THE DARTS + SUPER RESISTORS
WED JUN 17 | 8:30 PM | MOODRIGHT’S
For a band to properly pull off a retro sound, knowing the source material is essential. The leader of The Darts, Nicole Laurenne, lists The Seeds, The Animals, The Doors, and ? and the Mysterians as her garage rock favorites from the original era. These organ-fueled artists spoke to her and she, in turn, interprets the modern version as well as anyone out there.
Less crude than The Mummies and not as rockabilly as The Cramps, The Darts fuel their modern garage rock with that specific Farfisa-sounding organ tone. The guitars are thick and full, and her vocals drive the short, fun tunes to the sweet spot. Signed to Alternative Tentacles in 2018, label founder and former Dead Kennedys ringleader Jello Biafra co-produced their Snake Oil LP.
The all-female lineup has surely given plenty of up-and-comers a model, with local synth-flavored punk favorites Pixel Chix working in the broader milieu. If garage punk heavy on attitude and horror-psych influences is your thing, you can’t do much better.
An additional dose of ‘60s style comes from support act Super Resistors. The Savannah instrumental act floods their garage with a tidal wave of surf. The organ here is less garage-punk signature and more surf-spy soundtrack, like a movie about a longboarder who secretly eliminates assassins while hanging ten.
The star of the show, however, is the baritone saxophone. That instrument works as both a vocal replacement and a source of dark lounge atmosphere to the proceedings. The two bands offer a very strong one-two punch at a venue cool enough to offer Genesee Cream Ale, making the event a retro hat trick.
THE MAXINES + MEASUREMENT + BONNIE TRASH + ILLICIT VISION
THU JUN 18 | 7 PM | VICTORY NORTH COURTYARD
Victory North may be the best “fancy” small venue in town, hosting a slew of touring bands, local tribute shows, and the occasional local lineup. To expand their offerings, they’ve opened their backyard for more shows, and this one is loaded with reliable, well-known Savannah bands with an out-of-town guest worthy of your attention.
The Maxines are scene leaders who rarely have an off night. Their two grunge-leaning hard rock/metal LPs show they have studio chops and they prove their mettle on stage regularly, with frontwoman AJ Gray commanding the room.
Measurement also straddles the hard rock-metal line, with a bit more sludge than grunge, intriguing synths sprinkled here and there, and vocalist Jenn Carroll adding soul. The band’s veteran musicians, who did time in local legends Kylesa and Black Tusk, lay a formidable foundation for Carroll to stretch out her pipes. Rounding out the local trio, alt-rockers Illicit Vision, blend indie rock, punk, shoegaze, and metal for a heavier version of the genre. They’re not afraid to add tonnage and weirdness to songs that start off moody and calm. If Hum and Sebadoh had a kid, they might be it.
Joining the confab, and likely the least-known to the local crowd, is Bonnie Trash from Ontario, Canada. The goth rockers, led by twin sisters Emmalia and Sarafina Bortolon-Vettor, could hardly fit in this bill any better.
The contrast of a sultry, soaring vocalist backed by a dense and rich post-punk and horror-gaze band is a jackpot win. In many ways, it sounds like what Misfits were attempting on their debut LP Static Age. Songs aren’t complicated, vocals carry much of the weight, and the dials are set just right for the desired balance of fuzz, sleaze, and grime of the horror themes.
Metal Hammer called it “a blend of doom, goth, shoegaze and post-punk that is moody, heady and instantly captivating,” and they aren’t wrong. Brooklyn Vegan also raved. Despite the dreary themes, Bonnie Trash could be what saves our northern neighbors from the utter despair of $3,000 rent, a nine-hour ER wait, and the Maple Leafs’ 59-year Stanley Cup drought.
HELLHEART + SEASIDE MASSACRE + CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT + EMERSION
FRI JUN 19 | 7 PM | COASTAL EMPIRE BEER CO.
Kublai Kanine shows are many things, but subtle is not one of them. Nor is quiet, calm, mellow, or nuanced.
Their latest multi-sledgehammer-to-the-face bill is loaded with bruisers looking to bully you out of your annual audiologist budget. Hellheart is from Modesto, in California’s Central Valley. That bucolic, verdant land that could feed the entire nation also grows a metalcore/hardcore hybrid that sounds almost robotic in its relentlessness. The recorded music hints at melody and vocal harmonies, but live it’s a steamroller.
Fellow Golden Staters Seaside Massacre have a bit more old-school hardcore punk in their metalcore, keeping it more interesting than the norm. Another unexpected element is lyrical content that’s more personal, open to breaking tattooed tough-guy stereotypes. Catharsis comes in many forms.
Atlanta’s Close to Midnight turn the show into a cross-country metalcore thang. They occupy an unusual space of hard rock, almost commercially viable, with metalcore roots. What stands out is vocalist Jonathan Carrillo, who can actually sing. While screaming at full volume in every part of every song may look easy, not everyone can pull it off. Singing is even harder, especially over a very loud, aggressive sound.
Close to Midnight take it down a notch when appropriate, adding emotional depth not common and not always noticed when attempted. Local metalcore up-and-comers Emersion throw a level of Pantera-adjacent groove and chaos into their sonic stew, but it’s mainly metalcore. The guitars have a serrated edge, the vocals swerve from harmonious to “I am currently being dismembered” shrieks, and the stop-start stabbing riffs cut to the bone.
A WORTHWHILE REMINDER
TODAY AND EVERY DAY | ALL THE TIME | THE WORLD WE LIVE IN
In lieu of a fifth entry, Take Five wants to acknowledge something far more important than any single show. The Savannah live music scene was hit with two bits of awful news since the last column.
Local musician Oisin Daly of Xuluprophet passed away suddenly at age 38. This editor did not know him, but given the outpouring of grief posted online, many did, and he was loved, admired and appreciated.
To learn more, read the beautiful entries on the Instagram accounts of bandmate Xulu Jones @xuluguitarslinger and local guitarist Kevin Rose @kevinfrose.
The week also brought news that heavy music scene MVP Tanner Hamilton lost his left index finger, and possibly more, in an accident at work. Given that he plays in a number of bands, the injury is especially cruel.
But if you know him, you know he will be back and figure out how to proceed. The countless responses to his IG post are packed with the simple phrase “I love you.”
Those words matter. These are the reminders we never want and get too often.
Life and normalcy are fragile, and neither is guaranteed. Be sure to use that phrase when you can. Let the people in your world know they matter to you and be kind to those you don’t know.
The pain of loss never fully subsides and the things that divide us are not as important as love and human connection.
Music is one of the best ways to bring people together, realize the absurdity of surface conflict, and focus on the importance of community. Expect our vibrant, supportive, local scene to rise to the occasion.
INSIGHT + OBVIOUS LIARS + LILAKK
SAT JUN 20 | 9 PM | THE WORMHOLE
This Hostess/Holy City bill boasts a trio of Coastal Empire rock scene stalwarts that consistently deliver the goods. Insight’s progressive hard rock and metal are brightened by female lead vocals and a strong sense of melody.
Charleston’s Obvious Liars play hard rock with a strong alternative vibe. Once upon a time, this was packaged and marketed as grunge. The enduring sound has transcended that label, and the Liars’ version of it includes a strong dose of classic rock. Skilled vocalist Cole Ginn lifts the songs up several notches from the norm.
Savannah stalwarts Lilakk work in a similar hard rock-alternative-grunge vein, mining melody and matching riffs. The male-female lead vocals from Kirk and Calli Joiner are the band’s trademark, along with just enough of a Southern feel to transplant Seattle to the Southeast.
By Frank Ricci