Connect Savannah - May 12, 2021

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Rock 106.1’s 20th Anniversary Celebration Concert in part with Connect Savannah are bringing live rock back to the Coastal Empire July 3rd, 2021! Five bands on one stage! This show will be one for the ages so do not miss out on your chance to escape the indoors and get outside for some pure rock and entertainment.

Trustees’ Gardens at the Kehoe Iron Works | Downtown Savannah, GA Doors open at 12 noon Tickets will move fast so get yours today!

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AT A GLANCE

WEDNESDAY 5.12 Drunk Spelling Bee

Join El-Rocko Lounge on Wednesdays for a drunken scholastic event- Drunk Spelling Bee. Enter by purchasing three drinks at El-Rocko between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

10 p.m.-1 a.m.

El-Rocko Lounge 117 Whitaker St.

LAX performs at Mint to be Mojito

Join the acoustic duo of Larry Broussard, Ben Austin, Andy Young, and Marcela Sinnett Irula from the band Lectric Acoustic Xperiment - LAX - for your favorite hits and requests. The band LAX, has been performing everyone’s favorite hits for two decades across the South.

5 p.m.- 11 p.m..

Mint to be Mojito Bar & Bites 12 W. State St. Free admission

Trivia Night with Jess Shaw

Jess Shaw and Kevin Ryan will guide participants through an evening of trivia and self discovery at Service Brewing. Test your trivia knowledge while also competing in interactive challenge rounds to gain extra points. The first place team receives a $100 cash prize.

6:30 p.m.

Service Brewing Company 574 Indian St. servicebrewing.com

THURSDAY 5.13 Bingo! at Elks Lodge

Join Elks Lodge for Bingo on Thursdays and Sundays. Enjoy great family fun, good food at the snack bar and many chances to win cash.

7:30-9:30 p.m.

Elks Lodge 183 Wilshire Blvd.

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HIGHLIGHTED PICKS FROM HOSTESS CITY HAPPENINGS THIS WEEK TO HAVE YOUR EVENT CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN WEEK AT A GLANCE, PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO WAG@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. INCLUDE THE EVENT NAME, DATE, TIME, LOCATION WITH ADDRESS, COST, WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, AND A CONTACT NUMBER. THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS 5PM EACH FRIDAY BEFORE THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY’S EDITION.

“A Conversation with the Savannah Landscape” Reception

The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s Grand Bohemian Gallery in will feature the work of accomplished painter Dottie Turner Leatherwood and other artists in its 2021 Savannah Series. Savannah native Dottie Turner Leatherwood’s paintings will be featured in an exhibit entitled “A Conversation with the Savannah Landscape.” Exhibit on display through May 15.

Every 7 days, 4-7 p.m.

The Grand Bohemian Gallery 700 Drayton St.

Free Yoga on the Beach at the The Deck Enjoy free yoga on the Tybee sponsored by The Deck Beach Bar & Kitchen. Bring a large beach towel, your mat or a tapestry, a hat and sunglasses, water and a friend.

9-10 a.m.

The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen 404 Butler Ave.

Salsa Thursdays at Mint to Be Mojitos

Join Salsa Savannah on Thursdays at Mint to Be Mojitos for free beginner dance lessons. Enjoy Salsa, bachata music, and dancing.

7:30-10:30 p.m.

Mint to Be Mojito’s 12 W State St.

Virtual Lecture “Making Gullah: A History of Sapelo Islanders, Race, and the American Imagination” Telfair Museums presents a virtual lecture by Melissa Cooper on her book, “Making Gullah: A History of Sapelo Islanders, Race, and the American Imagination.” The series is part of the museum’s multi-year Legacy of Slavery in Savannah initiative, which also will include a

symposium in late 2021, exhibitions of contemporary works by black artists, community partnerships, and a related publication from the University of Georgia Press. Books are available for checkout from Live Oak Public Libraries, liveoakpl.org, and for purchase through The Book Lady Bookstore, 6 E. Liberty St. 6 p.m.

Free and open to the public telfair.org/los

FRIDAY 5.14 Bluegrass By The Pint with Swamptooth

Join Service Brewing for Bluegrass by the Pint every Friday featuring live bluegrass from favorite local favorite’s, Swamptooth.

6 p.m.

Service Brewing Company 574 Indian St.

“Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage”

“Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage” presents a rare opportunity to experience nearly 100 years of original performance designs by renowned visual artists who took their creativity to the stage. This exhibition pulls back the curtain on a lesser known but equally inspiring aspect of their creative expressions—their collaborations as designers of sets, costumes, lighting, scenery, and in some cases, complete performances. telfair.org.

