THURSTON HOWELL – YACHT ROCK SPECTACULAR @ VICTORY NORTH
FRI JAN 5 | 8 PM
Fans of “Gilligan’s Island” know the namesake, and fans of live yacht rock performed at levels of smoothness never seen before know the band. You don’t have to be familiar with either to enjoy a night of mellow grooves and rock soft enough to float yer boat. Don an all-white outfit criminally incongruous with January, have a vibrant-colored fruity summer cocktail, and cruise to classic hits you know and love. Rock — gently — to Toto, Steely Dan, Carly Simon, Christopher Cross, Doobie Brothers, and the grand high exalted mystic infallible pope of the universal church of Yacht Rock, the great Michael McDonald. His unique vocal tone casts a smooth vibe over the proceedings, letting you sail into cocktail-enhanced musical oblivion.
ANDERS THOMSEN TRIO @ OVER YONDER
SAT JAN 6 | 3 PM
To call Anders Thomsen versatile could be the understatement of the year, and yes, it’s the first week of January. The Midwest product grew up on Opryland country, classic rock and roll, timeless blues and deep soul. The result is an absolute shredder on the six-string. With his trio of stand-up bass and drums complementing his skill, it’s clear why he’s shared the stage with legends like Chuck Berry, Martha Reeves, Billy Joe Shaver and Willie Dixon. The live show features classic hits from all the genres mentioned earlier and some of his own material. Weekend matinees aren’t as common in Savannah as in places like Austin, Texas, but getting it this good when it isn’t dark out is a welcome treat for live music freaks like us.
CHALK TALK + S’VILLES @ LODGE OF SORROWS
SAT JAN 6 | 7:30 PM
The self-proclaimed “coolest band ever” may or may not be, but you have to love the confidence. Based in Encinitas, California, the young ladies in Chalk Talk back up that brag on record and stage. Their big indie sound has a bedroom pop vibe, intense and sensual at times but softer and more disaffected at others. A shoegaze element exists when they turn it up, roaring like The Joy Formidable matched with The Jesus and Mary Chain. Very satisfying. Sharing the bill is Savannah’s “humidity-core” country rock trio S’villes. Any band that can get loud and twangy, play punk shows, and pay homage to the finest humpback American gangster sedan of the late 70s/early 80s is worth checking out.
NEVERFALL + RECTOPLASM @ EL ROCKO
SAT JAN 6 | 8 PM
It’s tough to say if thrash metal is now a revivalist genre or if it never died out. The mid-90s emergence of nü metal did put a dent in it. Even the mighty Slayer gave it a dip, for Baphomet’s sake! At the same time, next-wave thrash metal bands like France’s Gojira were forming and old-school purveyors like Overkill released five solid thrash records in the seven years from ’94-’00. However you judge it, most metal fans love them some thrash, and Greenville, SC’s Neverfall, gives it to you good and hard. Punishing cochlear nerves for about a decade, they are committed to the sound and the traditional topics of war, death, political bullshit, and other dark themes. And for those familiar with sex columnist Dan Savage’s savage troll of former senator Rick Santorum, the…ahem…deeper meaning Savage assigned to the politician’s surname is about what the opening band Rectoplasm has in mind. Details cannot be shared in a family publication, but if the sound is remotely inspired by it, this is going to be the kind of show where someone violates the mashed potatoes.
NICK MURPHY @ THE WORMHOLE
SAT JAN 6 | 8 PM
A Division III basketball scholarship was an achievement for a chess nerd, but it wasn’t what Nick Murphy sought in his life. He returned home, finished up at UGA, and realized comedy was calling. With the sheepskin and a tedious office job as backup, he went for it. If he didn’t, his mom would insist on something lame. More than eight years in, it is unknown how happy she is about his decision. Murphy’s act draws upon that relationship for many laughs, but it’s not just about her taking credit for all his hard work and hilarious observations. His delivery is as dry as Tucson in August, and Murphy doesn’t deny the serial killer look (he blames his eyebrows). It works with his material, and he has made himself a regular on Atlanta’s comedy scene.
This article appears in January 2024.
