hissing lawns

2016 Atlanta Mess-Around

by Tom Cartmel • May 6, 2016

You don’t want to read a play by play recount of the Atlanta Mess-Around. A bunch of scuzzy rock bands played amazing sets. Beers were imbibed. It rained, actual rain once, beer more frequently, silly string a couple times. Clothes reeked of stale beer and smoke. Amps were blown and replaced mid song. A lead singer puked mid set and soldiered on.

There was stage diving and crowd surfing and singalong songs and day drinking and secret late night sets. At one point the water main broke and no one could serve food, so everyone just kept drinking. A van was spray painted so many times that I’ll bet its gas mileage suffered. Super nerdy music conversations were overheard. Musicians played in multiple bands. There were tattoos and patches and black tee shirts and chains and studs and, well, you get the picture.

Standouts? Hank Wood and The Hammerheads. Holy. Shit. Their Friday night 2 a.m. unannounced set at 529 was mind-blowing. One of the best sets I’ve EVER seen. Insane. The Saturday set at The EARL wasn’t far behind. Wow. Just wow.

All three bands at Thursday night’s Pre Mess-Around were on point, dug Bad Spell, Illegal Drugs were great and OBN III’s are not to be missed.

The super catchy sing alongs from Barreracudas were unbelievably fun.

Predator. Menthol. Uniform. Hell, everything was pretty great.

Man, I love Atlanta Mess-Around.

Read more →

Songwriters in the Round at The Jinx – photos

by cailab • May 3, 2016

Normally a one-person show, Friday Happy Hour at The Jinx featured something new on April 29.

Jason Bible (of The Trainwrecks), Matt Eckstine (of The Accomplices), Pat Bunger, and A.M. Rodriguez shared the stage, singing originals and covers, sharing the stories behind them, and providing accompaniment for each other on a variety of instruments.

From showrunner A.M. Rodriguez: “While the Hostess City’s music scene is more known on a national level for its heavy metal output, there is an abundance of singer-songwriters, performing both as solo acts and as parts of full band ensembles, writing and playing in all modes of American songwriting. From Country and Blues, to sensitive folk and pop, this showcase is the first of a series that will be dedicated to showing off some of the very best songwriting currently brewing in the Lowcountry.”

Check out some shots below, and some more photos after the jump!

Read more →

new compilation “STAY RAD SAV” showcases new music from Savannah’s DIY and alternative scenes

by bill • May 3, 2016

The labels Furious Hooves and Soft Science Records recently teamed up for STAY RAD SAV, a new compilation available in digital and cassette formats that features some of the edgiest indie rock coming out of Savannah. Here’s how Furious Hooves described it:

And if you want to dive right in:

We’re really impressed by this album — the psychedelic effects in the new song by garage rockers Wet Socks, the in-your-face punk of the now disbanded Trophy Wives, the languid melodies of Hawaiian Boi (Adam Intrator of Triathalon), the debut from KEWL (John Z. of Wet Socks is the frontman), the dark Americana of A.M. Rodriguez, the powerful, throwback vocals of Sister Beards (a band we’ve never even heard of), the upbeat brass of Culture Vulture, a hot new track from COEDS …

We could go on and on. Stay Rad Sav is a great introduction to the talent, diversity, and daring of some of the young artists in Savannah’s DIY and alternative scenes.

Roadkill Ghost Choir and Nightingale News at The Jinx – photos

by bill • May 2, 2016

Roadkill Ghost Choir came through town again last week for the first time since 2014. They were performing with keys this time, which added another beautiful, mysterious layer to their dark southern rock. Since Roadkill Ghost Choir hadn’t been in Savannah for a while, I was a little worried that there might be a meager turnout for this MusicFile Productions/Savannah Stopover booking, but no worries — the Athens-based band obviously has a strong following among rock fans down here on the coast. The Jinx seems a perfect setting for them.

Savannah’s Nightingale News opened. Fronted by the fascinating Coy Campbell – – check out our recent interview with him here — the band’s performances are compelling and evocative. Great stuff.

Both Skye Duke and I took some photos, so here’s kind of a mega-gallery. Lots more after the jump:

Read more →

4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra at El-Rocko Lounge – photos

by JWaits • May 1, 2016

I have a feeling that this morning quite a few of you are living Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Sunday Morning Coming Down’, made popular by Johnny Cash. Savannah was full of live music & events last night. Notable was the performance by 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra from Atlanta, Georgia at Wes Daniel’s newly opened El-Rocko Lounge. Though Wes told me previously that he doesn’t intend for the bar to be a regular live-music venue, the lounge is perfect for a bigger crowd, and the room does seem like a natural location for shows. As I looked around from my perch in the DJ booth I saw a cross-pollination of this city’s varying ‘scenes’, and a smile on every face. For me, personally, it felt oddly reminiscent of Atlanta in the old days before the population explosion, which I’m sure had everything to do with the fact that Wes, myself, Roger Ruzow (4WAKO), and Brian Halloran (W8ing4UFOS & Smoke) were all present last night. I’m not sure of the last time that all four of us were in the same room together. Possibly as long ago as the nineties, but I digress….

