XIU XIU + THE MARSHMALLOW GHOSTS @ LODGE OF SORROWS
WED OCT 18 | 7:30 PM

The San Jose experimental rock outfit has been locating unknown boundaries to push hard for more than 20 years. Frontman Jamie Stewart cites the unlikely combination of multi-genre singer Nina Simone, Australian icon Nick Cave’s first band The Birthday Party, and British synthpop veterans Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark as inspirations. If you’re wondering how that works, you’re not alone. But it does. The live material is different than the recorded, with emphasis on “the loud rock parts.” The experience is unique, and their latest record “Ignore Grief” proves they have the same energy and style-bending curiosity they had in 2002. The mysterious Marshmallow Ghosts, a Graveface Records act, start the show with Halloween-flavored pop aimed at horror movie fans who probably like Xiu Xiu.

Punk rock can be defined in so many ways. From elementary musicianship mated with an unquenchable desire to just get out there and rock (fake it ‘til you make it) to serious musicians with a punk rock soul who cram whatever sounds they want to in the music. Gogol Bordello became well-known for adding Eastern European and gypsy sounds into their punk rock. Zeta is gaining some of that same recognition. The Venezuelan band gently forces world music into their style, with synths, bongos, and trombones creating a unique, frenetic sound you probably have not heard. They’ve been a DIY powerhouse for nearly 20 years for a reason. Local annihilators The Holy Ghost Tabernacle Choir are headed in that same direction. Blending hardcore, metal, metalcore, and hardmetalcore, they basically pummel audiences with sound and fury—but from a place of love for all. They dropped a killer EP in July, their crushing debut “Slow Murder” was just remixed and released last week, and they are about to head out on a 27-date national tour. Send them off the Hostess City way: drunk and having a great time. Virginia’s Tan & Handsome and Savannah’s Oshiner give posers early warning to run.

Blues rock acts typically have one lead guitar player, but very few (maybe just one?) have two and zero bass players. That’s the kind of stripped-down blues rock Boston’s GA-20 plays, and it is by design, based on acts they’ve always enjoyed who lack a bass player. The absence of the low end is more than compensated for by Pat Flaherty, who might be related to ELO’s Jeff Lynne, and Charlie Musselwhite disciple Matt Stubbs. One of their bassless heroes, Hound Dog Taylor, was the subject of a 2021 release. Their most recent, “Crackdown,” is their third to debut at the top of the Billboard Blues charts and features looser arrangements with elements of rock, country, and Ramones-style punk.

The Lake Charles, La. comic keeps her act fresh by infusing storytelling and “improv rock and roll” into her stand-up work. Her skill and stage presence have led to her winning NPR’s Snap Judgment Comedic Performance of the Year two times. It has also led to a slew of acting roles on “The Mandalorian,” “American Horror Story,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Kober is also a regular on Apple TV’s “The Browns” sitcom. Her sweet Southern twang is engaging. It adds an extra layer of fun to stories that explain the 18 steps it took to take pictures before the iPhone, an inability to resist Girl Scout cookies and the brand’s mission creep, and how her nieces make both more complicated. Fellow Southern comic Jeff D gets your funny bone primed.

The king of combovers, Neil Hamburger, is the alter-ego of American entertainer Gregg Turkington. He’s a legend in the scene, performing for three decades and appearing on stages worldwide, including the biggest of them all, Madison Square Garden. The act is a cartoonish exaggeration of a gross and creepy personality with the social skills of a walnut. There are abstract mental meanderings that sometimes have a point but often do not, and absurdist commentary on a host of topics in his trademark gravelly voice. Some think it’s just a mask to say things you can’t say, which is perfectly fine and has a long history in stand-up. Hamburger’s cult following says a lot about how he’s managed to carve out a one-man niche in comedy. You must pay attention to get the maximum out of it, but his appearance and body language alone can do all the side-splitting needed to enjoy.

This article appears in Connect Savannah | October, 2023.