WITHOUT DELVING into a rant about the disregard that the city has toward people under 21 and their access to shows (ah, we’d be here all day), it really is such an incredible time in Savannah’s scene. That general culture of apathy that Savannahnians have so long been associated with has been extinguished with an unstoppable, pro-active attitude and lots of creative thinking. The last two years have found alt and DIY spaces flourishing (sure doesn’t hurt that we’ve now got a healthy punk/hardcore scene).
Timothy Walls, who recently returned to Savannah, booked and promoted Lowcountry shows from 1999-2004. He got his start by renting out American Legions in town, bringing in such talent as Coheed and Cambria, The Casualties, and Superdrag. After taking care of family for some time, he has moved back to Savannah ready to delve right back in and explore alternative spaces.
There’s a delightful irony in, while looking for a way to get around the city’s laws that prohibit people under 21 from entering live music clubs, Walls looked to the city itself for a venue. And he found the perfect spot, hiding right under our noses: The Black Box Theatre at the corner of Henry and Whitaker. It’s situated in a neighborhood populated with students, and, in addition to having a hard-to-come-by parking lot, is an easy walk or bike ride away from downtown and Victorian District landmarks.
This is the first in what Walls hopes to be a series of all-ages endeavors. The effort kicks off with an all-local bill: Broken Glow, channeling the guitar greats of 70’s glam; Bent out of Shape, delivering dirty rock n’ roll with a wide gait and grungy swagger; and Star Period Star, Savannah’s progressive post-rockers.
“The youth in Savannah seems hungry for rock right now,” Walls observes. “We have more recording studios, indie record stores, festivals, and venues than I can remember in the 30 years I’ve lived here. There’s too much creativeness in this town to go unnoticed.”
