Hayseed Dixie to play in Preston

'If you are expecting a big party, you will get a big party.'
Hayseed DixieHayseed Dixie
Hayseed Dixie

Hayseed Dixie promise to be all things to the people of Preston as the four-piece band perform at Guild Hall on Wednesday July 5.Lead singer John Wheeler says: “Every person has expectations of what they want out of the show. If they expect a big party, they will have that.“If they want to marvel at a wonderful display of musicians, then they can. And if they want us to be rubbish and suck, then we will.“Whatever you expect out of life is what you will get.“What I really want is for people to drink enough so they have a good time. We will all have a good party together.”Hayseed Dixie began one summer day in 2000 when American musicians John Wheeler and Mike Daly had drunk a lot of whiskey and decided to play around in John’s studio. When they discovered in their drunken epiphany that the Lost Highway of Reverend Hank Williams and the Highway to Hell of Bishop Bon Suott were indeed the same identical stretch of tarmac, they decided to create their own song in honour.Realising their potential for a new sound, they formed Hayseed Dixie, a linguistic word play around AC/DC.Their work is a mixture of cover versions of hard rock songs and original compositions in a style that is a unique fusion of bluegrass and rock music, creating a new musical genre - Rockgrass. They released their first album, A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC, and 17 years on they have 15 albums to their name.John adds: “The original emphasis was about imagining if AC/DC were born in Tennesse instead of Australia.“It is difficult to talk about our music - you have to listen to it. But I guess we are very funny rock with a different instrumental sound.”The band, which also includes Jake Byers, Hippy Joe Hymas and Tim Carter, have performed in 1,500 shows in 37 different countries.John says: “I have never done anything else in my adult life. I look at being an entertainer as being an oil can in a machine. It is a lot of work getting there and being on the road, but I would do the shows for free.“I love performing. It is all about the shows. I see the audience as the party and we are the host. Hopefully they will get a good bash.”The band have played in Preston twice before and John admits he is looking forward to returning.He says: “We were last in the city about four or five years ago at 53 Degrees. I don’t know why it has been that long ago.“We try to play something from very album. I hate it when bands play stuff from their new album and just two of their old songs. You never know what people want and what their favourite songs are. So we try to cover the bases.”Hayseed Dixie will perform at Preston Guild Hall on Wednesday July 5, at 7pm. For tickets, from £18.50 visit http://www.prestonguildhall.co.uk/shows/hayseed-dixie/

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