Ben Folds
This critically-acclaimed pianist and songwriter has come into his own since bursting onto the scene with his first notable group The Ben Folds Five. Of late, he’s been performing with various symphony orchestras around the globe, and –get this– producing the flat-out stupendous Has Been CD for Star Trek icon (and famed Goldenthroat) William Shatner. Sold out for almost a month, but one might find a ticket on the street beforehand. Sat., 8 pm, Trustees Theater.
Reed Waddle
With every A & R guy in the country looking for the next John Mayer or Dave Matthews, it’s no wonder this young Florida guitarist has been playing so many showcases over the past few years. The 2-time Intl. Songwriting Competition Finalist (out of over 10,000 entries) has been courted by everyone from Island to Atlantic – but still no takers. Regardless, he has the chops, the accessible voice (comparable to the young Van Morrison or Adam Duritz – whoops, same thing), the boyish good looks, and the killer band of classically-trained ringers. His DIY albums are selling well, and if he’s smart, he may just sign with AWARE and forget about this major label nonsense... Fri., JJ Cagney’s.
1st Tybee Island Pirate Fest
This pirate-themed weekend includes food vendors, arts and crafts, and plenty of free live entertainment. Friday night at Café Loco, Jude Michaels and Hound Dog provide live music. The YMCA will offer child care for kids 3 - 12 and a Pirate Costume Party for teens that night. Saturday, there’s live music from 4 pm till 11 pm at the South Beach Parking lot and Pier. The headliner will be Zydeco star Chubby Carrier &The Bayou Swamp Band. Sunday at 2:30 pm, Jason Courtenay & Hazzard County play country and Southern rock favorites, and from 6:30 pm till 11 pm, there’s an adult-oriented Costume Party with Jah Creations, a touring reggae band. For more info and a complete schedule of events, check out www.tybeepiratefest.com.
Red Cross Benefit: "Voices"
Another hastily-organized fundraiser to help aid hurricane victims in the ravaged Gulf Coast, this musical gala was planned by vocalists Roger Moss and Trae Gurley, and features Huxsie Scott, Kim Polote, John Bell's Big Band, the Savannah Arts Academy Choir, the Skylite Jazz Band, Hilton Head Prep School Choir, the Gretchen Green Dancers, the East Coast Praise Team, and the cast of Jukebox Journeys. Tickets can be purchased at the Lucas Theater Box Office, and are $15 for general admission or $50 for includes seating and a reception catered by some of Savannah's finest restaurants. Sun., 7:30 pm, Lucas Theater.
Jeanne Flight, Emergency Broadcast System, The Talk
Triple bill of newish indie-rock bands that are all influenced (in varying degrees) by both the golden age of new wave and the post-punk noise-rock movement.
Jeanne Flight is a boisterous local quartet that rocks hard in an off-kilter, Talking Heads-ish way. Until very recently, EBS was known as The Fashion Brigade. Before trading in that name, this N.C. four-piece hired engineers Doug Easley and Stuart Sikes (The White Stripes, Jeff Buckley, Cat Power, Sonic Youth) to helm their new EP. It’s a brisk and brash 27 minutes of distorted drums and grinding guitar/synth lines that’s shot through with the ghosts of Joy Division and early Cure. The Talk, on the other hand, has a new CD that’s more maudlin than their breathtaking debut, but still flirts with electroclash rhythms and Cheap Trick mannerisms. Cathartic mood music for the Izod cardigan set. Sat., 10 pm, The Jinx.
The Forty-Fives
Taking their cues from such legendary acts as The MC5 and The Sonics (and from such kinda-sorta-legendary groups as The Woggles and The Gories), these fantabulous Atlanta garage revivalists play jacked-up, Hammond-heavy rave-ups that evoke flashbacks to the glory days of tinny, British Invasion singles by The Who, and Creation. Once they start, they don’t let up until you’re as soaked in sweat as they are. Fri., 10 pm, The Jinx.
"History of The Rock Poster"
In the world of collectable poster art, Paul Grushkin is the king. A noted archivist and expert on the evolution and artistic worth of this integral part of the music business, he’s co-authored landmark reference books like The Art of Rock: From Presley To Punk, which many consider “the bible” of rock posters. He’s just completed the long-awaited follow-up to that coffee-table tome, and it focuses on the resurgence of activity on this front over the past 15 years. in addition to this free, SCAD-sponsored lecture, Grushkin will also take part in The Poster Explosion Art Show the following night at 7 pm at The Jinx, answering questions and signing items. That show is sponsored by Drowning Creek Art Gallery, an adjunct of the Seppuku Tattoo parlor, specializing in new and vintage poster art of the rock concert variety. Many of the artists featured in Grushkin’s book will be on hand throughout the weekend at Drowning Creek’s Thunderbolt location. Call 351-0565 for more info. Thurs., 9 pm, Trustee’s Theater.
