Scotland. John reckons that on account of our noses and that my great, great granny went to the states and his granny's name was MacDonald that we must be related.