I’d been sent in the mail months ago, an EP by the Shotgun
Rebels. Not for review but for my own listening pleasure and I thanked Lanie,
the bands front woman, for it. I’d already heard the recordings online and was
very impressed and surprised that bands such as themselves were even around in
our town. It’s almost rare to hear real American music anymore. And by American
music, I mean the infusions of folk, gospel blues, and country that make up all
of rock n roll. My biggest regret was not ever seeing them live before although
I had an idea of what I was missing. But what I was missing and what I was
expecting turned out to be two totally different things.

The five piece Shotgun Rebels took stage as Lanie
endearingly gave us all in the audience the finger (both of them) and proceeded
to engage themselves in what I witnessed to be a passionate, heated, soul
engaged set.

I watched in mere disbelief having no hope for rock n roll
anymore. The styles were neo-traditional, the attitudes displayed were gritty,
and the sounds gave way to its freewheeling undertones. But it all felt so
free. It was the most American thing I’d ever witnessed. This was a band who
took its hard hearted rooted music not just to the masses but above and beyond
their own expectations. They highlighted and defined freedom in musical art
form.

I could hear the blues infused rhythms of AC/DC and the
expendable satire of the early Aerosmith records. But the passion and soul that
was expressed made me think of Aretha Franklin’s Lady Soul album. Needless to
say, it was earthy, solid, and strong.

When the band finished, I went from being a rock n roll
atheist to a born again believer. A key ingredient to artistry is that those
who are on the receiving end are to feel from what the artist presents then the
artist has done their job. And a job had been done so well.

I stayed for half of one L.A. Guns song. Nothing could have
topped Shotgun Rebels. It wasn’t a matter of being late in the evening, having
had too much to drink but just that I saw, I heard, and no one could have come
as close. There was no point in staying any longer.