Elsewhere in this issue, you'll find a story profiling Soft Science Records and its Jan. 9 record release show at Hang Fire. It's a band-rich week, at several locales, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
It's great to welcome Hang Fire back to the ranks of Savannah clubs spotlighting live music (or DJs, or drag shows — whatever works for ya). The club was more or less inactive for a while there, live music-wise, but these days, it seems Hang Fire has a whole lot of the coolest shows in town.
Among our lovely city's visiting artists this week: Perfect Pussy, a distortion-driven thrash punk band from Syracuse, sharing Saturday's Hang Fire bill with our own Tonto and Crazy Bag Lady. Frontwoman Meredith Graves is a screaming banshee, spitting perversely poetic (and sometimes, personal-pain-induced) lyrics that are more felt than understood. Represented by a four-song cassette(!) called I have lost all desire for feeling, Perfect Pussy is currently at work on a debut full-length.
There are two live shows at Graveface Records this weekend. On Friday, Jan. 10, Beach Weather, Edward Appleby and Black Dust play at 7 p.m. The first two are experimental pop musicians from Alabama, and homegrown Black Dust is P.M. Goerner (guitar wizard from of Blackrune) and Ryan McCardle (of the "folk noir" duo mumbledust). They'll play a "short ambient" set.
Beach Weather's single "Dreamboat" creates a gorgeous, minimalist pop landscape. It sounds like Art Garfunkel singing a long-lost Beach Boys song. The "band" is a guy from Mobile named Henry Armbrecht.
On Sunday (the 12th), things get a tad more abrasive at Graveface. This show (also at 7 p.m.) brings in the D.C. punk band Priests, supported by Savannah's Forced Entry and Crazy Bag Lady.
Both in-store shows are free, although a nice donation in support of touring and local bands is always welcome.
At the Jinx on Friday the 10th: The heavily hardcore Sins of Godless Men (once known as Howler), with bass and drums from Jeremiah Stuard and Donald Moats (from the currently-inactive Whaleboat), guitar from Greg Rettig and drums by Duncan Iaria, along with Rincon's killer electric blues trio Burning Mansions and the Atlanta punk band the Hotels.
Short stuff
• Look no more for the Accomplices this weekend. Our favorite Savannahian Americana gang is playing at the first Tamp & Tap event, 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 at Perc Coffee Roasters, 1802 E. Broad St. It's a beer-sampling event, with food (for separate purchase) from the Jepson Café and Angel's BBQ. Perc and Southbound Brewing are pouring their new seasonal collaboration, Moonlight Drive. Get $20 advance tickets at brownpapertickets.com. ID required, of course.
• Terrific to welcome back Lucia Garcia, aka Electric Grandma, who's been on a soul-searching (and family-visiting) trip out west. She returns this week to play at the Sentient Bean (Friday, Jan. 10) with the Richmond, Virginia duo Lobo Marino. According to Laney Sullivan (she's half of the twosome), "Lobo Marino is a mix of tribal, folk and world music featuring the harmonium, drum and various other unique instruments and voices. At its core it is the musical response to the continuous travels and ongoing spiritual journey of its members." I couldn't have said it better myself.
• A reminder that the Atlanta drag adventure Legendary Children appears this week (Thursday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m.) at Dollhouse Productions. The group is accompanied by an extraordinary and unique photo exhibit, from "six gay Southern" photographers.
And the next night (that'd be the 10th) Savannah's House of Gunt drag/performance troupe takes the Hang Fire stage at 10.
• Our good friends in the Dirty Dolls Burlesque Revue are back this week. Ms. Mary Contrary and the South's most sizzling all-lesbian burlesque trio will raise the roof at Club One Friday, Jan. 10 at 11:30 p.m.
• Baltimore's Chiffon (Chase O'Hara and Amy Reid) has a Jan. 17 Hang Fire date, playing bizarre lounge pop alongside Meth Dad (Nashville-based electro dance party music) and Savannah popster Boy Harsher.
• Cusses are back in town Feb. 1, for a show at the Jinx with Bear Fight.
• Martin Sexton will be at the Wormhole Feb. 5. Tickets are on sale now at the club's website.
• A ways off but worth noting: That delightful gypsy jazz ensemble Velvet Caravan kicks off the Congregation Mickve Israel concert series March 2, in the synagogue. Advance tickets for the 3:30 p.m. performance are $15 (they'll be $20 at the door). Call (912) 233-1547, extension 301.
• The exemplary singer/songwriter Jefferson Ross returns Jan. 25 for a Sentient Bean show (with Lauren Lapointe). Jeff, who recently left Savannah for new digs in Nashville (shortly after the release of his Isle of Hope CD) will also play the Savannah Songwriters show next day at Johnny Harris Restaurant. He was one of the founders of the local songwriter roundup back in 2012.
• If you're following the adventures of Tom Kohler, et al and their Savannah Rocks! project (see Jessica Leigh Lebos' fine story in this issue), the Feb. 7 live concert event is in the planning stages — there's nothing to announce yet, but I can say that I'll be on the stage, too — in some capacity. Keep it here as details unfold.
