To the editor: There have been some great musical artists from Habersham County, and we are fortunate to have had so many grace us with their greatness through the years at concerts of all shapes and sizes. But I want to specifically highlight one particular gathering of those greats that I consider the peak of my generation’s musical experience. And just like Jordan and LeBron wear 23, this gathering of the greats 23 years ago was, in my humble opinion, the GOAT. I’m talking about the 1999 March of Dimes Battle of the Bands, emanating from the auditorium at the old HCHS.
Why was it so special? Let’s just start with the judges that evening: the George Washington of anyone’s Habersham Music Mount Rushmore – Left Front Tire. How’s that for some gravitas right off the bat? Not only did they judge the bands, they closed the show with a performance of their own. An LFT show was and is a make-it-your-beeswax-to-be-there event all on its own, so imagine when it’s just considered the icing on the cake.
If you want more star power, the winners of the battle that night were a band called Jubal’s Seed, and they had a lead singer who is now one of the most famous pastors over one of the biggest churches in America. Look it up.
The undercard featured some of the best of that era. Legendary acts like Juan and the Greasers and Cloud Ten, who judged the following year’s edition. Side note: I got to be one of the judges for the 2007 and 2008 editions, for some reason still unbeknownst to me and my qualifications to do so. Face Another Day, Old Friend Fear and Blue Light Special are a few more who performed that night in 1999, including Blue Light Special’s “I want some chicken tonight” lyrics which still echo in my mind over 250 months later.
The real show-stealers, though, and the capstone of the event, were an act called Kitchen Sog. It featured a sophomore DJ spinning some electronic dance music, which we just called techno back then, surrounded by some of the brightest and most creative people around dancing in surgical masks with glow sticks. For that time and place it was something else. I don’t think LFT or HCHS knew what to do with it all, but I do think Kitchen Sog had a legitimate argument for winning the whole thing with their memorable performance and the ambiance created.
I could go on, but I’m out of space: this was the GOAT and basically Habersham’s Woodstock (1969 or 1999 versions honestly). A round of applause in appreciation for the 1999 March of Dimes Battle of the Bands!
David Solesbee
Jacksonville, Fla.