Sludge-metal juggernaut Weedeater plays the Cornerstone in Berkeley
Stoner-metal favorites Weedeater headlines the Cornerstone in Berkeley Sunday night, delivering its trademark sternum-rattling heaviness for its enthusiastic fans.
Though they came together as a side project for Wilmington, North Carolina bassist "Dixie Dave" Collins in 1998, Weedeater soon became the musician's main outlet when his main band, pioneering sludge-metal outfit Buzzov*en, called it quits within months. Collins teamed with guitarist Dave "Shep" Shepherd and drummer Keith "Keko" Kirkum to craft the new trio's lumbering style of southern-tinged stoner metal heavily indebted to the sound of Buzzov*en, the Melvins and Sleep.
The band's early albums ...And Justice For Y'all and Sixteen Tons, would lead to a deal with noted metal imprint Southern Lord Records. The trio's two albums for the label -- God Luck and Good Speed and Jason...the Dragon earned Collins and company solid reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. While they have not been the most prolific of bands, Weedeater has grown its fanbase with dogged touring, a reputation for punishingly loud shows and Dixie Dave's kinetic, near cartoonish onstage performance that never fails to entertain. The band's most recent album, Goliathan for new label Season of Mist, marked the recording debut of drummer Travis Owen when it came out in 2015.
Weedeater was slated to play the 2022 edition of the Heavy Psych Sounds Festival, but were forced to cancel along with several other bands they were touring due to multiple cases of COVID. The current line-up of the band with onetime Buzzo*ven drummer Ramzi Ateya closed the proceedings at the Heavy Psych Sounds Festival last year. For this show at the Cornerstone in Berkeley Sunday night, Weedeater are joined by NYC punk band RebelMatic and local alt-rockers Bloodhum.
Weedeater with RebelMatic and Bloodhum
Sunday, March 26, 12 p.m. $23-$27
The Cornerstone