Coco Rubio does everything with a little bit of soul, and he plans to put a whole lot of it into his next business venture — Augusta Live Music + Art, or ALMA for short.
“I’ve always liked that word. Alma means soul in Spanish,” said Rubio, well-known to Augustans as the co-founder of the Soul Bar.
Since most people probably wouldn’t have caught onto what ALMA was, he made it an acronym.
Through ALMA, Rubio will be booking bands in area venues.
He’s done that in some capacity for many years, booking acts for the Soul Bar and bringing in bands for Sky City on Broad Street. That venue closed in 2018. He also served as the operations manager for the Miller Theater.
As the owner of ALMA, Rubio won’t be confined to a single space. He’ll be able to look at all the area has to offer and match entertainers with the right venue, he said.
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Rubio said the area has a lot of great venues that can fit performers’ specific needs, from seating capacity to technical support and assets.
Concert calendars are starting to fill up at area venues as COVID vaccines are readily available, and restrictions are being lifted.
Through ALMA, he coordinated the James Brown Birthday Block Party on May 1 on James Brown Boulevard. One of the next events ALMA is part of is Funk You’s 10th Anniversary Concert on May 28 at the Sharon Jones Amphitheater in North Augusta.
MORE: Live Outdoor Concerts Return to Columbia County Amphitheater
He anticipates more entertainment is on the way.
“We’re going to start seeing more events starting in the summer and fall,” he said. “My fingers are crossed.”
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
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