To see more pix click on photo above

There was hard rock & hip hip, outlaw country & folk pop, unity & diversity and a whole lotta love all under one roof in downtown Augusta, Georgia.  If last weekend’s scattered mix of rock-a-billy, blues, metal, and country all on Broad street was intoxicatingly breathtaking, then  last night’s multi-genre show package blend at the L.i.E. CD release was an all-out high. 

While many young bands would choose to play it safe with the release of their debut CD and pile on the cream of the crop within the same genre L.i.E.,  a band who are difficult in ways to pigeon hole into a genre, turned against the grain and mowed it down with their decision to present a show that featured a pair of acts far removed from L.i.E.‘s sound, outlaw country / Americana band 48Volt and hip hopsters Rebel Lion, both from the A-U-G!.  

Kicking off the night, Rebel Lion brought the flow and the show to Sky City, a venue used to different types of shows (just not on the same night!), and dropped the grooves that some of the members have been laying on Augusta since their days in First Born.  What I like about these guys, aside from their great tunes and fun onstage vibe, is the fact that they are never short on their love for Augusta.  These guys have been representing for a while and not just for hip hop, but for the musical community overall.  You can praise a dozen different top hip hop artists in the area but I’m here to say, Rebel Lion is right up their with ‘em.  Right up their with any artist of any genre if I do care to say so myself.  And I do.

Oddly enough, even it with it being their CD release (and being the heaviest act of the night), L.i.E. chose to go on in the middle which in the end didn’t make a bit of difference in the dynamics of the show.  Tearing into all 18 tracks from “Eviction” the sextet weaved, rolled, thumped, and smacked their way through an intense set that included everything from progressive instrumentation to beautiful melodies to, at times, all out chaos.  Once again I have to say that Horizon may be one of the most hard rock radio ready tracks ever to come out of Augusta.  Incredible tune.  Perhaps the highlight of L.i.E.‘s set was being joined on stage by Rebel Lion for a rocking rendition of L.i.E. track RE-mix.  For a minute there I actually thought they had kicked into the Public Enemy / Anthrax version of Bring the Noise!

Once you’ve heard metal and hip hip there’s really nowhere else left to go…right?  Well if you’re in Augusta, Georgia ,where the musician love is always in kickin’ bloom, then why not throw in a little Americana country flavored rock & roll!  A little variety never hurt no one ‘cepts if’n they was a tad bit schizophrenic.  Well just about quicker than you can say that long word, out came 48Volt to complete the evenings mixed up tri-fecta.  Great tunes and energy despite down a member and they even played my fave non-Christmas 48Volt tune Furthest Star!  A highlight of this set also featured a guest, area singer-songwriter Allison Foster who joined the band on original Five Years, a tune Foster also joined the band on in the studio.  Great stuff!

At the end of the night smiles, hugs, and appreciation was exchanged between bands and the love was surely in the smoky air of Sky City.  It was a good night for a CD release, a good night for good music, a good night to open a few gates.  

A good night for Augusta.