A lot of the most interesting live music in Savannah isn’t announced far in advance – we’ve got a handful of clubs in town that bring in the best regional, and sometimes national, touring bands. The best thing to do is watch Connect each week; we’ll keep you updated as things are booked and announced.

This, on the other hand, is a calendar of concerts – spanning all genres of music – that have already been set in stone.

Savannah’s largest venue, the Savannah Civic Center, includes the gargantuan Martin Luther King Jr. Arena (which, admittedly, is rarely used for concerts any more) and the 2,500–seat Johnny Mercer Theatre (which is).

The Mercer, as a matter of fact, is where you’ll find the next two big ones: Pop/country crooner Kenny Rogers on Sept. 17, and blues guitar legend B.B. King on Sept. 29.

As always, these events are subject to last–minute change.

Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus: The American Spirit. At 8 p.m. Sept. 11, Lucas Theatre. $15–$50. In observance of the date, all–American music from Gershwin, Sousa and other composers.

Savannah Philharmonic: Chamber Concert. At 3 p.m. Sept. 12, Skidaway Island United Methodist Church. The brass quartet with works by Bach, Vivaldi, Gabrielli, Boyce.

Kenny Rogers. At 8 p.m. Sept. 17, Johnny Mercer Theatre. $45–$65. Yes, he’s still around and yes, he’s still a peerless country/pop vocalist.

Savannah Lyric Arts. “Everything in English,” the season debut from Savannah’s resident opera company. At 7 p.m. Sept. 17, Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, 429 Abercorn St. Works by Samuel Barber, Domenic Argento, Aaron Copland, Giancarlo Menotti, Stephen Foster, Jake Heggie and more. $20.

Art Rosenbaum and the Around the Globe Sea Chantey Singers. The title pretty much says it all. These guys sing traditional sailing songs in the folkloric tradition. At 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Ships of the Seas Museum. Free.

“Jazzy Picnic in the Park.” At 3 p.m. Sept. 26, Forsyth Park. The capper for the 2010 Savannah Jazz Festival – it’s free – features Spyro Gyra, Eric Mintel, the Savannah Jazz Orchestra with Marcus Roberts and Ben Tucker, and more.

B.B. King. At 7:30 p.m. Sept. 29, Johnny Mercer Theatre. $45–$65. Savannah’s own Train Wrecks open for the King of the Blues.

Brazilian Waves. Samba and bossa nova concert with Brazilian Waves and Carnival D’Brazil, at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Armstrong Atlantic State University Fine Arts Auditorium.

Yeasayer. At 8 p.m. Oct. 3, Trustees Theater. $22 advance, $25 day of show. The New York–based experimental rock trio describes what they do as “Middle Eastern–psych–snap–gospel.”

Drivin n’ Cryin. Kevn Kinney (that’s right, he spells it without an “i”) and the legendary Atlanta alt–rockers play the Tybee Island Pirate Fest Oct. 8.

Eddie Money. The ageless rock ‘n’ roller will be shakin’ at the Tybee Island Pirate Fest Oct. 9.

Karla Bonoff. The grand finale of the 2010 Savannah Folk Festival spotlights the legendary ‘70s singer/songwriter, with special guests Otis Taylor, Sam Pacetti and others. At 2 p.m. Oct. 10, Grayson Stadium.

Sugarland, with Little Big Town and Randy Montana. At 8 p.m. Oct. 14, Johnny Mercer Theatre. $39.50, $51.50. Country music concert starring Sugarland, the Grammy-winning trio with five Number One hits.

Steven Curtis Chapman: A Night of Hope With the Chapmans. At 7 p.m. Oct. 15, Johnny Mercer Theatre. Contemporary Christian music. Tickets: hisradio.com.

Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band. At 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, Randy Wood Guitars. $30. A rare local appearance from one of folk and bluegrass’ modern godfathers.

Turtle Island Quartet. At 8 p.m. Oct. 22, Lucas Theatre. $20–$55. Experiments in strings, with esteemed guests Mike Marshall (mandolin) and Cyrus Chestnut (piano).

Savannah Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus: The Dream of Gerontius. An oratorio by Edward Elgar. At 8 p.m. Oct. 22, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Told from the aspect of a dying soul, Gerontius, who guided by his guardian angel, begins his journey to meet his saviour. Artistic director Peter Shannon says this, of all the concerts in the 2010-2011 season, will be the one “not to be missed.”

Savannah Philharmonic: Chamber Concert. At 3 p.m. Oct. 24, Skidaway Island United Methodist Church. David Gee, cello and Lynne Mackey, piano. Works of Beethoven and Rachmaninoff.

John Jorgenson Quintet. At 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7, Randy Wood Guitars. $30. Stellar guitar, mandolin, banjo etc. from one of the American masters.

Robert McDuffie & the Venice Baroque Orchestra. A special fall show from the Savannah Music Festival – McDuffie, a Georgia–born violinist, will perform Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” along with “The American Four Seasons,” commissioned just for him by Philip Glass. At 6:15 p.m. Nov. 17 at the Lucas Theatre.

Mannheim Steamroller. Nov 24, Johnny Mercer Theatre. Synthesized holiday music. Tickets TBA.

Savannah Winds. Armstrong Atlantic State University’s resident wind symphony performs a commissioned composition by Philip Sparke at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30 in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

Claire Lynch. At 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3, Randy Wood Guitars. $30. Bluegrass singer/songwriter and well–known member of the Front Porch String Band.

Savannah Philharmonic and Chorus: Christmas With the Philharmonic. At 8 p.m. Dec. 17 and 18, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. It takes two nights to handle this whopper, with singalong carols, excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker and Handel’s Messiah and more. cs