Jepson Center for the Arts 207 W. York St. $5-$20 telfair.org/

SATURDAY 5.15 Breath + Booze

Join Christine Graeber, a 500hour RYT, for a juicy, all-levels vinyasa flow. Bring your own mat

and be prepared to provoke your body, mind and sould. Christine will offer variations to make this practice safe and challenging for practitioners of all levels. After class, yogees will have Ghost Coast Distillery all to themselves for a half-hour happy hour with discounted drink and shot specials. Class will start promtly at 10:30 a.m. with libations at 11:30 a.m.

Arrive starting at 10:15 a.m.

Ghost Coast Distillery 641 Indian St. $12 ghostcoastdistillery.com eventbrite.com/e/copy-of-breathbooze-tickets-149778097321

Fire & Wine

Enjoy half off bottles of wine and fire pits in the courtyard.

Purchase one of our s’mores kits marshmallows included.

6-9 p.m.

Foxy Loxy Cafe 1919 Bull St.

Forsyth Farmers Market

Local and regional produce, honey, meat, dairy, pasta, baked goods and other delights. Rain or shine.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Forsyth Park Drayton St. & E. Park Ave. Free to attend. Items for sale. forsythfarmersmarket.com

Islands Farmers Market

Weekly farmers market on Talahi Island highlighting local growers and makers, healthy foods and a positive environment.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Islands Farmers’ Market 401 Quarterman Dr. facebook.com/ islandsfarmersmarket

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

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AT A GLANCE

SAVANNAH’S PULSE

King of the Hog: BBQ Competition and Concert

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ON THE COVER Camille Thurman is seen with her saxophone prior to her upcoming sold-out show with the Darrell Green Quartet and Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Generation Y at 7:30 p.m. May 26 at the Metal Building at Trustees’ Garden.

Photo courtesy of the Savannah Music Festival

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GIVING DAY DONATIONS TO BENEFIT SUMMER PROGRAM

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Register for the second anniversary of the King of the Hog BBQ Competition. Professionals and amateurs can compete for cash and other prizes in four categories: Boston Butt, Brisket, Ribs & Sauce.

20 BBQ competitors will face off, vying for votes to raise money and awareness for the Georgia Down Biker Fund.

11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

Harley Davidson of Savannah 1 Fort Argyle Rd. Competitor registration is $50 per booth and voting cards are $10. risingtidetickets.com/e/ kingofthehog

SUNDAY 5.16 Bingo! at Elks Lodge

Join Elks Lodge for Bingo on Thursdays and Sundays. Enjoy great family fun, good food at the snack bar and many chances to win cash.

7:30-9:30 p.m.

Elks Lodge 183 Wilshire Blvd.

21st annual Low Country Home & Garden Show

The Annual Low Country Home & Garden Show is back for its 21st year Friday, May 14 - Sunday, May 16 at the Savannah Convention Center on Hutchinson Island. Enjoy free admission and get inspiration, solutions and great deals for home improvement and outdoor projects. Show hours are Friday, May 14, 2 p.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, May 15, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sunday, May 16, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.. Parking is available on-site for $5, credit or debit card only.

The show will follow guidelines from the CDC, the State of Georgia, and local public safety and public health officials.

All food and beverage transactions will be cashless. Only credit cards, debit cards or mobile pay will be accepted.

Savannah Convention Center Hutchinson Island 1 International Dr. Free admission

MONDAY 5.17 Tybee Island Farmers Market Weekly market featuring a variety of produce, baked goods, honey, eggs, BBQ, sauces and dressings, popsicles, dog treats and natural body products. Artisans are also featured each week. The market is non-smoking and pet friendly. Located at 30 Meddin Drive.

We are right behind the Historic Tybee Lighthouse.

4 p.m.

30 Meddin Dr. tybeeislandfarmersmarket.com

TUESDAY 5.18 Free Yoga on the Beach at the The Deck

Enjoy free yoga on the Tybee sponsored by The Deck Beach Bar & Kitchen. Bring a large beach towel, your mat or a tapestry, a hat and sunglasses, water and a friend.

9-10 a.m.

The Deck Beachbar and Kitchen, 404 Butler Ave.

Stafford’s Tuesday Comedy Open Mic The ghost of Savannah’s legendary open mic returns. Head out to the sequel to the open mic Hannibal Buress called “whack” and “please put that phone down”. All experience levels welcome! Come out and give us your best 5 minutes, or just come and laugh at us, we like it.

8:30-11:45 p.m.

Stafford’s Public House 306 W. Upper Factor’s Walk

Toddler Tuesday at Oatland Island Wildlife Center Explore the wonders of nature with all kind of wild fun for your wee ones. This week’s theme is “Hawk Talk.” Pre-registration required.

10 & 11 a.m.

