Mike Anzalone Kicks Off a Weekend Full of Music in Downtown Aiken
- Moose Nicholson
- May 21
- 7 min read
Thursday at Amp: Confident Grooves and a Casual Breeze
Thursday evening found us back under the lights in The Alley, where the Mike Anzalone Trio took the stage with the relaxed charm of a neighborhood front porch band—and a rhythm section with road-tested chops.
Stuart Stahr, a drummer with a touring résumé that includes Amanda Shaw, Duke Robillard, and The New Riders of the Purple Sage, provided a steady pulse and intuitive phrasing throughout the set. Alongside him, bassist Steve Moore, familiar to the Amp crowd from his earlier performance with Heart & Soul, kept the pocket tight and melodic.
The confidence these two brought to the stage was unmistakable. It grounded the trio in such a way that even riskier song choices felt worth the attempt. The vibe was easygoing and familiar—like a well-loved playlist where you don’t mind a few surprises.
The muggy evening slowed no one down initially, but as the humidity lingered, the crowd began to drift—not out of dissatisfaction, but with that gentle, summer-evening tempo that defines the South. Those who stayed were treated to a laid-back close to the night, where the music didn’t need to be perfect to be worthwhile.
And this was just the start to the weekend.
Friday in Downtown Aiken: Southbound Sound and Late-Night Jazz
If Thursday coasted, Friday came with purpose.
At the heart of downtown, the Kenny George Band set up across from and next to a trio of Amp sponsors—Southbound Smokehouse, Whiskey Alley, and Electric Eats. Together, these three framed the night: dinner, drinks, and a soundtrack that made people pause mid-conversation and turn their chairs just a little closer to the edge of the sidewalk.
It was a scene shaped by momentum—no big stage, a couple of light trees to the sides, just a band on the pavement and a crowd that naturally gathered in a wide arc around them. You could feel the familiarity of it all: glasses passed across tables, clusters of regulars gathered around patio seats, and the hum of the city shifting from post-work to full-on weekend.
Kenny George, normally behind the board at Amp, was front and center—this time with guitar in hand and lyrics carried across brick. The set moved fluidly, rooted in Americana with the kind of tight musicianship that doesn’t have to shout to be heard.
Southbound’s guests stepped just beyond their doors to catch the sound. At Whiskey Alley, servers navigated through a rising chorus of voices and the casual overflow of barstools with practiced ease. Electric Eats kept the alley bar humming, cocktail shakers in motion and conversation rolling.
It wasn’t a spectacle.
It was a rhythm that belonged there.
Rhumba After Dark: Latin Jazz in Full Swing
While the alley echoed with Americana, Friday night at Rhumba Rum & Cigar Lounge was alive with something spicier.
Inside, the pulse was tropical. The lights ran low, but the energy didn’t. Mike Frost and Jorge Garcia took the floor and transformed the space into something you’d expect to stumble across in a side street in Havana—somewhere the doors stay open all night and the music spills out like perfume.
Jorge Garcia, born in Cuba, played with a kind of joy that only comes from deep roots and well-traveled stories. He’s shared stages with legends—Tony Bennett, Andrea Bocelli, The Drifters, and more—but on Friday, he played like he was back home, all soul and rhythm and wide, melodic color.
Beside him, Mike Frost laid down bass lines like a heartbeat—constant, alive, intuitive. His playing didn’t just support the set—it shaped it. Together, the duo didn’t so much perform as they moved. The music danced before anyone else did.
The crowd didn’t hover politely at tables. They swayed. They refilled their mojitos between songs. Some stepped in from the sidewalk and stayed longer than they meant to.
The rum flowed, the cigars glowed, and Rhumba’s walls pulsed with sound and spirit.
This wasn’t a lounge.
It was a Latin jazz house—and for a couple hours, it was the hottest corner in town.
Saturday Turned it Up: Hops, Hogs, and Horns
If Thursday set the tone and Friday let it simmer, Saturday was the exclamation point.