The opening weekend of El-Rocko has been a who’s who of Savannah, and last evening’s show was the perfect nightcap to it all. I shot in advance of Friday’s opening for a Connect Savannah article written by Anna Chandler, and will also have a photo-gallery up on Savannah Magazine‘s page in the coming days. Congratulations to Wes, Kieffer, Ikeda, and the rest of the staff for putting on one hell of a party. We can’t wait to see what’s next!

Here are a few photos, with more live music & crowd shots after the jump.

Read more →

after 15 years, Kylesa takes “a break”

by bill • April 30, 2016

If you haven’t heard the news, Kylesa made a huge announcement on Thursday evening:

It’s worth clicking on through to Kylesa’s Facebook page to read some of the personal reflections and thanks from fans and fellow musicians. On the band’s website, the announcement is aptly titled “Time Will Fuse Its Worth”.

In 2015, I interviewed Kylesa’s Phillip Cope for an Oxford American piece on Black Tusk, the passing of Athon, and the heavy Savannah scene generally. Cope’s stories about early touring didn’t make the final edit, but he had some fascinating things to say about the degree to which Kylesa became international ambassadors for the Savannah scene and even more importantly for the city itself.

As I suggested in that OA piece, Savannah’s current underground scene has shifted away from metal toward various stripes of punk and garage rock. And that seems fitting in a way since Kylesa, its precursor Damad, Black Tusk, and Baroness arguably grew out of punk. Kylesa may generally be considered “sludge metal”, but their music has always resisted easy labels.

I love Kylesa’s latest album Exhausting Fire (click here for purchase links), which took so many artistic risks, explored so many layers of sound and emotion, and hinted at so many possible futures. If that turns out to be the last Kylesa album, it’s not a bad way to go out.

But, hey, Cope, Laura Pleasants, and Carl McGinley (the three core members of the band) and their other collaborators aren’t going anywhere. All are immensely talented and have many options ahead, including continued development of their upstart label Retro Futurist. We wish all of them the best and look forward to reporting on their next moves.

Larry Jack’s Magical Music Tour – 4/29/16 – 5/3/16

by Larry Jack Sammons • April 29, 2016

Hey guys,
If you are old (like me) and always complaining about late music start times, Friday is definitely a good night to go out. At 6:30 or 7:00 in the evening, you have a choice of some rockabilly outside at the Rail Pub (should be beautiful weather) or an exciting new singer-songwriter series at the Jinx happy hour with the frontmen of two of Savaannah’s finest bands, Jason Bible (Train Wrecks) and Matt Eckstine (Accomplices), as well as AM Rodriguez and Pat Bunger.

If you are still ready to rock after those shows, head out to the Sentient Bean on the other side of Forsyth Park and see some cool rock from three good bands, and it’s happy hour at the Bean until 9pm. That’s a lot of exciting music before 10pm!

For those of us that enjoy the late stuff, there are tons of good shows going on later that night. There will be an increasingly rare local show from the Accomplices at the Social Club, pretty good dance band (with great lights) at Wild Wing, rock bands at Barrelhouse, and a punk show at the Jinx. Any (or all) of those shows will be a lot of fun and I hope to catch several of them.

Saturday brings us almost as much action as Friday. There will be another good show at the Social Club, the Return of the Train Wrecks. There will also be a dance show at Barrelhouse, and another punk show at the Jinx. I am looking forward to all of the bands at the show, which will be the Savannah debut (I think?) of the new Pussy Launcher. Maybe the most-anticipated event of Saturday evening will be the official grand opening of Wes Daniel’s new club, El-Rocko. I got to tour the new place last week, it looks like it will be another downtown hot spot from Mr. Daniel.

The weekend lasts until Sunday this week with an early, free show from Wreckless Eric at Congress Street Social Club. I caught a little of Eric at the Bragg Jam last year and I am looking forward to seeing him with a much better view this time. Be sure to catch his interview with Anna Chandler in this week’s Connect. If you are out toward Tybee on Sunday, you will want to be sure to catch the Sav’h Songwriter’s show at the Tybee Post Sunday evening.