Oatland Island Wildlife Center 711 Sandtown Rd. spsccpss.com/schools/oatland

NEWS

LOCAL BEAT Jaida Sams attends Horizons Savannah.

PHOTO BY JENNIFER SAMS

Children participate in the Horizons Savannah summer prgoram.

PHOTO BY JENNIFER SAMS

SOUNDGARDEN EVENTS

FRI., MAY 14

BY BETH STEWART

HORIZONS SAVANNAH, a non-profit summer learning program for students from low-income families, is hosting its annual Horizons Giving Day May 12. This virtual event aims to raise $100,000 and advanced giving has already begun.

Giving Day is Horizons’ biggest fundraising event of the year, and local businesses are offering exclusive give-back opportunities to the local community to encourage participation and support.

Ghost Coast Distillery is hosting a Ghost Coast Gives Back benefit concert from 4-7 p.m., May 15 featuring live music, spirits and a barbecue food truck. One dollar from every drink sold will be donated.

In addition, Papa Murphy’s is donating 25% of every carryout order picked up on May 12 when customers mention their support for Horizons Savannah. An anonymous donor has also committed to matching the first $25,000 raised dollar for dollar.

The funds raised will enable Horizons Savannah to continue the mission of partnering with youth, families and community to enrich the lives of students with the joy of learning, the skills for success and the inspiration to realize their dreams.

“We only serve public school students who are income qualified, but we also serve under resourced families in the

local community,” said Christy Edwards, Horizons Savannah Executive Director.

“A student may have academic struggles, but our focus is on learners of all abilities.

The majority of our students are far behind grade level because those are the kids who are getting the least amount of resources in general.”

Students attend the summer program, not to be confused with summer school, Monday-Friday focusing on three main components: academics, social and emotional learning and swimming.

“Academics are focused on math, reading and science with grade level content and project-based learning,” Edwards said. “The second piece of the puzzle is social and emotional learning focusing on the whole child, building resilience, being a good friend, being a part of your community, and being a good citizen. The third component teaches all students to swim and learn basic water safety through competitive swimming and lifeguard instruction.”

Horizons Savannah was founded in 2002 and is celebrating its 19th summer supporting almost 300 K-8 students each year. Long-term relationships are built providing continued support through high school and beyond.

Athena Hamilton joined the Horizons Savannah family while in second grade and graduated from South Carolina State University in the Fall of 2020.

“Horizons has had a profound impact on my life,” she said. “By incorporating fun activities into the curriculum, academics became relaxed and student driven.”

Returning after high school as a volunteer and co-teacher allowed Hamiliton to improve leadership skills, interpersonal communication and patience.

“I’ve also built great connections with adults at Horizons,” Hamilton said “I still keep in touch whenever I need advice on school, life, or just to chat.”

Horizons Savannah parent Jennifer Sams feels blessed to have two children who participate in the program, Jenniya, 16 and Jaida, 12.

“As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and Horizons Savannah is definitely a part of my village,” Sams said.

“Horizons is more than just a summer camp. It gives students the opportunity to continue to strive academically over the summer while still having fun.”

Donating to Horizons Giving Day will allow students like Athena, Jenniya and Jaida the opportunity to attend next year’s summer program. Although slots are filled for this summer, families can apply to attend next year by submitting an application online with decisions being made in early 2022.

To make a Horizons Giving Day donation, visit Horizonsgivingday.org and search for Savannah.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Annual Giving Day to support learning program

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NEWS

A Perc Coffee team member serves up a latte at one of the Savannah stores.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PERC COFFEE

Perc Coffee prevails Perc Coffee founder discusses Perc Shop reopening with changes

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

BY BRANDY SIMPKINS brandy@connectsavannah.com

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PICTURE THIS: you’ve just had your favorite meal, made exquisitely at a local restaurant for lunch. The meal was so comforting and filling that it made you drowsy enough to take a nap. Unfortunately, you have a meeting, so you can’t go to sleep. You order a cup of coffee to swiftly rejuvenate yourself and upon the first sip you twist your face — the coffee is unpleasant.

This was Philip Brown’s pitch 11-years ago when he started proposing that local business owners make the switch from their unsatisfactory brands to Perc Coffee.

“I took it to local restaurants who I knew really took their food seriously and I thought ‘What better to pair with great food than a great cup of coffee at the end?’”

said Brown, co-owner and founder of Perc Coffee. “The last thing that you want to do is send the customer away with a little bit of disappointment at the end of their meal.”

Brown’s method to spread the word about his coffee was simple.

“I had a small space in Starland — about 300 square feet — and a roaster and a grinder inside, and I had a backpack where I’d put all my coffee,” he said. “On a bicycle, I’d ride around town and get people to try it.”

