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.
Hey guys,
There are some good choices for music downtown this weekend. I see a few choices that I would like to especially point out. I am expecting a good show at Congress Street Social Club, Kansas Bible Company. I caught them last April (at Barrelhouse South) and have been waiting for them to come back since then. They are a rock band with horns, always a good combination (no matter what Tom Cartmel says). I plan to (finally) make it out to the Tybee Post Theater on Saturday where one of my favorite bands, the Accomplices, will be playing with Dangermuffin. That should be over in time to head to Congress Street and catch a couple of other shows, the COEDS album release party at the Jinx and Funk You at Barrelhouse South. That sounds like my idea of a good weekend. See y’all around somewhere, be sure to say hello.
Friday 9th Ajeva, Donna Hopkins Band – Barrelhouse South Broadcast 90 – Wild Wing Cafe Gen Patton & The Heads Of State – Molly MacPherson’s The Girly Girl Review – Jinx Kansas Bible Company– Congress Street Social Club The Funeral Portrait, Attalus, Between Symmetries, Amor Exitium – Black Box Theater , 9 W Henry St, all ages, $8/10) Tim and Myles Thompson – Randy Woods (8p, $23)
Saturday 10th Damon and the Shitkickers – Jinx Happy Hour Accomplices, Dangermuffin – Tybee Post Theater (8-10p, $20) Aqua Ducks – Congress Street Social Club Funk You, BBXF – Barrelhouse South COEDS (Album Release Party), Starbenders, The Lipschitz – Jinx Danielle Hicks Band – Molly MacPherson’s Snuzer – Wormhole Whitley Deputy and the B-Town Project – Wild Wing Cafe
Monday 12th Main Street Trio – Cocktail Co (8-11p) Craig Tanner & Mr Williams Open Mic– Abe’s on Lincoln
Tuesday 13th Eric Culberson Open Jam – Bayou Cafe Ben Keiser Band– Bay Street Blues
Happy Labor Day, everyone. Here’s our latest New Music Monday, a weekly feature with picks from a variety of hissing lawns contributors.
The Weeks Jackson, Mississippi, now based in Nashville
“Talk Like That” off the band’s upcoming 3rd LP
If you’ve caught The Weeks’ electrifying live show lately, you might already know this great new song, which was premiered last week by American Songwriter. I don’t think Cyle Barnes’ vocals have ever sounded better. – bill
. Angel Olsen Asheville, NC My Woman
Lead single “Shut Up Kiss Me” garnered all of the (much deserved) buzz in advance of Olsen’s 3rd full length album but don’t stop there- the full album came out Friday and it’s sublime. Start to finish. Like some David Lynch soundtrack set in the 60’s within a parallel universe that’s happening right now. Olsen’s voice carries wounds and healing with an equal and almost unnerving strength. – Kayne
. Kishi Bashi Athens, GA
“Can’t Let Go, Juno” off the upcoming Sonderlust
Second single off of Kishi Bashi’s fourth studio album, Sonderlust, out 9/16 on Joyful Noise. It’s a synth laden departure for the classically trained violinist known for his upbeat pop leanings. A heartbreak of a dance track. I love that K. keeps pushing into new territory. – Kayne
. Whores. ATL, GA
“Playing Poor” off Gold due 10/28 on eOne Music.
The first track off of my most anticipated record of the year is a ripper, a headlong sprint by one of noise rock’s (hell, all heavy music’s) best. Cathartic, crushing, and not to be missed live. Touring this fall with Red Fang and Torche. – Tom
. Helms Alee Seattle Stillicide out now on Sargent House
This one’s not easy to categorize…Doomy, melodic, grungy, metallic, post something…hardcore? rock? metal?…yet somehow still really accessible. Touring now with (the) Melvins, Wednesday night at The Music Farm Charleston, Thursday night at Jackrabbit’s, JAX. – Tom
. Ages and Ages Portland, OR
“As it Is” from the new album Something to Ruin
I haven’t been able to listen to the entire album yet, but the final track of this new release keeps getting stuck in my head. – Jason
Hi guys,
I hope you all survived the great Hurricane Hermine on Friday. Of course if you didn’t, you won’t be reading this. This weekend’s music scene is a little slower than normal, no big out of town shows to catch. There are a fair amount of good choices around though. These are some of my recommendations for the weekend. All shows are subject to the weather, of course.
