Gothic Theatre
Dixie Witch
The band Dixie Witch was born in the fall of 1999 in a tiny practice room in Denton, Texas. The band was formed as an outlet for the members to express their love of loud, pure and heavy Rock. The trio’s lineup has remained unchanged since its inception 3 years ago with Drummer/Vocalist Trinidad Leal, Bassist Curt Christensen and Guitarist Clayton Mills comprising Dixie Witch. The band quickly forged its own sound, rooted deeply in the heavy grooves of seminal heavyweights like Blue Cheer, Mountain, and Black Sabbath, but with a more streamlined modern approach that fully capitalizes on the bands strengths: pummeling rhythms, dynamic musicianship, and vocals bellowed forth with conviction and purpose. The directness and down-home flavor of southern rock has also been a huge influence on the band’s music, as well as its members. There is no pretentiousness or gimmickry to this band: it is all about the freedom to do your own thing. It seems the perfect antidote for the lackluster, manufactured “rock” that now permeates the airwaves.
Dixie Witch played their first live show at the legendary and now extinct Emo’s in Houston, Texas in January of 2000. The band quickly began a relentless schedule of live shows throughout the state of Texas. Leveling venue after venue with their brand of intense heavy rock, the band quickly gained a large Texas following. In August of 2000, Dixie Witch recorded a five-song demo with ex-Butthole Surfer and current Honky four-stringer Jefferson D. Pinkus at his studio south of Austin, Texas. The demo was well received and began to garnish the band national attention through a well-deserved “buzz” over the internet. By the beginning of 2001, Dixie Witch had inked their first record deal with the Texas based doom metal label, Brainticket Records. The self-produced debut album “Into the Sun” was released in late May of 2001. The album has been well received by fans of the underground heavy rock scene, selling at present well over 2000 copies. One ‘zine wrote of the album "Texas’s Dixie Witch cultivate a sound that pays homage to the heavy and fuzzed forefathers that have come before them…. There is enough Blue Cheer, Mountain, and Grand Funk mixed with Southern Rock aesthetic to satisfy the jones of any 70’s head and enough back-to-the-future retro fuzz to take Dixie Witch headlong into the new millennium". Dixie Witch followed up the release of “Into the Sun” with intense touring of the US in the Summer of 2001 that took the band from coast to coast and to all points in between on the “Southern Domination Tour” with Alabama Thunderpussy and the Suplecs. Throughout the rest of 2001, 2002, and into 2003, the band has continued to play the national club circuit. Doing well over 100 shows in both 2001 and 2002 and having the pleasure of sharing the stage with many of the world’s finest rock and metal bands. The end of 2002 saw the release of Small Stone Records “Sucking the 70’s” comp which features Dixie Witch’s versions of Lynyrd Skynryd’s “On the Hunt” among the countless other heavy rocking tracks.
With the beginning of 2003, the future is brighter than ever for Dixie Witch. A record deal was signed with Detroit-based Small Stone Records for the release of their second album. The band entered the studio in late February, again with Jefferson D. Pinkus at the helm. The new record, “One Bird, Two Stones”, features 10 new ass-kicking, heavy southern rock tracks and is more musically diverse than the previous record. Reflecting the growing changes with songwriting and musical ability that the band has undergone through a relentless number of live shows over the past few years. The record will be released in late Spring/early Summer of 2003 and followed up once again with a massive touring schedule beginning in mid-May that will take the band all over the country and see them hitting the shores of Europe as well. BE WARNED!! Dixie Witch is here to steal your hearts and souls while all along rocking your asses off!