Expanding from its humble beginning, Perc Coffee has opened two new locations in Atlanta since Fall 2020: one in East Lake and the other in Virginia Highlands.

Since 2010, the brewery has grown popular across the South, serving both large companies and small local businesses including Brighter Day Foods, nine of

COMMUNITY

PHOTO COURTESY OF PERC COFFEE

Below: The Perc Coffee team members celebrate the opening of the local Savannah locations.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PERC COFFEE

Bill Marinella Casting Inc. announces they are seeking extras for an upcoming Gerard Butler production being filmed in Savannah.

FILE IMAGE

Casting company seeks extras for Gerard Butler film

BY NOELLE WIEHE noelle@connectsavannah.com

The Fresh Markets in Georgia, 43 Whole Foods locations, local Foxy Cafe’s and more, according to the owner.

Like the majority of businesses that continued operations during the COVID19 pandemic, the Perc Coffee team can attest to recent changes and struggles, but they have not allowed the challenges to slow them to a halt.

“It’s so easy to accept when things are not going well because you made a mistake or a misstep and it causes you to suffer the consequences,” Brown said.

“COVID-19 was something where you could be doing the best work possible but it could still cause you to close your doors.”

The pandemic shut the 1802 E. Broad St. location Perc Shop down for several months, but the owner says that he and his team found ways to adjust during that time.

They upheld safety precautions for the roastery which included not allowing any guests into the cafe at the cafe headquarters, Perc Shop.

“Because Perc Shop is attached to our roastery we really wanted to be as careful as possible to keep our staff safe and make sure that we had coffee flowing out the

doors to all of our accounts,” Brown said.

They came up with innovative ways to make sure the roastery doors stayed open during the pandemic including splitting the staff into two teams, each with specific shifts scheduled, so if one team got sick the other team could continue to run the operation.

Now that the Perc Shop is back open, with a 100% vaccinated staff, the Perc Shop Manager Jesh Perez is excited for him and his team to be getting back to work.

“It’s really exciting that we were able to open up after being closed here for such a long time,” Perez said. “One of our favorite things to do is to be able to serve coffee to people and some of the most important parts of coffee is the community aspect.”

The Perc Shop manager said the shop has a minimal setup right, and that setup includes some new outdoor seating where guests can come and enjoy out-door live music. Some additional cafe developments to arrive as early as June will include dine-in seating and an in-door coffee bar.

“We just want to provide good vibes and welcome everyone to have coffee,” said Perez.

GERARD BUTLER IS COMING TO SAVANNAH, and is seeking his next up-and-coming local hopeful star to stand beside him and his cast as they shoot their new movie.

Or, perhaps they’re just seeking a theatrical production fan looking to see the inner workings of a movie set.

Whichever dream people are looking to chase, the opportunity is here.

“I think that the opportunity to be on a movie set is always a good thing because you get to see how people work together,” said Bill Marinella of Bill Marinella Casting, Inc. “When you’re sitting in holding and when you’re on set, just before they say ‘Rolling,’ you get to see how every department is communicating, and that’s very important.”

Marinella’s casting company is looking for stand-ins to portray police officers in a film set in modern-day and also seeking “Breaking Bad-character types” to cast as “paranoids” in the film.

The production is an action-driven show with some really, really interesting characters, Marinella said.

“Even the extras, even the background performers are part of the genetic makeup of the whole show,” Marinella said.

For the stand-ins, interested persons must have two weeks of complete availability. The pay is $175 for 12 hours, plus $40 for taking the COVID-19 test before the work date of May 15.

For the “paranoids,” the job is a four-day call and the pay is $96 for eight hours, plus overtime and $40 for the testing before May 24.

“We’re also paying more than most productions,” Marinella said. “I think it’s a great experience for people to try at least one time.”

Once applicants are in the system, all they have to do is upload their photos, Marinella said. Their measurements remain in the system and only require updates every six months.

“These shows are now migrating to Savannah,” Marinella said. “The word that I’m hearing is that the backdrop of Savannah, people are kind of liking that small town city feel.”

The casting for each production is different, especially in costume which yields the need for all different types of people for the roles.

Through his work in the film industry, Marinella said he’s gone through four eras in one year.

“I went through the Korean War; I went through WWII; I went through the Civil Rights and now modern day,” Marinella said. “Every year has a different waistline. I get to tell people, ‘You get to dress like your grandfather.’ It’s fun to get people involved.”

His casting company is looking for all varieties of people.

“We don’t have enough young people, and we don’t have enough people with lots of wardrobe options like we might in a more metropolitan area,” he said. “Even if they have a day job or a flexible schedule or are unemployed, we just want them to apply.”

