The Ligion was a struggling, unsuccessful band until the song “Reality” turned everything around. After the band performed the song at a Collective Soul concert in Nashville, a local radio station had more than 400 requests to play it on air.

There was only one problem, the song hadn’t been recorded yet. Throughout the next few days the band managed to record “Reality” and it later became the station’s most requested song.

The Ligion came to Columbus Oct. 25, at The Basement to promote their first nationally-released album, “External Affairs,” which speaks of the life experiences of the group. The performance was exceptional and the members, Ligion (vocals), June (vocals/guitar), Seth (guitar/vocals) and Johannes (drums) all proved to be skilled musicians. However, they would not reveal their actual names or the meaning of their fake titles.

Recently, the band had the challenge of opening for the Crossfade and Saliva tour. According to the band’s press release, the group won the crowds’ affection during the tour with heartfelt and original performances.

“When we arrived in Nashville after the song started playing like Lig said it happened immediately,” June said. “We were known already, it was definitely an exciting time.”

“That was kind of the magic of it really, other than promising we would get them backstage to meet Saliva, the whole crowd, but that was the magic,” June said. “People that came out to see those shows expected Crossfade and Saliva to give them a big show with feeling and all of that grandeur. And when we came out these people didn’t know us but we brought our own blend of passion and our music and they picked up on it right away.”

Their unique three-part-harmony style sets them apart from many popular bands. Having more than one vocalist helps them create an exciting listening experience for fans.

They sat down one night with the 40 songs they had written and picked 11 of them in one night, Ligion said. They wanted what represented their diverse music and took their listeners through a journey.

When performing live, fans respond to the intense emotion in their music and their love for what they do.

“Wherever that song came from, that emotion comes out on stage,” Ligion said. “We like to put on a show, when you come to see Ligion play you’re gonna see a show whether you like our music or not.”

Fans were relieved when the opening band, Death of the Midwest, finally exited the stage. The only message their music successfully portrayed to the crowd was to turn the amplifier down when in a small space or severe deafness will result.

The Ligion dove right into their unique rock music, “Life Imitates Art Like a Shooting Star,” Ligion sings in “Lost My Car.” “Gotta Find My Car and Then I Might Find You, Find You.”

Ligion seemed to be staring through the crowd, singing to someone only he could see. The emotion of past experiences was etched into his face.

The energy from every member of the band was intense. Johannes sweated and played hard drum sets while Ligion had his foot perched on the metal bar in the front of the stage inches away from the crowd. It looked as though the audience and band were speaking to each other and the language was the music.

With every song the crowd responded even more. “Pins and needles” changed the mood from upbeat to painful and serious.

June and Seth were extremely focused on playing their guitars while Ligion stared out into the crowd and sang to them. After the song was finished the audience was speechless, there was no sound through out the Basement.

“Why is everyone so quiet, is someone studying,” Ligion asked when he noticed the crowd’s reaction to the song. “We don’t want to disrupt the Ryan Adams concert next door.”

“What’s new pussycat, woah woah woah,” June chimed in with his guitar.

The crowd roared with laughter and the band continued to reel in the audience with their unique harmonic rock ‘n’ roll.

Kelly Oliver-Hornyak can be reached at [email protected].