The week's big news is the 2012 Savannah Stopover, the second one. As in its inaugural year, the multi-band, multi-venue celebration of indie music will take place over four days - in this case, March 7-10.
The Savannah Stopover brings in bands (and artists) that don't, as a rule, include Savannah on their regular touring itineraries. Instead, Stopover organizers get them as they're making their way to Austin's SXSW, the biggest and most prestigious indie showcase in the country (the premise being, as long as they're on the road and Texas-bound, why not offer them a quick gig here?)
The schedule will be announced in January, but this much we know: The March 7 opening will include a kickoff concert and Band Poster Art Opening at the Jepson Center.
"Early bird" four-day passes are available now ($45) at savannahstopover.com. Starting Dec. 15, full passes are $75, with a one-day pass going for $30.
Straight up
A new show has been added to the increasingly impressive Savannah Civic Center lineup. It's not happening until May 5, but tickets have already gone on sale, so here's your heads-up.
It's Straight No Chaser, the all-male a capella vocal group that we've all seen on PBS. The group started at Indiana University in the mid 1990s, and is still active there - the professional touring ensemble (10 guys) consists of former members and long-graduated IU students.
Although these swingin' singin' hepcats are probably best known for holiday music (their jazzy take on "The 12 Days of Christmas" is a YouTube phenomenon), their repertoire includes Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber tunes - and the show, from all accounts, is a load o'laughs.
"A music career was definitely not on my radar," said founding member Randy Stine. "Getting the guys back together, not just for someone's wedding or bachelor party, but to spend the majority of the year together touring and recording, is a dream come true. I pinch myself all the time and hope it continues and becomes a longstanding career."
Tickets for the May 5 performance are $29.50-$44.50 at etix.com.
And now, this
@ A housekeeping note: It turns out the Feb. 2 Eric Church Savannah Civic Center concert will he held in the Martin Luther King Jr. Arena, not the Johnny Mercer Theatre as reported in this column last week. My bad.
@ John Hughes' good ol' Home Alone will be screened at the Lucas Theatre Friday, Dec. 16, as a benefit for America's Second Harvest of Coastal Georgia. Admission is by donation of at least one non-perishable food item per person.
@ The Accomplices' debut CD Canned Beans was reviewed in last week's issue of Connect, and the Savannah band will throw a CD release party Dec. 16 at American Legion Post 135 (on Bull Street). The Accomplices will perform, as will Niche and the Train Wrecks.
@ You can hear "The Wait is Over," a song from Cusses' soon-to-be-released full-length, at soniccloud.com/cussesmusic/the-wait-is-over. The album is to be self-titled.
