Performer(s) – Weedeater, Yes Ma’am, Temple of the Fuzz Witch, and Cullossus
Venue – The Sanctuary
Location – Hamtramck, MI
Concert Date – August 2nd, 2025
Author + Photographer – Porous
There’s nothin’ quite like a stoner metal show on a hot Summer’s eve. And on a Saturday night nonetheless! Packed in a club with hundreds of other metalheads, it wasn’t even the contact-high that had me in a great mood. It was the unbelievably impressive lineup I was about to experience. I had heard tales of Weedeater’s live shows being something to behold and that I was in for a real treat. But then each of the openers blew me away as well!
Cullossus
This stoner metal trio from Detroit may only have three singles released so far, but they played like a band with three decades of experience. If you’re a fan of Weedeater and haven’t heard Cullossus yet, what the hell are you waiting for? Right off the bat they pummeled us with these churning sleazy riffs. The kind of bluesy progressions paired with grimy vocals that you can’t help bang your head to. FFO Black Sabbath and of course Weedeater, give Cullossus a follow on instagram to see when they’re playing next @cullossus
Temple of the Fuzz Witch
It’s the second time I’ve seen Temple of the Fuzz Witch this summer and I really hope to see them a third time. And fourth a fifth time… Read my review of the Xasthur show to see what I thought of them when they opened for him! But seriously, when these three start playing, the room is completely enveloped in the most wonderfully crushing blackened doom metal. It was a blast getting to see Temple of the Fuzz Witch in a bigger room and seeing the crowd possessed by their sweet evil riffs. They tour a lot too, so give them a follow and don’t miss it when Temple of the Fuzz Witch bring the fucking house down at your local venue! @templeofthefuzzwitch
Yes Ma’am
And now for something completely different: a one-man folk punk act! I could tell once Yes Ma’am (aka Matt) took the stage that a few of the metalheads were skeptical of what was to come. The stage was essentially a street-performer setup, with Matt strumming away on his steel guitar. One foot keeping the beat with a kick pedal fitted to his sticker-adorned suitcase. The other foot stomping away on a tambourine. But holy hell, when he started singing, I swear the entire room locked right in. Matt has the most soulful and endearing voice. He would work in Detroit references to his vocals wherever possible and entertained us with countless stories and banter in betwixt songs. Yes Ma’am will be at Muddy Roots end of this month, but check out his instagram for what else he’s got going on @yesmaamtheband
Also, towards the set’s end, Matt relinquished the stage to his friend Maray Fuego for a little bit. Adorned with an accordion and knack for hyping the crowd, Maray entertained us with a playful cabaret‑folk tune. She expertly switched between various vocal stylings as the bellows of the accordion breathed and exhaled. The crowd really got into it and provided backing screams at all the right spots. It was a style of music I hadn’t seen performed in quite some time and will be seeking out more performances like this!
Both Yes Ma’am and Maray Fuego were perfect palette cleansers before diving into the main course: Weedeater
Weedeater
I don’t recall the first time I heard Weedeater, but I do remember the first time I saw them: this past Saturday night! I heard from friends that their live shows were an absolute riot. I’m not only using the term “riot” to describe how energetic and raucous the pit gets, but also the stage presence. Known as “Dixie”, Weedeater’s bassist/vocalist did not stop entertaining us the entire time they were on that stage. He’s the man of a million faces with a neverending supply of jokes and Jim Beam. To his side was “Shep”, effortlessly strumming those doomy riffs on guitar. And bringing up the rear was Ramzi, destroying those drums perfectly in time with each of Shep and Dixie’s hooks.
As a photographer, I get access to some pretty sweet vantage points. For Weedeater, the best view came from the side of the stage. Watching die‑hard fans packed against the front for one of their favorite bands, and capturing that pure joy through my lens, is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.
Weedeater’s assortment of songs for this show was like a greatest hits set. I’m most familiar with God Luck and Good Speed and Jason… The Dragon, which made up most of the hour they played. And the crowd was going absolutely nuts for all of it. It was rare that the moshpit would die down, if only to enjoy Dixie’s banter between songs. And I’m sure I didn’t see anyone smoking any of the marijuana within this fine venue because that is not allowed. That was a fog machine, right? But seriously… go see a Weedeater show. One of the best stoner doom bands around! Will your body (and throat) hurt the next day? Yes. Will it be worth it? YES. Follow @weedeaterband on instagram
Follow @porousphoto on Instagram to see more pics from the show!
Biography: Porous has been possessed by heavy music for the vast majority of his life. For a good chunk of it, that love was exorcised by playing metal, punk, and hardcore with other musicians. Nowadays Porous writes/records music mostly on his own, but engages with the community by supporting/encouraging other artists, and one of those ways is through writing! In early 2025 he joined MoshPitNation to contribute album/show reviews, concert photography, and hopefully an infectious love for sincere heavy music. For more photography, visit his digital portfolio.
