The 7th annual Statts Fest — a grand community gathering to support Jason Statts, who was paralyzed in a senseless Savannah shooting — was held last weekend at Grayson Stadium. Check out Friends of Statts on Facebook for tons more info.
It was a big space for this year’s party, but hundreds enjoyed the excellent lineup of musicians on a stage in right field, the food trucks behind home plate, the petting zoo and games down the 3rd base line, the silent auction under the stands, and — most importantly — a time to gather with friends. Great day, great cause.
Check out this post with predictably awesome photos by Geoff L. Johnson:
And here are some photos I took — click on through for shots of Joe Nelson and James Pittman, City Hotel, Bottles and Cans, Damon and the Shitkickers, Waits & Co., and The Train Wrecks (joined on stage by Jason’s son Jack):
Florida-based Grant Peeples performed in a private courtyard recently in Savannah, and photographer Don Teuton has shared these images with us. Click on through for more —
Thanks to Ann Sosbe of One Horse Photography for sharing these great images of Elton John, who returned to the Savannah Civic Center’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Arena last week. Click on through for more!
Hey guys,
A quick post this week. I am looking forward to tonight’s punk show at the Jinx and the Hendrix tribute band at Barrelhouse South on Friday. See ya’ll around soon.
Thursday 22nd Cray Bags, Gretta O & Toxic Shock, Nag, Mold – Jinx Marcus King Band – Barrelhouse South Rob Haze, David Perdue – Wormhole
Friday 23rd Marvelous Funkshun, Gimme Hendrix– Barrelhouse South Disareyen – Wormhole Hypnotics– Congress Street Social Club
Saturday 24th Inter Arma, Call Of The Void, Dropout – Jinx Sarvants Of Soul, Locochino – Barrelhouse South Teddy Kumpel Loopestra, Richard Leo Johnson – Tybee Post Theater ($20)
You know, some Sundays you just feel like going to really cool coffee shop, drinking some tasty cold brew, and watching some heavy duty metal bands in the back room. Right? Well, at least I do.
The Foundery‘s back room definitely has potential to host some cool all ages stuff, and this show was just that. Die Choking, out of Philly, locals Negative Graves (formerly Rebel Scum), and Basaran all cranked out variations of grinding metal (powerviolence maybe?) that was pretty fun for sounding so serious, if that makes sense. Respectful crowd, delicious caffeinated beverage, extreme music, and done by 10? Works for me. Click on through for the full gallery:
If you haven’t purchased or at least listened to COEDS’ debut album Thrill Me!, which was recently released by New Granada Records, you are not living right. GET ON IT:
COEDS’ recent release party at The Jinx was a predictably wild affair that was made even better by the opening sets from Atlanta’s Starbenders and Savannah’s The Lipschitz.
The garage-y, punk-ish duo The Lipschitz woke everyone up with a punch in the face, and then Starbenders played a seductively powerful set for their Savannah debut (as far as I know), with an aggressive glam rock that we don’t see much down here. (Also, Starbenders is a photographer’s dream.)
After Starbenders finished, there were a few jokes in the crowd about COEDS having to follow a set so good — but they were just jokes. COEDS could follow most anybody and still have the crowd hooked. A few shots here and more after the jump (and we’ll likely have another photo gallery coming soon):
It’s that time of the week again. If you’re looking for new tunes, we’ve got some every week.