Marinella also noted the Savannah College of Art and Design had been incredibly accommodating in letting their students come out and perform as extras. He said the experience can be incredibly informing for students.

“I know at least 20 people that started as an extra that are now teamsters, that are now craft service people, set medics and producers and actors,” Marinella said. “Personally, me, put them on set for the very first time and they are now working on a daily basis as a teamster, a captain — it’s really an incredible way to get a feel for the business.”

Bill Marinella Casting, Inc. casts for shows all over the country. He said he is constantly looking for people to work on production sets. To submit for stand ins, visit kaast.app/bmc/2021-chasestand-in-open-call; to submit for paranoids, visit kaast.app/bmc/5-24-2021and to be entered into the KAAST database, visit kaast.app/signup.

Visit billmarinellacasting.com for information.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Left: A Perc Coffee team member deals with coffee beans at one of the local Savannah locations.

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NEWS Feed a Trucker Campaign kicks off

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Members of Veteran Carriers work as essential employees through the pandemic in Savannah. The organization has partnered with Enmarket to salute truck drivers who kept the nation fed and supplied. PHOTO COURTESY OF BUNNY WARE

BY NOELLE WIEHE noelle@connectsavannah.com

FINAL WEEKS!

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

TELFAIR.ORG

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LEFT: Pablo Picasso, Scene design for Pulcinella, ca. 1920; watercolor and gouache on paper; collection of the McNay Art Museum, gift of The Tobin Endowment; © 2021 Estate of Pablo Picasso / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York. RIGHT: Alexandra Exter, Lighting design for an unknown production of a tragedy, 1928; gouache, graphite, and ink on paper; collection of the McNay Art Museum, gift of The Tobin Endowment.

Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage is organized by the McNay Art Museum.

INVESTMENT PROVIDED BY

THE SAVANNAH-BASED TRUCKING firm Veteran Carriers has teamed up with Enmarket to provide a series of free lunches throughout 2021 as a salute to the trucking community, one group of unsung heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participating groups will gather at the Enmarket on Pine Barren Rd. and Hwy 80 on the last Friday of each month for the rest of the year as part of the Feed a Trucker program.

The location is one of the convenience store chain’s commercial trucking locations, serving trucks going in and out of the Georgia Ports Authority.

“We wanted to do something, however small, to acknowledge the sacrifice and determination these truckers have demonstrated,” said Cliff White, president of Veteran Carriers, a veteran-owned and operated company based in Savannah, adjacent to the largest container terminal in North America.

Trucker drivers can pull in and receive a free lunch between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Enmarket’s The Eatery. Entrees offered will include hot wings, chicken tenders, various subs or sandwiches, and fresh salad, along with chips and a choice of beverage.

The first group of participating volunteers will be the Veterans Council of Chatham

County. Participants will collect their ticket from a representative of the volunteer group in the parking lot, and bring it in to receive their free meal.

“Throughout 2020 and 2021, truckers have kept us fed and supplied, even during the darkest and most frightening days of the COVID-19 pandemic,” White said. “We wanted it to be for all truckers, not just our own drivers, and we worked out a way for volunteer groups like the Veterans Council of Chatham County to participate so that the truckers will know the community at large appreciates them.”

Brett Giesick, president of Enmarket, said the convenience store chain was delighted to participate.

Enmarket is Savannah’s largest convenience store chain. The company operates 129 convenience stores, 14 quick-serve restaurants and two fast casual restaurants in the Lowcountry.

“Enmarket never closed its doors during the lockdown,” Giesick said. “As an essential business, our employees were there, selling gas and food. But we couldn’t have done it without truckers keeping us supplied, so we are pleased to join this expression of appreciation.”

For information on veteran carriers, visit veterancarriers.com and to find the nearest Enmarket, visit enmarket.com.

COMMUNITY

The third Mint Car Wash location opens earlier this year at 302 Commercial Dr. in Savannah. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEWITT TILTON GROUP

BY NOELLE WIEHE noelle@connectsavannah.com

THE THIRD MINT CAR WASH in the Savannah market, and the first to be built by a local construction company is open for business on the southside.

The location is 302 Commercial Dr. near the corner of Hodgson Memorial Drive and was built by the Dewitt Tilton Group, a local commercial and industrial construction company.

“The challenge of a building like this, which is so unlike typical retail or commercial establishments, is one we welcome,” said Chris Tilton, president of Dewitt Tilton Group. “To see it opening is what I love about commercial construction.”

The new car wash location is an exterior express car wash, offering the Mint Car Wash signature “Full Minty” wash package that includes 21 separate cleaners, sealants and waxes.

“It’s a great location right there by the mall,” Tilton said. “They’re booming.”

