Admittedly, I was more than a little concerned to see the Legendary Shack Shakers.  I have never seen them live, but I was warned many things.  “Don’t stand too close to the front,” “Stay to the sides or towards the back,” “Don’t look JD Wilkes in eyes or he’ll steal your soul!”  What?  You guys are freakin’ me out.  Their music I was familiar with but their live performance I had only witnessed in print.  A naughty, polygamy union of rockabilly, punk, blues, hardcore, and experimental art, the Shack Shakers proved to be unconventional beyond description.  I had to see what the fuss was about.  So the time did come (the Walrus said) to talk of other things. . .and as No One entered Wonderland disguised in the name of Canes, I was about to witness madness.

As normal as they could, the Shack Shakers started off with “Swampblood” from their last release under the same title.  Probably their most commercially sounding song (if that is possible), the band twag away having Brett Whitacre on drums, Mark Robertson on bass, Duane Dension on guitar, and Col. JD Wilkes on harp and vocals.  Col. Wilkes is who I was warned about.  Described by many as the bastard child of Jello Biafra and GG Allin, Wilkes is abrupt, eruptive, and wildly animated on stage.  I was strangely mesmerized.  It was like watching two cobras mate—scary and an awkward and yet I couldn’t tear myself away from looking.  He’d thump the mic on his chest like an animal, “I’m scrappy!” Wilkes cries out.  He spitted, snotted, and sweated on those close enough in range.  I realized why I shouldn’t stand close to the front.  But like those at a mad hatter tea party, the fans lapped it up.  And yet still, I was mesmerized.

“Preachin’ at Traffic” and “Cheat the Hangman” (lovingly dedicated to David Carradine) were also performed from Swampblood.  “Ichabod,” my personal favorite, from Pandelirium and “CB Song” from Cockadoodledon’t were also done from previous releases.  Excited to say, they did introduce songs from their upcoming release (tentatively titled) Agridustrial.  The new tracks sound more hardcore than the previous album which definitely induced a more southern flavor.  But the Legendary Shack Shakers are ever-changing and yet remain original both musically and performance-wise.  If there was any indication of what kind of people listen to the Shack Shakers, reportedly Stephen King, the Father of Horror, loves this band.  How much more fucked up can you get?!  And in a strange way, I do understand.  The madness had left me scarred and still wanting more.  And as for looking into the eyes of JD Wilkes, yeah, he stole my soul and spit it right back through the looking glass—and yet, I was still mesmerized.