The Weary Boys
Anyone who has experienced the Weary Boys live already knows they are a band to be reckoned with. They perform with a wild abandon that is uncommon to any band, much less one that plays country on acoustic instruments.In fact, the Weary Boys play with a reckless spirit that’s the very definition of “alternative country”; one that’s part and parcel of the music’s past. Their repertoire includes chestnuts from Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, and Lefty Frizzell. That said, it’s all done with an edge, as if the whole thing were about to collapse if they don’t play faster and faster.
Fiddler Brian Salvi and guitarists Darren Hoff and Mario Matteoli relocated to Austin in the fall of 2000 from Humboldt County, in Northern California. The day they arrived, they met bass player Brian Sluyter while playing on the street.
“We wanted to go somewhere where they had a scene that we could work our way up through,” explains Salvi. “We didn’t know anybody, never been here before. When we first got here, we were living in a Ramada and playing on the street.”
Over time, they worked themselves up to a regular Sunday night gig at Ego’s, then onto a Tuesday night residency at the Continental Club. They’re also settling in to being a touring band, regularly making trips to Louisiana and Mississippi. With the release of their second CD, the not-so Weary Blues, they’re almost set to go national. That is, if they can reconcile with their drummer.
“There’ll be some small changes,” sighs Salvi. “We’re a fourpiece for a while — we’ll see what happens.”
This article appears in August 16 • 2002.