Their monthly Unlimited Wash Club membership option is available and is honored at all locations. Customers choose a service option, ride through the wash tunnel, and are free to use the self-service interior cleaning stations with vacuum, compressed air, microfiber towels and cleaning products for glass and other surfaces.

Car wash buildings require special construction techniques, including a foundational slab thicker than that of a typical retail outlet, with properly placed trenches and drains to allow for water runoff, Tilton said. Intricate systems of plumbing and wiring need to be considered to create a satisfying customer experience. The Dewitt Tilton Group happily accepted the challenge.

“It’s just a great feeling to see a business open up, hire staff, and offer a service that customers want and appreciate,” Tilton said.

“We’ll never tire of being part of that.”

The other locations are at 10000 Abercorn and on Whitemarsh Island.

Tilton said the group is starting work on another car wash this week.

“It’s exciting; it’s one of our niches now,” Tilton said.

To view a video of the completed car wash in action visit, youtube. com/watch?v=Eghxcqhg66A or visit the new location and take the traditional car wash video for social media yourself while your vehicle is being cleaned.

Seniors of Beach High School gather in celebration, as a block party will be thrown for them at Kennedy Park in Carver Heights Village. PHOTO COURTESY OF ELEVATE SAVANNAH

Elevating to graduation

Elevate Savannah throws block party for graduating seniors

BY BRANDY SIMPKINS brandy@connectsavannah.com

IT’S GRADUATION SEASON, and what better way to share the joy with graduate students than throwing them a party in their own neighborhood?

Celebratory music will fill the air along with the scent of tasty food at Kennedy Park in Carver Heights Village at 7 p.m., May 13, as Elevate Savannah hosts a graduation block party for Beach High School’s graduating class of 2021.

Teacher and Mentor of Elevate Savannah Kendall Walker said throwing such a positive neighborhood function is a way for students to give back to their community.

“A lot of our students grew up in Carver Village and a part of our mission is for the students to be able to contribute to their community,” Walker said.

“Anytime we have the opportunity to give back we do, and if we can meet the students where they are, in their safe-haven, that’s what we do.”

Elevate Savannah is a subsidiary of Elevate USA, a national program offering a unique, relationship-based approach to student mentorship.

Elevate staff members serve as part teacher, part mentor, and part life coach for students, and they are available 24/7 to build relationships with their students.

The Elevate Savannah program has four focuses: mentoring, adventure, college and career, and according to Walker, Elevate mentors work with students during after-school programs, weekends events, summer programs and more.

Elevate Savannah began serving Beach High School in 2019, making the program’s debut in Georgia. Their offering includes a superintendent-approved, accredited class called “Tools for College Success” which counts as an elective toward students’ graduation.

Though Elevate Savannah is currently only offered at Beach High School, this is only the beginning for the program in the city.

Walker said, “We do a pipeline. It’s a model down approach, so we start at a particular highschool and eventually we’ll cover all grades in that high school.”

Walker said after enough mentors are dispersed amongst every grade in the high school, the program will begin to service a neighboring middle school before expanding to a different area of Savannah.

In the meantime, Elevate Savannah is accomplishing new milestones as a new local program, since this will be Elevate Savannah’s first time throwing a graduation block party for a senior class.

“We have 42 seniors that are graduating and we want to provide an environment of fellowship, gratitude and overall love to celebrate this milestone for students,” said Kendall Walker, teacher/mentor at Elevate Savannah.

Walker says that the students are excited about their upcoming celebration, and some want to participate in making the experience special.

“One of our students is an inspiring rapper and he created a song just for Elevate and he’s going to be performing,” Walker said.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Locally built Mint Car Wash opens on southside

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FOOD & DRINK The Everything Bagel roll at Riverside Sushi.

The Tuna Nachos are made with presentation in mind at Riverside Sushi.

A standout sushi spot at Plant Riverside

BY LINDY MOODY

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

BY LINDY MOODY

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A patron orders the Yellowtail Kick at Riverside Sushi. PHOTOS BY LINDY MOODY

AS QUICKLY AS THE SHIPS ROLL IN and out of our port, the commerce in our town grows. As normal with most port cities, thriving tourism and all, the market includes a wide array of cuisine concepts. A plethora of Hispanic, Asian, Indian, American, and of course southern fare graces our city. With such an expanse of well-rounded food and established restaurateurs, it can be hard to stand out of the crowd.

Most would agree that a California roll at one restaurant can be interchanged with a California roll at another restaurant without anyone noticing. A seaweed salad can be indistinguishable with other sesame oil-flavored salads. Many iceberg-based ginger dressed salads are just like other ginger dressing-drowned starters found around town. To rise above and beyond the

horde of Asian influenced food, one has to think outside of the box.