Friday 9/2/16 In For A Penny (Sav’h rowdy Irish) – Rail Pub (6-9p) Shilo Hill (Greensboro indie-folk) – Foxy Loxy Cafe (7-10p) Dank (Atlanta rock funk jam), C2 & The Brothers Reed (KY rock and soul) – Barrelhouse South The Difference Machine (Atlanta psychedelic rapp), Dope KNife (Sav’h rap) – El-Rocko Listen 2 Three (Sav’h groove rock) – Congress Street Social Club Sarah Poole Band (Sav’h alternative) – Molly MacPherson’s Savagist (Athens metal), Thera Roya (Brooklyn metal) – Jinx
Saturday 9/3/16 Punk Rock Garage Sale – Jinx (12-6p) Damon & The Shitkickers – Jinx Happy Hour Elvis Show – Tybee Post Theater (8p) – SOLD OUT Cory Chambers Jazz Band (Sav’h hot jazz and blues) – Molly MacPherson’s Hypnotics (Sav’h garage rock) – El-Rocko Permagroove (AL jam rock) – Barrelhouse South Stereo Reform (dance-a-funk-a-rock-a-tronic) – Congress Street Social Club
Sunday 9/4/16 Liquid Ginger (Sav’h rock), Hypnotics (Sav’h garage rock) – Marlin Monroe’s Thomas Oliver, Shawn Byrne, Brittany Moses, and Tim Eightay – Tybee Post Theater Savannah Songwriters (7p) Voodoo Soup – Congress Street Social Club
Monday 9/5/16 Craig Tanner & Mr Williams Open Mic – Abe’s On Lincoln
Tuesday 9/6/16 Joe Nelson (Sav’h roots music) – Foxy Loxy Cafe (7-10p) Eric Culberson Open Mic – Bayou Cafe
Here at hissing lawns, we’ve been on the COEDS bandwagon ever since we first heard the insanely talented rock/punk/pop foursome. Here’s a photo from early 2014 at Hang Fire:
And I love this shot that Tom took at The Jinx in that same year:
As you can see in pics like that, we’re not alone in our love for COEDS’ brilliant songs and high-energy stage shows.
Today COEDS has released their debut album Thrill Me! on New Granada Records. You can find it on Bandcamp (below), Spotify, Amazon, iTunes, and actual CD. Click here for links and details via New Granada.
We hope to have a review posted in the coming days, but you don’t need us to tell you how good this is. Just give it a listen. And we will see lots of you at the release party on Sept. 10th at The Jinx with Starbenders and The Lipschitz.
Larry is without internet this week, but he’s still got a full lineup of recommendations for live music in Savannah. – bill
Friday 30th Southern Belles, Wood & Steel – Barrelhouse South Southern Rock’s Finest – Savannah’s Music City Bar & Grill Bottles & Cans (7p), Accomplices (8p) – Roundhouse Museum ($20 Savannah Children’s Museum Benefit) Ben Keiser Band– Molly MacPherson’s Garden Giants, Jordan Esker & The Hundred Percent, Jeff Zagers – El-Rocko Skeletonwitch, Iron Regan, Oathbreaker, Gatecreeper – Jinx Saturday 1st The Mustard – Congress Street Social Club Damad, Black Tusk, Republican Marriage – Jinx Lucidea, Root Of All – Barrelhouse South Charlie Fog Band – Molly MacPherson’s Stellar Young – El-Rocko
Sunday 2nd Georgia Kyle, Chris Desa, John Swilley, Brian Smalley – Tybee Post Theater Singer Songwriter Series
It’s time for another New Music Monday, and we kick off this week’s segment with new tracks from three Savannah-based acts — COEDS, Clay Hodges, and Nightingale News. Enjoy.
