Augusta — On Sunday night, The Soul Generals were supposed to back up James Brown at a New Year's Eve concert in New York City.

Brown's Christmas morning death canceled that. But a show went on.

Late Saturday night, in what could conceivably be their last performance, the Soul Generals paid tribute to their boss with a rousing after party and concert.

The band played at the Soul Bar, one of Brown's favorite haunts on Broad Street in downtown Augusta.

"We were here to celebrate his spirit," said keyboard player Jerry Poindexter, who sang most of the night. "It was a free-for-all. We were just doing what he taught us to do. "The people came in here sad, but they left happy."

Ripping through songs from Brown's massive catalogue, the band played at a hectic pace. The narrow club was packed with a mixed crowd of James Brown fanatics. When they couldn't find a spot on the floor, they danced on tables. There was a lot of sweat. Cold sweat.

Earlier, the band played a long set at Brown's home going celebration. At that performance, dressed in black suits, the band played a high voltage, but planned set, orchestrated by the band's master of ceremony Danny Ray. The late-night concert was grittier, funkier and rawer.

"This is not concentrated," Poindexter explained later. "This is straight from the goat – raw."

"The memorial was a set thing. It was sadder, because he was laying there," said bandleader and trumpet player Hollie Farris, who had played with Brown for 26 years. "This was freer. We played what we felt. What was in our hearts. We had people come on stage that hadn't been in the band for years."

At times, up to 15 current and former band members were on the tiny stage built for five. Musicians came and went and Brown's backup singers, the Bittersweets, took turns taking lead on certain songs. Even Brown's long-time partner, Tomi Rae Hynie — who had been on an emotional roller coaster all week — took her turn on the stage.

"I enjoyed being back with the band members and the Bittersweets to celebrate my mentor. This is a way to show him how much we loved him," said Martha High, who has sung with Brown for 38 years. High now lives in Paris, where she tours with James Brown protégé Maceo Parker. She flew in for the funeral. "I came to pay my respects."

Michael Mwenso, a 25-year-old trombone player who plays with Brown in Europe, also made the trip across the Atlantic to honor Brown in song.

"It was very emotional tonight," Mwenso said. "This is what he would have wanted in a home going. Because he died on Christmas, he is being reborn."

Several members of the band said that Brown's death does not mean the end of the band.

"I hope not," said Farris, about the demise of the band. "We are talking about the possibility of continuing as a tribute band. But we don't want to be like an Elvis impersonation band. We want to honor him and carry on his legacy."