The idea behind Riverside Sushi is a walk-up counter that serves high quality food that guests can take with them and enjoy any time of year and anyplace downtown. Many of the options are on the lighter side, making the food the best possible option during the sticky months. Sit by the breezy river, watch mammoth boats pass, and delight in a delicate meal — and some to-go sake, too.

Executive Chef Kyle Lipetzky explained the concept best, “The Kessler Collection’s Chairman CEO Richard Kessler, the founder of Plant Riverside District in Savannah, has a passion for all cuisines and great experiences. With his guidance and vision, we wanted to create a communal

space at Riverside Sushi where our guests could walk up and get a couple of sushi rolls and a beer in a causal environment while enjoying everything the Savannah riverfront has to offer. Guests can also get their sushi to-go and enjoy fresh food while they’re exploring Savannah.”

Creating a new menu based around tried-and-true dishes is no small undertaking.

“Working with our sushi chefs who have 30+ years of combined experience, we created a varied menu for Riverside Sushi with classic rolls as well as new, exciting offerings,” Lipetzky said. “We had many tastings to make sure that we got it just right. Sushi is one of those foods that takes years to perfect. We encourage everyone to come down to Plant Riverside District and try it.”

You should also try the Tuna Nachos, a plate that should by all respects taste and feel heavy but eats lighter than anything else on the menu. The nachos are not your normal soggy story; instead thin wantons are fried to an airy crisp to create the base of the dish. By using golden brown wanton chips the entire dish stays as light as the tuna that graces each triangle of tang.

To round out the sapor, the uncommon nachos are finished with house-made mango Pico de Gallo, punchy pickled radishes and a creamy spicy aioli.

For a more sinful selection, both of the spring rolls are hand rolled then flashed fried. The Hoisin Duck spring roll is jammed with fall apart duck meat flavored with hoisin, fresh scallion, and cabbage. A side of soy ponzu sauce is served with the duck in which to dip it and add a touch of sweetness. The Pork Belly spring roll is just as enticing, in fact it is hard to say which of the two is superior.

Pork belly is the sister to bacon, and everyone loves bacon. The only difference is that bacon is cured whereas pork belly is the same cut of meat but in its original state. To lighten the hearty roll, the pork belly is married with shaved cabbage. The spice comes from Korean inspiration via a

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

handmade cucumber kimchi. And finally, a sticky ginger soy glaze is thrown in. Everything you thought you knew about a spring roll will change after stuffing your mouth with the salty pork filled conception.

Almost all of the rolls are unique takes on the mundane.

“For our spicy tuna roll, we wanted to add a crunchy element to add texture and contrast,” Lipetzky said. “One of the chefs just happened to be eating Flaming Hot Cheetos and it clicked. We ground them up and rolled the Cheeto dust into the sushi roll. It was delicious and added the perfect crunch we were looking for. From there, we created our own flaming hot chili dust, which we incorporate in our spicy tuna rolls.”

The Everything Bagel roll is yet another extremely creative sushi offering. Super smoky and delicately textured tuna is hand rolled alongside tangy cream cheese and buttery avocado. And as you would guess, the entire roll is finished with a shaking of everything bagel seasoning. Smokey BBQ eel, cream cheese, and jalapeno grace the Chimichanga roll — another extremely original creation. To finish off the fusion inspired flavors, connoisseurs get spicy mayo, sriracha and eel sauce.

The Yellowtail Kick is not for the faint of heart. Bold green Thai chili makes this roll one of the spiciest on the menu. The heat sits mid tongue, building with each bite, then is quickly cooled with sweet sticky mango, crisp cucumber and Hamachi tuna.

On special, there are usually a few rotating rolls, some of which are just as spicy. When I stopped in Riverside, a lobster-based roll and a Cajun crawfish roll.

Stop by Riverside Sushi any weekend for a bustling outing that includes light, yet colorful fare. No matter the time of week, Riverside is buzzing. Keeping with the celebration, Lipetzky said, “With Memorial Day approaching at the end of May, we will be celebrating with live music and great food throughout the holiday weekend, including special sushi rolls for the occasion.”

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

THE SAVANNAH MUSIC FESTIVAL SPRING SERIES LINEUP

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Information courtesy of savannahmusicfestival.org

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet Music Director Wynton Marsalis.

PHOTO BY PIPER FERGUSON

FEATURE Sunday, May 23: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet with Wynton Marsalis at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, under Music Director Wynton Marsalis, performs everything from historic compositions to Jazz at Lincoln Centercommissioned works. This includes compositions and arrangements by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Fletcher Henderson, Thelonious Monk, Mary Lou Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Charles Mingus and others.

JLCO has performed in just under 500 cities in more than 40 countries on five continents.