COEDS Savannah
“Push” from Thrill Me!, coming soon from New Granada Records
How great is this? I’m looking forward to COEDS’ upcoming album and feeling confident that all the songs will have some of the quirky artistic sensibility and pop-punk energy of this fresh new video, which was debuted last week by Creative Loafing in Tampa. – bill
. Clay Hodges Savannah
“Savannah Weather” from forthcoming EP on Aphelion Records
This new track and video from up-and-coming hip-hop performer Clay Hodges captures the Savannah vibe pretty well, huh? I’m excited to hear the upcoming EP and see how Hodges balances the various styles he explores here. – bill
. Nightingale News Savannah
“Emerald Tsunami” from the band’s forthcoming album
Coy Campbell’s Nightingale News is one of the most interesting bands to arise from the cultural milieu of Savannah in recent years. The music has a radiance and richness — sometimes even a meditative quality — that can be very hard to describe. – bill
. Gringo Star Atlanta
“Get Closer” off The Sides And In Between, out now on Nevado Music
Gringo Star played a really impressive set at a recent — and very hot — Stopover in the Yard at The Grey. The longtime Atlanta band continues to experiment and innovate. Fun stuff. – bill
. Jimmy Eat World Mesa, AZ
“Get Right” from what one would assume is an upcoming album, no solid info yet
While the chorus isn’t as immediately catchy as, say, classic singalongs like The Middle or A Praise Chorus, the sound is classic Jimmy Eat World, with Jim Adkins vocals over well constructed alt rock. I’ll bet that chorus digs in on repeated listens, too. – Tom
. Buildings/Volunteer Minneapolis/Milwaukee
Split 12″ out now on Triple Eye Industries
What is it about the Midwest that produces the best noise rock? Both bands would be right at home on prototypical Midwestern noise rock labels Touch and Go and Amphetamine Reptile. Angry, dissonant vocals over overdriven, pummeling instrumentation in the punishing/beautiful noise rock tradition. – Tom
. Cass McCombs California/NY Mangy Love
On his 8th studio album, released 8/26, Cass McCombs cements his position as one of our finest songwriters; intense, idiosyncratic and important. It’s an album I can’t stop listening to. The songs feel primal and yet delicate, combining elements of jazz, folk, country and in a few cases some smooth jams. Van Morrison often comes to mind, and what higher praise can there be than that?- Kayne
. Devendra Banhart California
“Saturday Night”
It seems like forever since 2013’s Mala but Devendra Banahart will be back September 23rd with Ape In Pink Marble, his 9th studio album. Till then, we have this, the 2nd track to be released from the record~~another floaty, shimmery, blissed out slice of heaven to tide us over. -Kayne
. NOFX Los Angeles, CA
“I Don’t Like Me Anymore”
With over 20 years under their belt and over 10 albums to show for it, it’s no wonder that NOFX have established themselves as one the pioneers of the West Coast punk rock sound. The latest single off of their upcoming album, First Ditch Effort, highlights the band’s trademark irreverent style of songwriting and catchy punk riffs. – Petee
. Avers Richmond, VA
“Vampire” from the new album Omega / Whatever
One of the bands I missed seeing at Savannah Stopover 2015, here’s hoping I get another chance to see them. Everyone I talked with who saw the show was impressed, and while I’m sure I enjoyed whoever I missed them for, I was definitely kicking myself at the time. – Jason
The summer after I graduated from high school, I spent a week with my friend Kora Radella — now a dance professor at Kenyon College and co-founder/choreographer of Boomerang Dance — at her mom’s home in Urbana, Illinois. That was where I first listened to a Joni Mitchell album in its entirety. When I hear any of the songs from Clouds, I’m immediately transported to that memorable week in Urbana — the week that started my long relationship with Mitchell’s beautiful and demanding art.
I don’t listen to Joni Mitchell as much as I once did, and I pull different things from the music as I get older, but she’s an artist that I’ll carry with me to the end. (By the way, lots of readers of this site don’t know that it’s named for Joni Mitchell’s album The Hissing of Summer Lawns.)
As a devoted Joni Mitchell follower, I was both excited and worried when I heard that Jenny Woodruff would be performing a Joni tribute as part of the Lucas Theatre’s wildly successful summer cabaret series. I’ve known Jenny since she took over as education director of the Savannah Music Festival, where she has done some impressive work, but I had never heard her sing. And it’s not like covering Mitchell is easy or commonplace …
Still, I reserved a high top table and invited three close friends to join me for Jenny’s show, titled simply “Both Sides Now”.
First up was “Coyote” off the 1976 album Hejira, a song with some especially demanding phrasings, and I knew right away that we were going to have a great night. Woodruff has a beautiful voice, but I was most impressed by the way she made that song her own. She didn’t succeed by twisting it into something else or by simply mimicking Mitchell — the changes were smart and subtle. For the duration of the show, the small choices impressed me as much as the big ones.
Joe Vilardi’s arrangements followed the same model — they stayed close enough to Mitchell’s recordings to satisfy the purist but they brought a fresh life to the classic songs. Vilardi, an alum of the SMF’s Acoustic Music Seminar, played guitar and was joined by Connor Parks on drums and Michael Beckett on bass and piano.
Rebecca Flaherty joined Woodruff for a couple of songs — “The Gallery” from Clouds and “Cactus Tree” from Song to a Seagull. Flaherty and Woodruff’s voices were lovely together, and the pairing suggested some of the vocal richness of Mitchell’s complex studio recordings.
I don’t know how closely Woodruff stuck to a script, but she talked just enough about Mitchell and about herself to give the work immediacy and resonance.
