Friday Night JAm Session at South Atlant Stage

Friday Night South Atlanta Stage. Some how I keep myself surrounded by good people with a knack for finding the best of Atlanta. A friend Kelly Callahan invited us out for a quint evening of soulful maladies, on this Memorial Weekend, and oh did she have a surprise for we. As we arrived in this neighborhood in South Atlanta, which looked like your common older neighborhood with houses built around the 1920-50s, along came this beacon of light. As you began to get closer you notice this lilac colored house with branches painted across the entire side and in the vacant lot beside sits a round stage with two large wooden poles with lights hanging from them. There were wood benches for people to sit on but most people brought blankets, snacks and adult beverages to cool their pallet. We parked the car and were introduced to a cadre of people all with the intention of being barefoot and dancing by the end of the night(which we were half way into the night). Our first to enter the circle of sound was Mieka Pauley. The soothness, sultry, seductive, projective voice of hers penetrates your body with each sound wave, and carries you. Her voice was heavy, full of volume while floating like a beacon at sea. Before she finished her set a fan from the crowd kept screaming "do a song with MARSHAL!!!!" so she ask Marshal to get on up and join her. It reminded me of those Sunday evening at my grannies house, when my mom and uncles would gather up the hood in the garage and have a jam session throughout the night. When accompanied by Marshal, Mieka's performance turn the volume up to about 20 from 10. Not to say anything bad about Mieka just seemed that Marshal brought out the best in her abilities as well. They were like Venus and Serena playing each other for the championship, or like Bonnie and Clyde becoming outlaws of the soundwaves. Marshal stayed on staged and performed one song "my mama's dead" and basically stole the whole damn show. This dude had people stopping their trucks in the middle of the road, rolling down their windows to listen in awe as he strummed on his guitar and carried the tunes of an old blues singer, this mofo was possessed, he might as well start floating around the stage. Last to take the stage was Gedeon Luke & The People. Gedeon (go-don) Luke had the presence of a reverend taking the pulpit, with the choir already clapping and swaying. You know how the preacher just slides in on one foot and joins the synchronized side to side motion of the choir. He took the stage like a double dutch jump roper and continued his message of love. His music seemed inspired by the likes of Sly and the Family Stone, Al Green and of course the Godfather of Soul JB. All I can say its thank you Atlanta.