Mark your calendars: Shows at Eastern Wharf, other venues show vibrancy of Savannah music scene
Rain forced the postponement of the second installment of the new concert series at the Park at Eastern Wharf, but fingers crossed for good weather for the rescheduled performances by Swamptooth and Lyn Avenue on Thursday evening.
The concert series kickoff in late May showed the graciousness of the new space. The excellent Savannah-based acts Little Gracie and Donna Savage played for the dozens of attendees spread out in chairs and on blankets across the lawn. Other guests found spots to sit on the low walls and steps. There were steady lines for the food trucks and a small bar set up outside the Thompson Savannah.
Previous story: Eastern Wharf brings a party to the park with Savannah bands Donna Savage, Little Gracie
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Swamptooth features five talented musicians playing “cosmic bluegrass,” and Lyn Avenue has long been established as one of the region’s most engaging country acts.
The music in the park will start about 6:30 p.m. and end about 9 p.m. The BowTie Barbecue Co. and Starship Ice Cream food trucks are scheduled to be on hand. Some free on-street parking is available, and the adjacent garage should be open through the evening. I’ll also add that Eastern Wharf is a surprisingly easy walk from East Broughton Street.
The promise of additional programming at Eastern Wharf is just one of many reasons that local music lovers should be excited about the next few weeks and months.
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Also on Thursday, District Live at Plant Riverside will host Howard Jones, so I suspect some folks will start at the east end and wander to the west end of River Street. District Live has also recently partnered with Big Comedy Network for a series of monthly performances and has some excellent acts booked into the fall. Among the bands already announced, the most anticipated in my circles is the Melvins on Oct. 6.
Savannah Jazz has booked the legendary Herb Alpert and Lani Jazz for a big show on Saturday at the Lucas Theatre, a space that should have more concerts of this caliber throughout the year.
There’s also exciting new programming from the Tybee Post Theater. In addition to its usual diverse schedule, the theater has launched the Tybee Post Music Festival, an all-day event on Nov. 12 headlined by the Indigo Girls. Passafire, Cordovas and other acts will perform throughout the day on two stages near Hotel Tybee on the island’s south end.
Other local shows: Savannah Stage Company showcases the bravery of performance art with 'Brave the Stage' show
And it probably goes without saying that Enmarket Arena continues to lure impressive acts to Savannah, including Alan Jackson on Aug. 12 and The Lumineers on Aug. 24.
Victory North also has a number of popular acts booked, including Perpetual Groove on Sept. 23, with more dates likely as bands launch their fall tours.
And that’s just a quick overview of upcoming shows at larger venues in the area, so keep in mind that there are many spots that host live performances routinely. Things are looking pretty bright for the local scene.
Bill Dawers writes the City Talk column for the Savannah Morning News. He can be reached via citytalksavannah@gmail.com and @billdawers on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah GA events: Alan Jackson coming to Enmarket Arena in August