There are lots of chances to see some music around town this week, so I hope to see some of you out and about. If you enjoy the music, don’t forget to drop some $$$ in the bucket, it will come back to you two-fold in positive karma.

Friday 29th
Johnny Octane – Rail Pub (7-10p)
Jason Bible, Matt Eckstine, Pat Bunger, AM Rodriguez – Jinx Songwriters Happy Hour (6-8:30)
Best Behavior, Generation Pill, The Lipschitz – Sentient Bean (8p, $5 donation, all ages)
Accomplices – Congess Street Social Club
Groovetown Assault – Wild Wing Cafe
McLovins, Kansas Bible Company – Barrelhouse South
Anxiety Junkies, Karbomb, On The Cinder – Jinx

Saturday 30th
CBDB, Groove Orient – Barrelhouse South
Train Wrecks – Congress Street Social Club
4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra – El-Rocko Lounge Grand Opening (117 Whitaker St)
Pussy Launcher, Gumps, ColorWorld, Between Symmetries, Jeff Two-Names & The Born Agains – Jinx

Sunday 1st
Wreckless Eric – Congress Street Social Club (5:30)
Pete Love, Markus Kuhlman, CC Witt, Wayne Martin – Savannah Songwriters at Tybee Post Theater

Monday 2nd
Craig Tanner & Mr Williams Open Mic – Abe’s On Lincoln

Tuesday 3rd
Jeremy Riddle – Foxy Loxy Cafe (7p, all ages)
Ben Keiser Band – Bay Street Blues
Eric Culberson Open Mic – Bayou Cafe

Duke Ellington Birthday Tribute at Armstrong – photos

by s_duke • April 27, 2016

Quick, name three American jazz Composers. Could you do it? I hope so. If not, then how about Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, David Axelrod, Thad Jones, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington just to name a few. Each artist in this list has shaped musical theory and creativity through all spectrums of the culture, from rock to rap — across the board and down the line.

Jazz is our music, born in America and smothered in gravy, a testament to all that is pure and divine. Do you have a drum set? Thank jazz. Have you ever used the word “cool”? Thank jazz. It’s in our bones and spawned from the grounds we tread upon. So, pour me some bourbon, pass the wine, light a smoke, tie one on, hit the play button, crank up the volume, and rip the knob off the stereo.

This past Sunday, Armstrong State University along with the Coastal Jazz Association and Savannah Jazz Orchestra put on “Rite of Swing“, a hell of a birthday tribute to one of the greats — Duke Ellington. With special guests saxophonist/flutist Alfred Waters and singer Priscilla Albergottie, Armstrong brought the world to a screeching halt for a couple of hours, playing some of Duke Ellington’s classic big band jazz songs. It was a sight to behold, and I’m ever humbled by the talent expressed there that day.

If you missed this event and want to get in on all things cool, then join the Coastal Jazz Association on Facebook. Also, keep an eye peeled out here at Hissing Lawns to catch all the information surrounding the next Jazz concert or event in Savannah.

A couple of photos here, with more after the jump:

Read more →

Rock And Roll Prom: Sci-Fi Edition at The Jinx – photos

by Peterson Worrell • April 26, 2016

Admittedly, I was never one for prom in high school. The over-the-top decorations, the excessively formal outfits, the dread of trying to find a date, wait, let’s forget about that last part.

Anyway, now that I’m in my 20s and nostalgia pangs have begun to hit in full, I relish everything that Rock And Roll Prom, now in its third year, brings with it. The garish costumes, the ability to (legally) have a few drinks, and, most importantly, the awesome display of bands that comes along with it. This year, Savannah’s own The Hypnotics, COEDS, and The Wave Slaves provided the perfect set list for the prom that I’ve always wanted. While I was a little too busy manning the photobooth to get shots of the bands (it is prom after all, you’ve got to have a photo memory), I did get a few stellar shots of the attendees having a blast. Check them out and make sure you make prom next year if you missed out!

Read more →

Colin Gilmore & Velvet Caravan at Tybee Post Theater – photos

by JWaits • April 24, 2016

Texas songwriter Colin Gilmore and Savannah’s own Velvet Caravan have been in the midst of a mini-tour over the last week, after successful performances together at SxSW. More than once I overheard the comment ‘I wish these guys would do this collaboration more often’ while I was shooting the show for the Tybee Post Theater last night. Fortunately there is one more chance to hear these friends & musicians on this run, tonight in Bluffton, South Carolina at the Roasting Room Lounge. I guarantee the lineup, and the music that they’re creating together is more than worth a short drive over the bridge.

