MANAROVS + MEASUREMENT + DONNA SAVAGE @ STARLAND YARD
FRI APR 19 | 7:30
Here’s a stacked lineup to celebrate the release of Manarovs (pictured) sophomore album “Call Sign: Proton.” The local Ramonescore group does OG punk rock right. Aside from the genre namesake, fans of Descendents, Green Day, Bad Religion, and NOFX will pretty much love every Manarovs song, and if you don’t, there’s another one on the way in about two minutes. And now that you know their intergalactic call sign, please, no prank calls. The bass player was (or still is) a pro wrestling belt holder, and tomfoolery will be met with being suplexed from El Rocko to Uranus. Measurement, less than two years old, has a slick live sound and rides the line between hard rock and metal like old-school pros. Think Alice in Chains, only with a far more attractive lead singer. Surf rockers Donna Savage put on a wildly entertaining show with expert musicianship, extra reverb and hilarious mid-song banter from the Skeleton. Despite the obvious, the cost of living in Savannah remains better than most places, but all this rock for free is just rubbing the rest of the country’s nose in it.
THE HOWDIES + S’VILLES @ OVER YONDER
FRI APR 19 | 9 PM
Did you know there is service industry slang for half of a shot of liquor? If research is to be believed, it’s called a howdy (at least in Athens) and it’s when you want a little bit of inspiration, but not too much. The caveat is your bartender might have a heavy hand — common as crap in Savannah — so in the words of Jake LaMotta, “it defeats its own purpose.” Whatever the case, a duo from Georgia’s music-loving college town named their duo The Howdies in appreciation. The duo traveled different routes to traditional country. Austin Darnell started in basement punk rock bands before leading the country-ish Darnell Boys. Shoni Rancher was always a fan of the outlaws — Willie, Jerry Jeff and Waylon. They met at a fish fry and became friends working at a pizzeria. Auspicious, to say the least. And fortuitous. Songs came easy and they coalesced around a bluesy country foundation. They filled out the act with scene veterans and Old-school country minimalists S’Villes keep it simple, straightforward and very honky-tonk.
HOUSE OF GUNT: BLESSED X FEST @ LODGE OF SORROWS
FRI/SAT APR 19/20 | 8 PM
The annual two-night drag extravaganza is the 10th iteration of the Blessed Fest, and it promises to plumb new depths of depravity and glitter. Friday headliner Kylie Cloud (pictured in sexy robot guise) impressed enough at the Club One House of Gunt show last September that a repeat performance was demanded. DJ Pasquale from Atlanta spins all night. Saturday is the 420 shenaniganza with Atlanta DJ NSA, supported by Dip. Both nights feature an open strut with Ke’Shawn for those bold enough to step up and get down. Greg’s Famous provides festival visuals to keep you optically distracted and constantly entertained. If you enjoy drag, aren’t easily offended, and have a dark, shameless sense of humor, go both nights.
NEKROMANCE + THE MUMMY CATS + WEATHER EYE @ EL ROCKO
FRI APR 19 | 8 PM
Self-described as anything from heavy dreamo with a goth vibe to whatever genre makes you happy, Nekromance (pictured catching flies) could be defined as modern grunge with dark themes. Their October 2023 4-song EP “The Red Room” includes old-school punk workout “Who Brought a Knife to Bed?” Suffice it to say, they keep it interesting. Live, vocalist Ava Foster is a compelling performer but don’t sleep on the boys. They rock. The Mummy Cats, from Birmingham, know the Nashville modern rock formula well: 60s psychedelic pop with an alt-rock sensibility and influences of late 70s power pop. They write strong songs, can get big and loud or dreamy and mellow, with enough quirks to keep you guessing. Local noisemakers Weather Eye will open up a cloud of emo-inspired alt-pop and rain a rock show down all over you. Cool merch, too.
MORTUOUS + CEMETERY FILTH + HOMICYDE + LOBSTROSITY @ EL ROCKO
TUES APR 23 | 8 PM
When a respected site like metal-archives.com puts UK legends Bolt Thrower and Portland’s death-obsessed Witch Vomit on the list of similar bands, you have a lot to live up to. For 15 years, San Jose’s Mortuous has delivered crushing, uncompromising death metal that respects the Tampa roots of the genre, the Venom death metal style and Norwegian black metal. It sounds like the vicious assault that it is. Atlanta’s Cemetery Filth takes the speed up a notch, reaching Cryptic Slaughter-levels of cacophonous velocity. For fans of easy-listening adult contemporary who find themselves at a death metal show, S. Carolina’s Homicyde add some melody to their brutality. Still, the songs are mostly about violence and, you guessed it, death. And who else but local metal bosses Lobstrosity to open up for three veteran acts from out of town? They are more than up to the task and will thoroughly prime that ass for the evening’s beatings.
