Sasha Colette & The Magnolias will make one last visit to Athens before ending the band’s two-year career.
The West Virginia band will bring their unique, energetic country style to Casa Nueva, 4 W. State St., on Friday.
“As soon as we get anything that sounds really hokey country we try and change that to make it cooler and more interesting to listen to,” said Chris Justice, bassist for the group.
The band incorporates many influences in their music, including blues, jazz and folk, Justice added.
Sasha Colette, front woman for the group, said she began as a soloist playing mostly singer-songwriter music for small venues, but when the opportunity presented itself to form a full band, she jumped at the opportunity.
“This has been my first time playing in a band because I’ve always been a solo girl,” Colette said. “We’ve been together for two years now, and it’s just one of those things where bands break-up. There was a bit of a personality clash.”
Colette added that the change comes at an opportune time, as she is looking to start up her solo performances again once the band parts ways.
For now, the band will continue to play songs from their most recent LP, Leave It Alone. The record features the song “Leroy,” about a woman Colette said she saw smoking a “big ol’ cigarette” and yelling obscenities while standing outside a club the band had just performed at.
“She was standing out on the patio and she was like country-5; she was everything redneck but in the bad way,” Colette said. “So I took the song and tone from there.”
“Gonna get married down at the courthouse” is the song’s refrain, which Colette said she sees as a funny way to describe the woman at the club and the general redneck attitude.
But Friday’s performance will not be the group’s first rodeo in Athens. They have regularly played at Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, 24 W. State St.; however, this will be their first performance at Casa. Justice remembers a particular occasion when patrons began forming a line to the brewery in anticipation for the release of a new brew.
“I thought this was the greatest thing ever; I’ve never seen anyone form a line to get beer,” Justice said. “We come from a dry county where we are all from rural areas, so it’s interesting to see how much people get into everything up there and how free, relaxed and inviting everybody is.”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
If You Go:
What: Sasha Colette & The Magnolias
When: 10:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Casa Nueva, 4 W. State St.
Admission: Free 21 and over, $2 under 21
