It’s not often you’ll see a review from us from Kidderminster given most bands stop in Birmingham or Wolverhampton to tick the West Midland box. But then again, Hayseed Dixie, the finest purveyors of rockgrass aren’t most bands. Whilst they’ve hit KK’s a few times in the last couple of years, they’ve also played in Kidderminster’s 45Live before so it’s not a break from the norm for them. And Saturday night has the locals in fine form, a gem of a venue in a town you wouldn’t expect like Bathgate’s Dreadnought or Bradford’s Nightrain.
The Zipheads who sound nothing like the headliners. But what they do share is the drive to put on the best show possible and give people an exceptional night. Which is exactly what skate rock trio Kit Trigg endeavour to do. And they succeed with ease. Bursting with energy and sincerity, the band blaze through a short but sweet set. It’s upbeat punchy rock which is mainly powered by pop hooks and punk sensibilities but they find time to stray into bluesy territory for one number, too. Recent single “Snake in the Grass” has vocalist/guitarist Trigg spitting out lyrics like he’s waiting on a call from Rage Against the Machine or Beastie Boys but it has moments of bright melodies and vocals to balance it out.
Indeed, there’s a natural affability to Trigg, Guy Fenegan (bass) and Nic Sleight (drums) with their palpable chemistry acting like a fourth member on-stage. They bounce off each other effortlessly and when “Grow With the Flow” comes, dedicated to a friend of Trigg’s who ed away, you can feel their sorrow, too. It’s unsurprising that for a lot of people, it hits hard. The vulnerability isn’t uncomfortable so much as it’s welcome as a chance to allow others to be in their feelings and lost ones. Bringing the tempo up for the last few tracks to end their half-hour on a high, a cover of “Proud Mary” sees an inflatable shark thrown around the audience and them leading the charge on the vocals. And as their parting shot – “Goin’ For Glory”. Combining groove and energy whilst bathing in summer-y tones, it adds in a dollop of grit to match the resilience of the human spirit. Nothing on the scene right now sounds like this band and that’s great – more Kit Trigg, please but accept no substitutes!
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Having only seen Hayseed Dixie in two of the greatest venues in the country, the ABC (RIP) and KK’s, their stages always seemed a little excessive for a band who don’t need a lot of space. Yet tonight presents a contrast where they seem cramped by comparison. There’s still plenty of space for them and it’s not like we’re all crammed into a dive bar where you can smell the toilets from the street (though those venues make for great shows, too). With the opening salvo of “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” straight from the soundcheck, it wouldn’t be a Hayseed Dixie show without a couple of AC/DC numbers but also, it wouldn’t be a Hayseed Dixie if there were airs and graces. And frankly, that’s part of the appeal.
Much of the setlist is what you’d expect from a Hayseed Dixie show but that doesn’t stop it from being anything short of excellent. Their combination of acoustic guitar and bass, mandolin and banjo remain as potent as ever with their massive repertoire of covers shining a light on how good these songs are. They may sound vastly different from their original counterparts but these songs stand the test of time, and putting a rockgrass spin on them doesn’t do any harm. You’re still singing along to “Welcome to the Jungle”, “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Ace of Spades” as if the originals were blaring from a jukebox.
There’s quite a few Black Sabbath/Ozzy numbers tonight and given we’re not far from Birmingham and given people have spent the best part of the week trying to get tickets for that Villa Park show, it seems appropriate. It’s a subject which seems ripe for John Wheeler to pick apart during his brief chats. And unlike most times, the times when he does address the audience tonight, it is indeed brief. Still with his dry and cutting wit, there’s less of it tonight and whilst he avoids the low-hanging fruit, he comments on the absurdity of nationalism (it is), bands are essentially travelling t-shirt salesmen with music (sad but true) and the Philip K. Dick quote: “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.” However, Hippy Joe brings a low-brow humour with his visual antics and at least every song has him doing something, some of which may require you to bleach your eyes afterwards.
Of course, whilst the lion’s share of the set is based on covers, the smattering of original staples are still there like “Kirby Hill”, “Laying in the Backyard”, “Corn Liquor”, and naturally, “I’m Keeping Your Poop”. Even if you’re not familiar with the song they’re playing, you’ll still enjoy it and you just need to hold on a few minutes for the next number. And regardless of what they’re playing, they don’t need a drummer. They construct their interpretations to give them enough texture that percussion isn’t needed, working together to provide a full, solid sound without someone battering skins behind them.
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As a band which fully embraces their cult status, they know exactly their place in the industry and who their crowd is. There is no core demographic at a Hayseed Dixie show – other than people out for a good night and Hayseed Dixie know how to deliver that, time and time again. Having bore witness and testified once more, you can’t help but leave with a smile and anticipate the next time.
Hayseed Dixie: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube
Kit Trigg: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | tiktok | youtube