Dan Deacon Baltimore, MD
“Change Your Life (You Can Do It)”
A propulsive new song and video from electronic artist Dan Deacon. No mention of an upcoming album yet, but the song has been in the set list for a little while now. Urgent beats, synthesized vocals, and a visuals from Deacon’s legendary crowd participation live show. Good stuff all around. – Tom
. Christian Fitness Cardiff, UK
“This Taco Is Not Correct” out now on Bandcamp
The solo project from Falco of Future of The Left / McLusky, Christian Fitness is in the same vein as his other output and certainly if you like the aforementioned bands, you’ll dig this. Almost as catchy as it is abrasive, snarky, and clever. Fuzzed out bass, angular guitar, clean drums and the occasional synth. Fantastic. – Tom
. High on Fire Oakland, CA
“The Black Plot” off of Luminiferous, out now on Entertainment One
Apparently people make videos for songs that have been out over a year?? Well, this one from Matt Pike’s High on Fire is totally worth it if you’re into awesome metal (one of last year’s best),and psychedelic Heavy Metal style animation (you know.. vikings, demons, trolls, witches, cartoon boobies). Awesome, dude. – Tom
. Chrome Pony Nashville
“Sticky Bloom”
A trippy new song and video from Chrome Pony, who lit up The Jinx a few months ago with one of my favorite live sets of 2016. And if you like this kind of psychedelic-meets-garage rock, check out the EP Hot Rhetoric here. – bill
. Triathalon Savannah Cold Shower EP now available on Broken Circles
Originally a surf rock outfit with a misspelled name that arose out of Savannah’s DIY/house show scene, Triathalon has reached another tier with the current slow jams and neo-soul nods. – bill
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Against Me! Gainesville, FL
“Crash” from Shape Shift With Me
The much awaited followup to Against Me!’s last record, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, sees Laura Jane Grace baring her emotions like never before. The newest album focuses less on the struggles of being a transgendered person in today’s world and more on the struggles of maintaining relationships in general. It’s loud, fast, and just as catchy as one would expect making for a fun ride the entire way through. – Petee
If The Melvins are playing within a couple hour drive from me, I’m going, Wednesday be damned. Despite it being a midweek show, there was a great, energetic, turnout at The Music Farm Charleston. So energetic, actually, that I hit the floor for the first time in my life at a show, and no, I don’t mean that I danced (if you see me dance, don’t let me drive). I was hit so hard by someone in the pit behind me that my camera and I met the beer covered, sticky ass floor. We survived, and even managed to get some photos, too.
Seattle’s Helms Alee opened with a fantastic set of pysch tinged, guitar heavy noise rock that was met with a really great response. They were awesome, and I think surprised more than a few show goers who were there solely to see The Melvins.
And, let’s be honest, most of us were there to see The Melvins. The legendary proto-grunge/heavy rock/sludge kings did not disappoint. Surprisingly active on stage, the trio played a monstrous set drawn for their extensive catalog, and even threw in KISS/Alice Cooper covers (“Deuce” and “Halo Of Flies”, if you must know) for good measure. The night ended with Helms Alee joining them on stage for an a cappella “Take Me Out To The Ball Game” and a joyous 2 guitar, 2 bass, 2 drummer rendition of “Night Goat”. Killer night. More photos after the jump:
Only in recent months has John Zimmerman of Wet Socks brought his longstanding solo project Kewl out of hiding. For recent shows, he has assembled some of the busiest young rock musicians in Savannah.
I’m not quite sure what the future holds for Kewl, but it turns out that Zimmerman is a natural in a flamboyant act like this.
Jaime Hernandez, a sound artist with an interest in sound preservation, recorded Kewl’s entire set last week at El-Rocko Lounge at a show that also included Pink Mexico and Twisty Cats. Jaime uploaded the audio — soundcheck and all — to Soundcloud, and we’re thrilled to share the stream here. The soundcheck finishes at the 9:36 mark.
Emily Earl of Emily Earl Photography and Sulfur Studios caught some excellent images of the show, which she has graciously allowed us to share. We hope to feature more of Emily’s work in the future. A couple here with more after the jump:
And here we are again, another New Music Monday. You can check out some new songs to start your week. If you’ve got stuff that you’re listening to, please feel free to include links in the comments on this week’s share to our hissing lawns Facebook page.
