SIERRA GREEN AND THE GIANTS @ DISTRICT LIVE
SAT JUN 22 | 8 PM
There’s much to live up to coming out of the 7th Ward in New Orleans. The home of jazz OG pianist Jelly Roll Morton, legendary R&B songwriter and producer Allen Toussaint, and woodwind solo originalist Sidney Bechet might make one wonder if there is something in the water there. If so, Sierra Green has imbibed an Olympic-sized swimming pool full of it because she’s breaking out from the more authentic NOLA music scene on Frenchmen Street to a national audience as the next big thing from the 7th Ward. Her soulful voice works wonders, and her backup band, The Giants, defines the phrase “the pros from Dover." Inspiring covers like Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing” showcase her depth. The band’s melodic originals were worked out with producers in NOLA and Nashville, including J.D. Simo, who collaborated with Beyoncé, Stevie Nicks and Jack White. The Crescent City noticed, Music City noticed, and now everyone else has the opportunity to jump on the bandwagon and groove to uplifting soul music from a true creative force brought up in a historical epicenter of the city where so much enduring American music was born.
DAMON & THE SHITKICKERS @ THE PARK AT EASTERN WHARF
THU JUN 20 | 6 PM
What more can be said about these guys that hasn’t already been said for the last who-knows-how-many years? Connect reporter Eric Curl put it bluntly: “If you’re a fan of live music and haven’t seen Damon & the Shitkickers, you either don’t live in Savannah or you need to get out more.” Spot on. If that’s you, take his sound advice, grab a lawn chair or a blanket, pay $0 for the show, and have a great time watching a honky-tonk country band that will undoubtedly be doing the same. Their St. Paddy's Day weekend show at Over Yonder was a perfect example. It wasn’t hard to tell the band, rocking a packed house, was having as much fun as the people dancing, hooting and hollering. An impromptu guest performance added spontaneity, and the friendly confines of Savannah’s best country and western bar were a perfect match. Outdoors at the Wharf, there’s more room to boogie, a possible cool breeze late in the day, and Squirrel’s Pizza steps away. Not the worst way to get the weekend started.
HARDWIRED – A TRIBUTE TO METALLICA @ VICTORY NORTH
THU JUN 20 | 8 PM
Tampa has been the epicenter of the American death metal scene for more than 35 years, boasting bands like Death, Deicide, and Obituary, who were all influenced by early Metallica. Hardwired, influenced by all of Metallica, made room for themselves in Metal City and the thriving tribute scene with a kill-'em-all rendition of the world’s most successful metal band. They are impressive enough that Metallica themselves invited Hardwired to play the night-before party of the Jon and Marsha Zazula tribute show. The Zazulas founded Megaforce Records out of their Rock ‘n Roll Heaven record store in New Jersey in the early 80s, launching Metallica to stardom and boosting seminal bands like Testament, Overkill, Ministry and Anthrax. For the big boys to ask you to perform during the celebration of their original, beloved patrons and legit pioneers in spreading the most inspiring metal ever, you have to be really good. According to James and Lars, Hardwired is, and who wants to argue with Lars?
BOMBSHELL INC. + SULTRESS + BONA LISA @ THE WORMHOLE
FRI JUN 21 | 9:30 PM
The Wormhole presents a triple-bill of hard rock bands fronted by women. Charleston’s Bombshell, Inc. employs that scooped-out guitar sound made famous by early thrash metal bands to deliver massive riffs and squealing solos. Their single “Casualty of Chaos” is exhibit A and is enough to convict them of felonious rocking. Bona Lisa rolls in from Columbia, South Carolina, led by husband-and-wife duo Donna and Andy Milikin. Similar to the headliner, they dodge between hard rock and metal with clear influences of mid-80s Ozzy and Judas Priest. They are reality-based enough to admit there is no reinventing the wheel happening here, just a band trying to “write the music that we would like to hear.” So refreshing. Savannah’s own stompin’ metal band Sultress rounds out the lineup with some chug-a-lug love.
YEHME2 + KALEIDOSCOPE CIRCUS @ ELAN SAVANNAH
FRI JUN 21 | 10 PM
As one-half of EDM powerhouse Flosstradamus, YehMe2 (née Josh Young) was riding high and lording over the EDM world with legendary festival appearances, popular remixes and hard-hitting beats. For whatever reason, the team split up and the Chicago native went solo, focusing on producing and studio work. That got off to an auspicious start with a remix of the late chaosmonger XXXTentacion’s Diplo-produced “Looking for a Star,” and two volumes of free mixtape stream “Steal This Mixtape.” His Lollapalooza 2020 live stream was a triumph, mixing dubstep and trap with distorted rock guitar, Lil Jon hollering beef, deep drops and stunning visuals. Speaking of, Savannah aerial acrobats and visual artists Kaleidoscope Circus is also appearing. Sure, it’s been tried before, but see with your own eyes just how high it gets at Elan with juggling fire accenting the syncopated flibbedy-BOOPs.
