In between SUSTO‘s sets at the band’s awesome performance for Stopover in the Yard at The Grey, a good friend of mine wondered aloud what songs the band had yet to play. After all, we had heard so many great ones — and we had known every word, as most in the audience also did.
But then we started listing some of the songs that SUSTO hadn’t played yet, and we knew we were in for a killer closing set too.
I love the whole concept of Stopover in the Yard — the combination of booking and production by Kayne Lanahan and her Savannah Stopover team, the beautiful and slightly funky outdoor space at The Grey, a casual lunch menu from Chef Mashama Bailey, and Chatham Artillery Punch too, plus a portion of the proceeds benefiting a local nonprofit (Planned Parenthood this time around). There have been some wonderful bands, but the space has rarely filled and many patrons would leave before the Saturday afternoon music ended.
But not this time. SUSTO, led by the intense and talented Justin Osborne, sold out the show in advance, and the audience stayed till the end and wanted even more. The band seemed to know they’d be called back for an encore, so they slipped outside the gate into the lane through which random characters pass all day, and then came back for gorgeous renditions of “Smoking Outside” (I’ve put this post off for too long, so I’m pretty sure on that one) and “Chillin’ On The Beach With My Best Friend Jesus Christ,” a brilliant bit of songwriting. I’ve been lucky to hear that live before.
I don’t know how many more chances I’ll have to see SUSTO in a small-ish venue like the Yard at The Grey, but I’ll take advantage of whatever chances I get.
I took a lot of photos — I’m still struggling to take photos on bright days outside rather than in dark clubs at night, but here are a ton anyway. Great band, great day, great punch, great grilled chicken sandwich, great everything. Click on through for more.