South River Atlanta, Georgia UFOS EP
The latest project from Jason Waller, most well known for his band Georgia Mountain Stringband is a return to his rock & roll roots, and he’s accompanied on this EP by Atlanta pals in the Americana Music/Roots scene that continues to grow, and form a bridge with Savannah’s own performers of similar genre. This album, quite frankly, is exactly the kind of change that would be great to hear from a lot of us Savannah musicians, just for kicks & to hear what other talents lie below the surface. – Jon
. Grandaddy Modesto, CA
“Way We Won’t” from upcoming 2017 album on 30th Century Records
Wow, it’s been 10 years since Grandaddy broke up? Crazy. You wouldn’t be able to tell from their first single since reforming that it’s been long at all. Quirky, fragile, beautiful indie pop that burrows deep, deep into your brain. Really looking forward to this one. – Tom
. Red Fang Portland, OR
“Shadows” off of Only Ghosts due Oct. 14 on Relapse Records
Red Fang’s modus operandi: release hilarious, nerdy videos soundtracked by their own PBR soaked, catchy as hell, not quite metal songs. No surprise that this one is great, too. Plus, you know, Predator. – Tom
. Zack de la Rocha L.A., CA
“Digging for Windows” from rumored 2017 solo album
De La Rocha has kept a relatively low profile since leaving Rage Against the Machine in 2000, releasing a little music as One Day as a Lion and doing the occasional “featuring….” guest appearances, including a recent contribution to a Run The Jewels track. It appears that collaboration has helped spawn a new solo album, produced by EL-P of Run The Jewels. This track showcases the singular de la Rocha furious, intelligent wordplay over squiggly, ragged beats. – Tom
. Las Kellies Buenos Aires
“I Don’t Care” off of their upcoming album Friends and Lovers
Las Kellies fusion of post-punk with pop has turned out some rippers over the past 10 years that they’ve been together. Their new wave influence is apparent in their latest release, but it’s also got a grit and a grime to it as well. Imagine pop tunes forged with a garage rock mentality and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what Las Kellies brings to the table. – Petee
. Dex Romweber Chapel Hill, NC
“Trouble Of The World” off Carrboro, now out on Bloodshot Records
If you saw the Dex Romweber Duo recently (yes, photos still to come from the Savannah gig), you already know that the 50-year-old, best known for Flat Duo Jets, is still a masterful rock and roll performer. The frumpily charismatic stage presence is just a bonus. – bill
. Dope KNife Savannah
“C-Port State of Mind”
Dope KNife, one of the driving forces behind Savannah’s Dope Sandwich hip-hop label and collective, has just released this dark take on life in the C-Port, filled with specific references to local crime, corruption, and culture. – bill
At his recent Dad Joke-produced show at The Jinx, David Liebe Hart sang songs about trains, Betty White, Jesus, lost love, aliens, and other urgent topics, in addition to reluctantly telling a few fortunes (they turned out to be more life coaching than prediction), bickering with his bandmate, sporting an awesome spacesuit, and doing some kickass ventriloquism (I think).
Hart’s lengthy set — there was even a commercial break — included screamingly funny video, often of Hart himself, that was thematically related to the song of the moment. The songs were often introduced with quick stories — tragic ones at times — that were told with an inflated grandiosity that gave the show, for fleeting moments, an unsettling and darkly comic edge
I’m not sure how all this would have worked if Hart didn’t have a powerful voice that you might expect to hear from a gospel or even operatic act. His comic timing is impeccable too. Hart had been through Savannah before, but I’d never had a chance to see him. I’ll be in the audience the next time he’s here, that’s for sure.
I missed the opening set by Skippy Spiral (although I did get a photo of his fortune being told), but I managed to The Jinx in time for wildly energetic performances by Greta O. & The Toxic Shock and The Gumps. It was a very quiet Thursday night in downtown Savannah, but a pretty solid crowd showed up for Hart.
The most commonly used tag on hissing lawns? “The Jinx”. Savannah’s only establishment that is dedicated pretty much full time to live music and related activities, The Jinx is, in a word, awesome. Absolutely no disrespect intended to other venues of any sort (hell, I think we need more venues), but let’s be honest, the old Velvet Elvis is the physical hub of much of the over 21 music scene in the Hostess City. An actual stage, a laid back vibe, a punching machine, $5 house special of a tall boy PBR and a shot of Wild Turkey, tv’s playing weird ass cult classics, Rock n Roll Bingo, crazy memorabilia, absurd knick knacks, everything just somehow adds up to cool.
The thing that really makes The Jinx so unique, though? The people. A mix of city/underbelly/music/alternative/arty/biker/godknowswhatelse people, on the best nights it feels communal, and on others, well….just weird. As a huge music nerd, I’ve spent my fair share of time at “SAVANNAH’S FAVORITE BOOZERY AND MUSIQUARIUM” interacting with both the community and the weirdos. Doing some quick math, I’d say I’ve been to 127 W Congress Street a little over 400 times, and drank in excess of 1500 tall boy PBR’s.
So, for no real reason at all, here’s a list (people like lists, right?) of 100ish types of people you may run into at a show, or bingo, or hip hop night, or a Damon and the Shitkickers happy hour, or, well, you get the idea.
1. Gil. “Savannah’s Most Crushworthy”, 49’ers fan, booker, ALL CAPS TYPER, general character, Gil manages a staff comprised entirely of oversized personalities.