Hops & Hogs, hosted by the Aiken Downtown Development Association, wasn’t just a food and beer festival—it was a full-blown block party, the kind that reminds you why this city throws some of the best weekends in the South.
Newberry Street was packed. Kids with face paint ran circles around food trucks. Long tables turned strangers into dinnermates. The scent of smoked ribs tangled with the sound of beer splashing into plastic vessels. From Wicked Weed taps to barbecue on butcher paper, it was the kind of afternoon you hope lasts longer than the daylight.
The music? Just as flavorful.
The Experiment, an Amp alum and longtime local favorite, brought their genre-fusion sound back to the stage—funk, rock, soul, and a little unpredictability thrown in like seasoning. Every transition felt like a left turn that made sense the second they hit the downbeat.
And when The I-20 Horns followed, they didn’t just keep the energy up—they blew it wide open. Their brass section commands attention. Big, bold, and totally joyful, their set turned the crowd into a dance floor, and the dance floor into a celebration.
With Bud Light and Wicked Weed keeping everyones cups full—it all tied back to the same current that runs through every Amp Thursday:
Music brings people together.
Aiken keeps them here.
Wellness Wednesday - Downtown Hydration
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The Crowd
Sneak Peek at The Lounge at Electric Eats
The crew over at Electric Eats escorted me upstairs to see the new Lounge. In my opinion, this is the perfect addition to the downtown nightlife. Something comfortable, something chill, something inviting. A place to sit and sip while sharing stories and memories amongst friends. An intimate, but not too stuffy, setting to get to know someone for the first time. Take a look for yourself, and be sure you swing by and support the folks who support Free Music in Downtown Aiken!
Daily Drink Specials at Rhumba
Check out these all day drink specials at Rhumba Rum Bar and Cigar Lounge!
📞 Call 803-226-0014
Woodchuckers Drink Menu
Woodchuckers has expanded their offerings to compliment their delicious snacks and axe throwing fun!
Weekly Trivia at The Alley Downtown Taproom
AMP EXCLUSIVE - SHOW THIS AT THE TAPROOM TO GET 10% OFF OF YOUR TAB Wednesday, May 21 or Wednesday May 28 ONLY ... for now.
The Taproom — Trivia with Mike Sleeper
Compete for Taproom Giftcards (aka FREE BEER) and bragging rights. Or just hang out with friends and have an excuse to enjoy delicious beers. Your answers may be wrong, but every choice seems right. Mike Sleeper and his team host a fun trivia every Wednesday Night at The Taproom!
📅 Wednesdays | Sign-ups at 6:30 PM
📍 The Alley Downtown Taproom | Downtown Aiken
This Week at Amp the Alley - All the Things
After a weekend filled with funk, jazz, and homegrown grit, we’re keeping the tempo high and the talent stacked.
This Thursday, All the Things takes the Bud Light Stage — bringing the full-band version of what Brooke Lundy previewed a few weeks ago with The SureFires. But this time, it’s not just harmonies and a single guitar. It’s full sound. Big energy. Real depth.
And if that’s not enough?
The band features Keith Jenkins, former guitarist for none other than James Brown. That’s right — the Godfather of Soul’s own sideman is bringing his signature style to The Alley. Expect serious groove, genre-crossing musicianship, and one of the tightest bands to hit the bricks all season.
This is not one to miss.
Next Week at Amp the Alley - Kenny George Band
After lighting up The Alley just last week, Kenny George Band is back — this time, on the Bud Light Stage where it all began.
Aiken’s own alt-country heroes blend rock grit, lyrical heart, and just enough twang to keep your boots tapping and your drink half-full. From slow-burn ballads to road-tested anthems, Kenny and the crew deliver the kind of show that hits different when you know it’s homegrown.
Honest songs. Tight rhythm. No filler — just a band that shows up ready to play their hearts out.
Whether you’ve seen them ten times or never before, this is one of those shows. The ones that make Thursday feel like Friday.
🕡 Music starts at 6:30 PM 📍 Bud Light Stage | Downtown Aiken 🍻 Bring a chair, bring a friend, and come early for a good spot — because this one’s gonna fill up.
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