(Courtesy of vergelive)- If you’re like me you’re wondering when 2011 turned into 2012. One day it’s Christmas then all of a sudden you’re putting the wrong year on your checks when you pay bills and you feel slightly out of place even though it just feels like another day. Long ago I guess I could have attributed that memory lapse to the multiple New Year’s Eve toasts that also led to feeling less than stellar the first day or so of the new year but I gotta admit, even if it doesn’t sound very rock & roll, the last decade I’ve pretty much spent New Year’s Eve on the couch watching a mix of programs featuring countdowns and lame bands miming their most recent hits. While that may not sound cool, it hasn’t been without some cool memories…like watching my Daughter fight to stay awake every year only to pass out minutes before the final countdown of the year. Yes pretty funny but extremely precious as well. I did watch my old band nearly implode after a parking lot brawl following a New Year’s Eve gig which IS very rock & roll…

Speaking of rock & roll, 2011 was filled with some pretty kick ass rock & roll moments and since we just wrapped up the final countdown of 2011, allow me to throw out the first of 2012 – Stoney’s Top Ten Lokal Loudness Moments of Last Year!!!!

10. Metro Music Makes a Comeback – After Metro A Coffeehouse & Pub opened New Years Eve 2000 it quickly became a hot spot for great music particularly for singer-songwriters. After a lull that lasted several years the venue, newly renamed Metro Pub & Coffeehouse, brought back live music 3-4 nights a week in a big way and have been rockin’ Augusta ever since.

9. The Godfather Rocks RockBand 3 – In late July it was announced that classic James Brown track “Superbad” would be made available for download to use with game RockBand 3 along with classic tracks by Heart, Rufus, and the Beastie Boys. No word on if player get fined for missing notes on the James Brown track or not.

8. Willie Mac Wraps Up 52/52 Project – On January 3rd, a year after uploading the kick-off track, Augusta boy turned New York troubadour Will McCranie completed his huge mission of releasing 52 tracks online in 52 weeks when he posted the video for “Brand New Year” on the 5252PROJECT.COM website. Along the way McCranie also released an acoustic CD, joined two new bands, and played two huge Augusta shows – Rock Fore! Dough and the 12 Bands of Christmas concert.

7. Lady A Pulls the Rug Out from Under Graduation – Say you work for 18 years only to be told that your high school graduation plans have been compromised because of the biggest country music act in world? Get over it! Diplomas will be handed out, Lady A will rock, and graduates will have a cool story to tell the grandkids years from now!

6. JB Goes Old School in the UK – What do Deee-Lite, Martha & the Vandellas, Donna Summer, The Bee Gees, Fatboy Slim, Abba, Amy Winehouse, The B-52’s, and Michael Jackson all have in common? All had tracks topped by James Brown’s classic “Sex Machine” in a survey of 2,000 UK festival, club, and dance attendees polled to determined the top track that pulls butts on the dance floor. Who feels good now?

5. Jemani Plays Final Show…Then Returns to Play Final Show – So it was announced that Jemani would play their final show opening for a national act and would return with a new name and sound and then…they played their final show as Jemani a few months later. Any chance a reunion show announcement could be next?

4. Seladora Sign with National Entertainment Group – In May Kaedyn Entertainment announced the signing of Augusta metal band Seladora. The band’s debut single was set for less than a month later and the band was ready to take off…by years end Seladora was down to two members and on searching.

3. Easterlin Jazz Rocks Lollapalooza – On August 6 at noon Davidson Fine Arts alum Julia Easterlin was scheduled to rock the same festival that would feature such names as Eminem, Foo Fighters, Coldplay, Muse, My Morning Jacket, and A Perfect Circle. What else can I say?

2. M-Tank Roll Van and Return to Rock the House – In August Augusta band M-Tank suffered injuries after an accident while traveling home from a gig in Columbia, SC. A couple weeks later a benefit show at Sky City took place and in November, at the Firehouse, the band was scheduled to make its return. Proof that you can’t stop rock & roll!

1. Laws Leaves Sector 7G – He saw a need, rolled up his sleeves, and with a dingy little building helped make Augusta a hot stop for bands to play all-age shows. A month shy of hitting the six-year mark owner Nick Laws decided to get “out of the game” and though the club has continued under new ownership, the “Law-less” Sector 7G is not quite the same.

Well there you have my top rockin’ memories of last year…Happy New Year, be good to one another, support not just lokal music but ALL things lokal and remember to check out the Daily Planner every month in print and online at vergelive for great live shows to get out and support and to get an earful of what’s happening in Augusta music stop by and listen to me rant with my good buddy Brian “Stak” Allen each on CONfederation of LOUDness which can be found ironically enough at www.confederationofloudness.com and of course as always…

Make it LOKAL, Keep it Loud,
Stoney