THE MUMMY CATS @ EL ROCKO LOUNGE
FRI SEPT 15 | 9 PM
If you’ve noticed over the last few years, an endless progression of very good or better Nashville indie rock bands tour through Savannah regularly. The Mummy Cats fit in that groove but hail from Birmingham, Alabama. The commonality might be the right formula of influences, from 60s psychedelic pop with a modern rock sensibility to late 70s power pop. It could be how the sounds vary within broad parameters with an undeniable emphasis on song structure. Likely, it’s those and other elements, especially the individual band quirks, that set them apart. For The Mummy Cats, it’s vast expanse from the mellow, dreamy tunes to the harder, bombastic hard stuff. They’ll iterate on mid-tempo alt-rock, but suddenly turn it up to bend and blend the way Alice In Chains collapsed grunge inside a hard rock/metal shell. Savannah’s Just Rats are an intriguing trio, emerging as leaders of the neo-funk/rock/jazz/bossa nova scene. Garage denizens Crimson Fever open.
DAVID PERDUE @ THE WORMHOLE
SAT SEPT 16 | 8 PM
Unless you are visually impaired, you’ve already realized this is the Atlanta stand-up comic David Perdue. It’s a very safe bet he’s a lot funnier than David Perdue the insider trading aficionado with the footprints of both John Ossoff (is he even alive?) and Brian Kemp on his face, who adorably thinks of himself as a one-time “public servant.” Done laughing yet…? Okay. Start it up again at the Wormhole this Saturday night with the David Perdue you’d want to spend time with. His comic abilities were spotted early, earning a place on Atlanta Creative Loafing’s 2017 “People to Watch.” Since then, he’s worked with Kevin Hart, acted in “Love Is…” on OWN and “Bobcat Goldthwait’s Misfits and Monsters” on truTV, and (as required by law) hosts podcasts “Forth and Ten” (sports/comedy podcast) and “The Confused Caucus” (political comedy).
BASICALLY NANCY + BASTARDANE @ EL ROCKO LOUNGE
SAT SEPT 16 | 9 PM
Kicking around town since they were underage for the clubs they played in, the Basically Nancy story fits the old Virginia Slims ad slogan: You’ve come a long way, baby. Make no mistake, they’re nobody’s baby. They are a self-described sloppy punk cover band who stepped up and released a strong and slickly produced debut LP on the Graveface label last year. It’s loaded with attention-grabbing rockers that match the raw live sound and more proof hard work pays off. Sonically, it has the dials set close to Nirvana's In Utero or PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me, both Steve Albini-produced masterpieces. The grrrl power/man-killer lyrical themes and fuzzy, overdriven power trio song structures from the ‘93 PJ album get a modern reshuffle. Alternatively, think of a Frank Black-less power trio Pixies with Kim Deal singing lead and occasional sweet or threatening harmonies. This is their return home show after a two-week tour up I-95, the Midwest, and back. Savannah scene vets Bastardane man the territory that includes metal, hard rock, and an unusually loose, almost boogie-ish psychedelic groove that hits extra hard. Frontman Jake Dallas’ sneering baritone fits too well.
LIL’ ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS + EG KIGHT @ SHIPS OF THE SEA MARITIME MUSEUM
TUES SEPT 19 | 7 PM
The live music portion of the 2023 Savannah Jazz Festival kicks off with Blues Night, featuring Chicago’s Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials. The festival runs through Sept 24, with two absolute monster multi-hour free shows at Forsyth Park on Friday and Saturday nights. For the entire schedule, go to savannahjazz.com. On Tuesday night, the 30-year veterans of the Windy City’s massive and competitive scene bring their slide-guitar-heavy sound and soulful vocals for a hard-hitting night of Chicago blues. They’ve won a curio cabinet full of awards for their live shows and are known for energetic performances. Ed and company are the festival's first headliner, but fellow Chicago blues guitarist EG Kight will play the first bent note you hear. The Dublin, Ga. native has lent her talents to George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, and Taj Mahal. Her brand of Southern twang Chicago blues is the perfect opening act of the Savannah Jazz Festival.
CAESAR FRAZIER AND FRIENDS @ DISTRICT LIVE
WED SEPT 20 | 7:30 PM
If the smooth, mellifluous sound of a master playing the Hammond B3 organ doesn’t warm and soothe your soul, head to the nearest house of worship to see if you even have one. After making his bones in his early years as a touring keyboardist for Marvin Gaye and Lou Donaldson, Caesar Frazier began to concentrate on his solo material. He helped define an emerging genre, releasing three foundational funk-soul-driven albums, including perhaps the height of funk jazz Hammond B3 workouts, 75. He’s blending soul and jazz in new ways these days, and back on the road doing what he loves best: kicking it live. The friends he’s brought are jazz guitarist Jacques Lesure from Detroit, California-born saxophonist James Mahone, and Philadelphian drummer Vince Ector. This is a rare, seated event at District Live, but they may not be used much.
