HELLO SUMMER FIESTA @ SOUTHBOUND BREWERY
SAT MAY 4 | 1:30 PM
If this lineup doesn’t get you ready for warm weather and a rockin’ summer, you might be dead. A day before Cinco de Mayo (but who’s counting?), you’ll be surrounded by vats of beer, 10 bands, and people with excellent taste all day long. The party starts early with dream pop from Crimson Fever, grunge from Lilakk, indie alt-rock from Kicklighter and experimental rock from Klept, all Savannah bands. Florida’s Glazed brings some Jacksonville indie rock to the fest. Nekromance drops a heavy dreamo set before the final three close it out. Most locals know The Maxines for their ferocious riot grrrl metal and grunge, as well as vocalist AJ Grey stalking the stage with the presence of someone eight feet tall selecting a target. Donna Savage is as reliable as a Honda 4-cylinder engine, never blowing a chance to entertain the crowd with the finest surf rock available. Perhaps the most exciting band on the bill is CHEW (pictured), a potent Atlanta instrumental trio that blends funk, rock, and prog and is driven by the unbelievable drumming of Sarah “Snare-uh” Wilson. Despite ten bands ready to rock, don’t be surprised if she ends up being the star of the show.
BLOODKIN @ EL ROCKO
THU MAY 2 | 8 PM
West Virginia natives Eric Carter and Danny Hutchens became friends at age seven. They grew up playing sports and then music and eventually headed south to Athens for fame and fortune, or at least many more chances to play their music. Play they did, and over 25 years they built a Southern rock band that didn’t gain the desired commercial success, but they did earn huge respect. After a 10-year hiatus, they regrouped and picked up right where they left off. Tragedy struck in 2021 when Hutchens passed away far too young at 56. But Carter and Bloodkin soldiered on, and the final record made with Hutchens, the acclaimed 15-song double LP “Black Market Tango,” gives the band much to work with. Bloodkin is known for solid songwriting (about 500 of them!), evocative lyrics, and an undeniable Southern soul. Despite the unfillable void, the band continues to pay respect to their lost mate and the audience that has supported them for decades.
LEOPARD AND THE DIAMOND SKY + PINK PEUGEOT + BERO BERO @ THE WORMHOLE
FRI MAY 3 | 7 PM
Psych-rock and synth-pop addicts rejoice: The Wormhole has your fix. Charleston’s Leopard and the Diamond Sky play chilled-out, dreamy mood music. It’s dark and gothic sometimes, and bright and (almost) sunny here and there. The lo-fi vibe captures enough classic pop to be accessible, but they are clearly doing their own thing. Savannah duo Pink Peugeot gets a lot done with two people thanks to drive and talent, unbridled creativity, and strong guitar work. Their successful experiments have earned them a loyal local following for a reason. Bero Bero, another synth-pop duo, is more like our very own Eurythmics, with the sensuality and vocals of Annie Lenox supplied by Veronica Garcia-Melendez, who absolutely crushed it at Space Prom.
TRUTH @ ELAN SAVANNAH
FRI MAY 3 | 10 PM
Christchurch, New Zealand natives Andre Fernandez and Tristan Roake make up the dubstep duo Truth. A sampling of their videos reveals how live their live shows are. Mesmerizing visuals, throbbing bass and a crowd losing its mind are just the start. It’s quite a production. The fuel for all the activity is world-class dubstep with face-melting drops and a heavy dose of breakbeat, drum & bass, 2-step, hip-hop and reggae. Aside from the live show, what sets them apart is the emotional quality of the songs, which is not an easy task in EDM. They’re community builders, offering a chance to catch feelz while shaking that ass and seeing strange and intriguing things that do not fall under “you’re just seeing things.” They’re really there. Like in reality.
JEREMY’S TEN – PEARL JAM TRIBUTE @ COACH’S CORNER
SAT MAY 4 | 7 PM
It’s hard to forget how huge Pearl Jam was in the early and mid-90s. The remnants of Seattle proto-grunge act Green River gave birth to both Mudhoney and another Seattle proto-grunge band, Mother Love Bone. Neither band was known outside of the region, but when MLB singer Andrew Wood did a poor Ian Curtis impression and overdosed on heroin just before they were to release their debut album, members Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament recruited handsome surfer Eddie Vedder, recommended by Red Hot Chili Peppers former drummer Jack Irons, and the rest is grunge and alt-rock history. Their debut album, half the namesake of Jeremy’s Ten (the other being their massive hit single), sold slowly at first but eventually became a monster, going platinum 13x. Jeremy’s Ten plays songs from that record and plenty from their other 11 records with passion and respect.
