It is the time of year when the most ardent music fans will not be deterred by the red triangles on their mobile phones or dire warnings from their meteorologists on the morning news.
IT IS HOT.
I woke up Thursday morning and ran through my normal routine of sharing the event across several locally focused Facebook Groups: Aiken4Music, Aiken Information, and What's Going on Aiken with the caption, "Looks like we are getting a break in the heat." At noon I was convinced I had lied to all of you, but it turns out we DID get that break, and it was a GREAT SHOW.
Cam Ball and Ruskin Yeargain have been impressing on the Bud Light stage under different monikers and banners over the years - particularly this year. Cam and Ruskin are 2/3 of King Size, 1/2 of Impulse Ride, and Cam is the bassist with Black Dawg. Each iteration of these two is a unique and different show. The self-titled band brought the set list that everyone needed.
Opening with "Knocking on Heaven's Door" certainly described the week for us. An Inconvenient Truth may have enjoyed an unexpected bump in book sales, but the rest of us felt like we were in "Hotel California" when Ruskin sang the famous Eagles line, "this could be heaven or this could be hell." Some of us felt like Layne Stayley, defiantly telling Mother Nature that she, "ain't found a way to kill me yet, eyes burn with stingin' sweat." Following up with "Comfortably Numb" may have aptly described most of us in the Southeast. Despite the heat, we were able to "Come Together" because "It is Still Rock and Roll to Me", even if many of us wished that we were "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." The performance was able to "Hold me Now" during a week we had all been praying for rain, and Cam and Ruskin were able to deliver at the end with the purple variety, in the style of Prince.
Maybe we will get lucky later this Year and King Size can take the Bud Light Stage so they can "Hit Me Baby One More Time." - I had to squeeze it in somewhere!
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What did Moose have for dinner?
I had to go back to Electric Eats for the French Onion Burger - a double patty with caramelized onions, melted Swiss, roasted garlic aioli, on a soft bun w/ French onion soup jus. This thing is awesome. I had considered a couple of smaller dishes, but the combination of option paralysis and sheer guilt for not taking pictures last time warranted a repeat. Luckily, so does the flavor!
I went with one of my best buds, Midge. He's smashing the fish sandwich - grilled or fried grouper fillet, tomato, pickles, malt vinegar slaw, on a soft bun - into his face for this pic, while one of my other best buds, Houdy, looks on in disbelief. When the sandwich hit the bar, Houdy said, and I quote, "HOLY S#!T!" It is a monstrosity of a sandwich, and a winner according to Midge. Why wouldn't you trust the opinions of Houdy, Midge, and Moose - a law firm you would surely hire? He ate it too fast for me to catch an advertisement worthy photo, but that is sort of ringing endorsement itself, I suppose.
Electric Eats is a great new place to sit down and eat. You have the choice of two bars and several tables for seating. If those are full, you are always welcome to get your food to go, and eat it in The Alley while watching the band, or at The Alley Downtown Taproom. They encourage you to bring your own food - they've got the beer covered.
NEXT WEEK on the Bud Light Stage
Will McCranie will be ushering the party back in after our week off for the Fourth of July.
THERE IS NO AMP THIS WEEK!
You, of course, remember Will from his many performances at Amp the Alley, both solo and with Bodega Cat or with Will Brock earlier this year.
EVERYONE HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!
See you next week!
MURICA!
Awesome article on the band and the way you incorporated the songs with what was said, and the photos were Cool ! Have a great 4th !