Here are a few highlight photos, with more after the jump. Thanks to the venue for allowing me to use some of the shots for this post.

Colin Gilmore

Colin Gilmore & Velvet Caravan

Velvet Caravan

Read more →

Larry Jack’s Magical Music Tour – 4/21/16 – 4/26/16

by Larry Jack Sammons • April 21, 2016

Hey guys,
Every night this week has some good music, but Friday’s shows look especially exciting. The Jinx Prom is always a good time. I have been waiting on Come Back Alice to return for quite a while now. And Stereo Reform usually puts on a fun show. And the Wormhole has a good night of rock from a few of Savannah’s best prog-rock bands. I am hoping to make it to all of the listed shows at once, but that may be kinda hard to do.

I’d also like to remind everyone that the Connect Best Of voting ends tomorrow. I hope some (most?) of you will consider voting for hissing lawns for best blog and/or website. Thanks.

Thursday 4/21
Morning Fatty (FL funk-rock) – Barrelhouse South
Waits & Co (Sav’h Americana) – Molly MacPherson’s

Friday 4/22
Wave Slaves (Sav’h surf rock), Hypnotics (Sav’h garage rock), COEDS (Sav’h rawk) – Jinx Rock n’ Roll Prom
Come Back Alice (FL gypsy funk), Signal Fire (NC reggae-rock) – Barrelhouse South
Stereo Reform (SC Dance-a-funk-a-rock-a-tronic) – Congress Street Social Club
Star Period Star (Sav’h progressive), Culture Vulture (Sav’h instrumental progressive rock), Clandestiny – Wormhole

Saturday 2/23
Johnny Octane Band (Sav’h rockabilly) – Basil’s
Lord Nelson – Congress Street Social Club
Mobley, Miquel Moure (Sav’h rock) – Wormhole
NoNeed (FL reggae-rock), Part One Tribe (FL reggae) – Barrelhouse South
Roadkill Ghost Choir (Athens folk-rock), Nightingale News (Sav’h rock) – Jinx ($10)

Tuesday 26th
Ray Lundy (Sav’h blues) – Foxy Loxy Cafe
Clouds & Satellites (Sav’h rawk) – Foxy Loxy Cafe
Ben Keiser Band (Sav’h blues-rock) – Bay Street Blues

Q & A with Coy Campbell of Nightingale News

by s_duke • April 21, 2016

“Music has always been a matter of Energy to me, a question of Fuel. Sentimental people call it Inspiration, but what they really mean is Fuel. I have always needed Fuel. I am a serious consumer. On some nights I still believe that a car with the gas needle on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio.”
― Hunter S. Thompson

Around the first of the year, Nightingale News signed a deal through Savannah label Bomb Shelter Records. Now, with the blood still fresh on their hands, the band has made strong strides out of the gate and is in production on a new album, with an undisclosed release date. The group has managed to find time away from recording to play two concerts in the near future. You can catch them this Saturday, April 23^rd at The Jinx, where they’ll be playing with Roadkill Ghost Choir.

Nightingale News’ sound is a whirlwind mix of bluegrass/southwestern rock, the kind that will knock you on your ass if you come within earshot without the proper precautions, and I have no doubt they will leave someone in the audience in need of serious medical attention. Their presence is heavy, and they pull that weight through the sludge with a driving rhythm and thunderous lyrics that set fire to hearts and burn down souls. I should know. I’ve been one of the victims they’ve floored during a show.

Earlier this week I had a chance to catch up with Coy Campbell, lead singer and frontman for the band, at his home here in Savannah. It was god awful late in the evening; the sun had already put most children to bed. Coy was in between band rehearsals and looked worn thin when he answered the door. But, after greeting me with big smile and warmly inviting me into his home, he immediately went to his piano to quietly tinker with something while I placed myself and set up the bombardment of questions.

The house was quiet when I finished my prepping, so I watched him panning over sheets of music for a while. I’ve seen this before, I thought. He’s possessed, a man holding himself up against the coals of a fire still warm with things that haunt one’s mind. I was captivated, cause if that kind of passion won’t carry over onto the people surrounding it then those in witness have no soul. How can you not admire someone that will put so much of themselves into a concept that it physically drains them? You can’t. I didn’t. And, I wasn’t about to become one of those soulless bastards that observes something like that and blows it off as ordinary.

Coy has a strong presence about him. You can see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice when he gets rolling on that which strikes his gusto. He’s a southern gentleman at heart with strong ties to Texas and South Georgia, a military brat that never set roots down for long but has always felt the call that every true southerner can hear from any far reaching corner of this dark and depraved world.