Living across the pond, you hear plenty about the police state a certain authoritarian is turning America into. What you don’t always see are the individual stories behind the headlines. So forgive us for only now learning about the ICE deportation of Uncle Lou (Cleon Williams), owner of Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall, a safe haven and lifeline for Orlando’s DIY music scene. I don’t want to spend too many words on how sickening this story is. The word deportation says enough.

What I do want to talk about is what happened next. People spoke up. A GoFundMe campaign is closing in on $75,000. And then there’s Born To Lou’s, a compilation with a title that’s equal parts tribute and heartbreak. Twenty-eight bands contribute a song in solidarity and appreciation for the man who gave them, and countless others, a place to play, grow, and belong.

I’ve never set foot in Uncle Lou’s Entertainment Hall, but records like this tell you everything you need to know. Born To Lou’s is a celebration of community in the face of injustice. Musically it’s all over the map, united by equal parts disbelief, gratitude, and defiance.

Buy the tape through Godless America.

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