The Georgia Thunderbolts w/ Vibeke Saugestad

Whether it be on the banks of the Mississippi River or deep in the heart of the English countryside, rock ‘n’ roll lives, breathes, and burns on the outskirts. Hailing from Rome, GA at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, The Georgia Thunderbolts rise up with a scorching signature style steeped in soulful southern swagger, blistering blues, and raw rock. Released October of 2021, the quintets full-length debut for Mascot Records ‘Can We Get A Witness’ conjures a tried-and-true spirit through a fresh fire.

With a wide swath of inspirations, ranging from southern gospel and Hank Williams to Neil Young, Little Feat, Ozzy Osbourne and Lynyryd Skynyrd, the band cut their teeth performing with everyone from Black Stone Cherry and The Kentucky Headhunters to Blackberry Smoke. Shortly after, they hit the iconic Barrick Recording Studio in Glasgow, KY to record with producer Richard Young. The resulting EP comprises undeniable anthems steeped in anthemic riffs, wild harmonica, and pulse-pounding drums.

“In Georgia, you hear Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, and all of the greats everywhere,” guitarists Riley and Logan add. “Rock and roll is something that comes naturally for us. We feel like we can bring it back.” The press agree, with Classic Rock Magazine dubbing the band “your new favorite southern rock band,” and American Songwriter calling their recently released debut EP, “timeless.” “But these Thunderbolts aren’t a low-voltage knockoff of the greats who came before,” Rolling Stone adds. “Rather, they keep things fresh by committing to lean, muscular songs…Southern rock continues to thrive in the 21st century.”

VIBEKE SAUGESTAD

Vibeke Saugestad is a Norwegian recording artist. She got her breakthrough in the mid-90s with the band Weld, who were awarded the Norwegian grammy equivalent (a Spellemannspris) for their debut album Natural Tools. After touring with a handful of other combos, she went solo early in the new millennium and released 3 solo albums and one EP, with which she toured extensively across the pond and earned lots of airplay on US radio, especially with the singles “He’s Peculiar” and “Tonight” from her third album “The World Famous Hat Trick” (Pop Detective Records). Fast forward to 2023: Vibeke now lives in Beacon, NY and for a closing party of her neighborhood bar, she got the idea of bringing her old solo material back to life with a killer new band, consisting of her husband Ken Fox on bass, Mark Westin on guitar, Josh Stark on guitar and Adam Napell on drums. This is genuine Norwegian Power Pop – energetic, joyful and catchy!