Gates of Hades Does Not Prevail

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Gates of Hades Does Not Prevail

by Matt Hughes 

Dateline: Philippi, WV , Aug. 27, 16:13:20

Saturday, Josh Kristy joined his old group, Son of Man, in a Battle of the Bands. A Kristy follower, who asked to not be identified, told me he, Kristy, and several others were on their way to visit an old Kristy friend, Ms. Sarah Rhea, here in Philippi, when they heard a radio ad announcing Son of Man would play at the Barbour County Fairgrounds Battle. Kristy then asked, “Who are they saying the Son of Man is?”

When Kristy was told that John, Paul, and the Prophet brothers, Eli and Jerry, were named, my source confided that Kristy “went sort of nuts, demanding, ‘Who do you say I am then?’”

My source also said that their response was to all look at one another and then stare at the floor. Simon Johnson finally exclaimed, “You’re the bomb! Man, you are the whole package! You are the one who makes the whole thing come alive. You totally bring it with the Kingdom of Dodd and the Nu-Food way, man. You are up there, like, the Son of the highest, man, living on the edge.”

Johnson’s response sort of chilled the moment, but the atmosphere among the group remained tense. When they got to Ms. Sarah Rhea’s place in Philippi, she revealed to them what she had planned. With the help of Candy Trey, Kingdom of Dodd event planner, Rhea organizes the Battle every year. After Kristy had told her that he would be in Philippi the same weekend, she and Trey convinced Son of Man members to join the Battle.

The Gates of Hades has been the dominant band in the area for years. Its heavy grunge sound has amplified local sentiments, but some who have chafed at the anarchistic nihilism welcomed Rhea's true expansion of the competition this year. Kristy and Son of Man played jazz fusion blues. A new R&B band, Keys to the Kingdom, formed by other Kristy followers, also competed. “We’re not the Days of Noah yet,” Jimmy Alphy said, “but, Simon C. here has the sticks, and the band’s got chops. We provide a lotta fun.”

The competition started at 5pm Friday. The many notable bands included Country Jonah and the Fish, VA Ninevah’s Fudge, Big Mose and the Pharaohs, NC CAG and the Luminaries, Roman and the Centurions, The Children in the Marketplace, Sappho and the Love Nymphs, Cleopatra’s Asp, Wisdom, Hosea, Centaur of the World, Amos and the Crooners, JC and the Sonshine Band, Samson and the Nazareens, and the Wiseguys.

Throughout the Battle of the Bands, The Gates of Hades continued to have a strong following, but, in the end, they could not prevail against Keys of the Kingdom. When Simon Johnson came forward to receive the prize, Kristy shook his hand and said, “You rock. You’ve been righteously churched on solid stuff, but don’t tell anyone I said so.”