Local Hard Rockers to Play Final Show
On Saturday at Suck Bang Blow in Murrells Inlet, local hard rock outfit Power Born Rebellion – or PBR – will perform its last show.
Power Born Rebellion has been a part of local music here since it was founded in 2010, bursting onto the scene and bringing a mix of covers and originals and high-energy stage antics to every performance.
Front man Eric Ness told The Sun News that he was looking to form an all-original band when he found the members of a band called Lucky 13 on Craigslist.
“They were a working band, and these guys said they would love to do original music – but they were a cover band,” he said, adding that they were looking for a new lead singer.
Ness, who said he has a vocal range of more than four octaves, could belt out anything that was thrown his way – and after one practice, this was a done deal.
“The last guy wasn't working out for whatever reasons. They originally wanted to have just a cover band and I wanted originals,” he said. “We compromised and did both.”
The new undertaking needed a name.
Ness said he was sitting around with his new bandmates, drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon because it was what they could afford. It came to them that they should name the band something with the initials PBR.
“We thought it was a good idea and started thinking up names that described us – and we had a list of 20 names for each initial.”
Ultimately, they arrived at Power Born Rebellion – and it stuck. The band played all over the Grand Strand and up the East Coast as far afield as New Jersey.
In 2012, PBR was the regional winner of Hard Rock Café’s Hard Rock Rising competition, beating out nearly 300 other bands and ranking an astounding 42 of more than 1200 bands globally.
“That was a gamechanger for us,” he said, adding that the band’s ability to pull a crowd was bolstered by the credibility garnered at Hard Rock Rising.
He recalled the multiple shows performed at House of Blues in Myrtle Beach and cited a gig there where they opened for Los Angeles-based metal/comedy act Steel Panther, which is known for its over-the-top-parodies of glam metal.
In 2012 PBR released a tribute to American soldiers by way of a single called “Killing Machine.” Their CD, “Middle Class & White Trash,” was released in 2014.
Eventually Pabst Blue Ribbon came calling.
“It was Bike Week a few years ago, and we played a show at Suck Bang Blow,” he said. Nobody was in any condition to bring our equipment home. We left the stage littered with our drums, amps, thousand-dollar guitars and basses – and empty PBR bottles everywhere.”
The Pabst rep happened to notice this display and asked Bill Barber of Suck Bang Blow about this. Barber told him that the band was called PBR and that they drank PBR.
When the representative contacted the band, Ness thought they were about to get slapped with some sort of lawsuit. Instead, it was a business opportunity.
“Within about two weeks they cut us a handsome check and gave us a bunch of merchandise – and we entered an agreement that if we put their logo on our t-shirts, we could keep doing what we were doing,” he said.
The T-shirts, according to Ness, sell very well.
Power Born Rebellion has been featured on local radio station WAVE 104.1’s T&A Morning Show. The show is also regionally syndicated.
“We did the T&A Morning Show’s Kegs and Eggs Breakfast, and it was probably our second show ever. We were on the air at 6 a.m. drinking green beer and they were having contests,” he said.
Ness said the band has friends, not fans.
“Fans become friends and friends become Rebellion Hellions. It’s like our own version of the KISS Army, because we are all KISS fans.”
There is a Facebook group dedicated to this called Power Born Rebellion Hellions.
But all this will come to an end Saturday at Suck Bang Blow, where Ness and bandmates James Magilton [guitar], Stacy Gilley [bass] and Kenny “Turbo” Koonts [Drums] will say farewell.
Ness’ Facebook post on October 24 summed this up perfectly:
“I would like everyone to know that this is not a break up, but maybe a break out. As a band of brothers, we all love each other. The world is just pulling us all into different directions in life. Each one of us have great opportunities laid before us in our musical lives and careers. I would like to publicly thank my band brothers for six wonderful years of experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything.”
As for the closing show – expect a good time.
“You will not have more fun anywhere else,” said Ness. “When you come to a PBR show, we have fun. I think that’s why people relate to us.”
Myrtle Beach resident Tami Sluss Ashley is a member of the Rebellion Hellions. She has been going to hear live music since she was 14 and moved here 29 years ago.
“I have been going out to hear our local bands just about every weekend since,” she said, adding that where Wilmington, NC, has blues and jazz bands, the Myrtle Beach local music scene seems to be geared toward rock ‘n’ roll.
“When Power Born Rebellion came along, they offered something a little different that I wasn’t finding in our local bands, and that is a very high-energy stage presence.”
She said that each member of PBR is impressive with their talent, but when Ness joined the band, that’s when the energetic shows began.
“Eric knows how to communicate with the crowd in a way that makes you feel appreciated for being there. That keeps you coming back, along with the excellent song list. All of the band members get out there and mingle with the crowd to get to know their fans. That means something to people,” she said. “When you leave a PBR show, you have been thoroughly rocked and rolled.”
She said she is going to miss knowing that PBR is out there for her to get her rock ‘n’ roll fix, but is anxious and excited to see what their next ventures will be.
“Power Born Rebellion will not be forgotten in this area for quite some time,” she said.
WAVE 104.1 program director and radio personality Scott Mann said PBR members are great guys and equally great musicians.
“They are exceptionally good at what they do, and it’s a shame that we won’t have them around anymore,” he said. “As heavy rock goes, there are a few bands around town that stand out, and PBR is definitely one of them. And Eric has the coolest mic stand in town.”
Indeed, Ness’ microphone stand is a solid chain, a testament to the bond that was Power Born Rebellion.
This story was originally published October 27, 2016 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Local Hard Rockers to Play Final Show."