This critically-acclaimed pianist and songwriter has come into his own since bursting onto the scene with his first notable group The Ben Folds Five. Of late, he’s been performing with various symphony orchestras around the globe, and –get this– producing the flat-out stupendous Has Been CD for Star Trek icon (and famed Goldenthroat) William Shatner. Sold out for almost a month, but one might find a ticket on the street beforehand. Sat., 8 pm, Trustees Theater.
Reed Waddle
With every A & R guy in the country looking for the next John Mayer or Dave Matthews, it’s no wonder this young Florida guitarist has been playing so many showcases over the past few years. The 2-time Intl. Songwriting Competition Finalist (out of over 10,000 entries) has been courted by everyone from Island to Atlantic – but still no takers. Regardless, he has the chops, the accessible voice (comparable to the young Van Morrison or Adam Duritz – whoops, same thing), the boyish good looks, and the killer band of classically-trained ringers. His DIY albums are selling well, and if he’s smart, he may just sign with AWARE and forget about this major label nonsense... Fri., JJ Cagney’s.
1st Tybee Island Pirate Fest
This pirate-themed weekend includes food vendors, arts and crafts, and plenty of free live entertainment. Friday night at Café Loco, Jude Michaels and Hound Dog provide live music. The YMCA will offer child care for kids 3 - 12 and a Pirate Costume Party for teens that night. Saturday, there’s live music from 4 pm till 11 pm at the South Beach Parking lot and Pier. The headliner will be Zydeco star Chubby Carrier &The Bayou Swamp Band. Sunday at 2:30 pm, Jason Courtenay & Hazzard County play country and Southern rock favorites, and from 6:30 pm till 11 pm, there’s an adult-oriented Costume Party with Jah Creations, a touring reggae band. For more info and a complete schedule of events, check out www.tybeepiratefest.com.
Red Cross Benefit: "Voices"
Another hastily-organized fundraiser to help aid hurricane victims in the ravaged Gulf Coast, this musical gala was planned by vocalists Roger Moss and Trae Gurley, and features Huxsie Scott, Kim Polote, John Bell's Big Band, the Savannah Arts Academy Choir, the Skylite Jazz Band, Hilton Head Prep School Choir, the Gretchen Green Dancers, the East Coast Praise Team, and the cast of Jukebox Journeys. Tickets can be purchased at the Lucas Theater Box Office, and are $15 for general admission or $50 for includes seating and a reception catered by some of Savannah's finest restaurants. Sun., 7:30 pm, Lucas Theater.
Jeanne Flight, Emergency Broadcast System, The Talk
Triple bill of newish indie-rock bands that are all influenced (in varying degrees) by both the golden age of new wave and the post-punk noise-rock movement.
Jeanne Flight is a boisterous local quartet that rocks hard in an off-kilter, Talking Heads-ish way. Until very recently, EBS was known as The Fashion Brigade. Before trading in that name, this N.C. four-piece hired engineers Doug Easley and Stuart Sikes (The White Stripes, Jeff Buckley, Cat Power, Sonic Youth) to helm their new EP. It’s a brisk and brash 27 minutes of distorted drums and grinding guitar/synth lines that’s shot through with the ghosts of Joy Division and early Cure. The Talk, on the other hand, has a new CD that’s more maudlin than their breathtaking debut, but still flirts with electroclash rhythms and Cheap Trick mannerisms. Cathartic mood music for the Izod cardigan set. Sat., 10 pm, The Jinx.
The Forty-Fives
Taking their cues from such legendary acts as The MC5 and The Sonics (and from such kinda-sorta-legendary groups as The Woggles and The Gories), these fantabulous Atlanta garage revivalists play jacked-up, Hammond-heavy rave-ups that evoke flashbacks to the glory days of tinny, British Invasion singles by The Who, and Creation. Once they start, they don’t let up until you’re as soaked in sweat as they are. Fri., 10 pm, The Jinx.
"History of The Rock Poster"
In the world of collectable poster art, Paul Grushkin is the king. A noted archivist and expert on the evolution and artistic worth of this integral part of the music business, he’s co-authored landmark reference books like The Art of Rock: From Presley To Punk, which many consider “the bible” of rock posters. He’s just completed the long-awaited follow-up to that coffee-table tome, and it focuses on the resurgence of activity on this front over the past 15 years. in addition to this free, SCAD-sponsored lecture, Grushkin will also take part in The Poster Explosion Art Show the following night at 7 pm at The Jinx, answering questions and signing items. That show is sponsored by Drowning Creek Art Gallery, an adjunct of the Seppuku Tattoo parlor, specializing in new and vintage poster art of the rock concert variety. Many of the artists featured in Grushkin’s book will be on hand throughout the weekend at Drowning Creek’s Thunderbolt location. Call 351-0565 for more info. Thurs., 9 pm, Trustee’s Theater.