Tuesday, May 25: Performance Today’s “Piano Puzzler” with Bruce Adolphe and Fred Child, at 6 p.m.

“Piano Puzzler” is a weekly American Public Media program hosted by Fred Child as part of “Performance Today.”

The program features Bruce Adolphe on the piano, challenging the program’s audience to identify popular tunes performed in the style of classical composers.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

“Piano Puzzler” program’s Bruce Adolphe. PHOTO BY YUMIKOLZU

Ulysses Owens Jr. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Wednesday, May 26: Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Generation Y and Camille Thurman & the Darrell Green Quartet, at 7:30 p.m.

Ulysses Owens Jr. has performed and recorded with acclaimed jazz artists, including Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, Wynton Marsalis, Mulgrew Miller and others. Through his relationships with these bandleaders, he learned about Art Blakey and Betty Carter, both of whom had bands that became educational institutions and launched the careers of many of today’s musicians in jazz. In the past five years, Owens has influenced the next generation of talent through his performance, production and educational work. Generation Y is the result of those efforts, for which he has selected a new crop of musicians from his professorship at The Juilliard School.

Camille Thurman tours internationally with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; she is the first woman in 30 years to tour and perform full time two seasons as a saxophonist with the worldrenowned orchestra — from 2018 to 2020. She is also a featured artist with the Darrell Green Quartet, with which she has performed at The Kennedy Center, Alice Tully Hall and international jazz festivals and venues.

Camille Thurman.

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David Finckel and Wu Han. PHOTO BY LISA MARIE MAZZUCCO

Thursday, May 27: David Finkel, cello & Wu Han, piano at Trinity United Methodist Church, at 5:30 p.m., and Rodney Crowell at the Metal Building, at 8 p.m.

The duo of David Finckel and Wu Han, will perform a program entitled “The Immortals.” They are recipients of Musical America’s Artist of the Year Award, one of the highest honors granted by the music industry.

A protégé of Guy Clark and Mickey Newbury, and bandmate of Vince Gill and Tony Brown in The Notorious Cherry Bombs, singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell was recognized in 2006 by the Americana Music Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Friday, May 28: Amythyst Kiah and Jontavious Willis at the Metal Building, at 8 p.m.

Equally adept on banjo and acoustic guitar, Amythyst Kiah draws on a range of influences from old-time music and alternative rock to folk, country and blues. Her recent collaboration with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla and Allison Russell on the album “Songs of Our Native Daughters” has put Kiah in the spotlight as a vocalist and songwriter of power.

Jontavious Willis grew up singing gospel music at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church with his grandfather.

Willis has toured with Taj Mahal and recently released a Grammy nominated album with Spectacular Class. His love of country blues is rooted in Delta, Piedmont, Texas and gospel styles.

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Saturday, May 29: Paul Huang, violin & Anne-Marie McDermott, piano, in Trinity Untied Methodist Church, at 3 p.m.

Paul Huang makes recent and forthcoming appearances with the Mariinsky Orchestra with Valery Gergiev, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra with Leonard Slatkin, and the Houston Symphony with Andrés OrozcoEstrada. Huang earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at The Juilliard School. He plays on the 1742 ex-Wieniawski Guarneri del Gesù on loan through the Stradivari Society of Chicago.

Anne-Marie McDermott has played concertos, recitals and chamber music in hundreds of cities throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia. In addition to performing, she also serves as artistic director of Bravo! Vail and Ocean Reef Music Festivals, as well as Spotlight Chamber Music Series Curator for the Mainly Mozart Festival in San Diego. She studied at the Manhattan School of Music and was the winner of the Mortimer Levitt Career Development Award for Women, the Young Concert Artists auditions and an Avery Fisher Career Grant.

Amythyst Kiah.

PHOTO BY SANDLIN GAITHER

Sunday, May 30: Jeremy Denk, piano, in Trinity United Methodist church, at 3 p.m.

Winner of a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship and the Avery Fisher Prize, Jeremy Denk was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has appeared with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and Cleveland Orchestra, as well as on tour with Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and at the Royal Albert Hall as part of the BBC Proms.

FEATURE Anne Marie McDermott.

PHOTO BY MATTEO TRISOLINI

Paul Huang.

PHOTO BY MARCO BORGGREVE

Tickets are available for purchase online at savannahmusicfestival.org or by phone at the Savannah Box Office by calling 912-525-5050. Discounts are available for Chatham County residents, senior citizens, military personnel as well as students and educators. With limited capacity seating at performance venues, tickets for the Spring Season are expected to sell out quickly. A select number of concerts will also offer live stream tickets, so as many patrons as possible can safely enjoy this season’s diverse lineup.

Jontavious Willis.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

Savannah Music Festival, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is made possible through the generous support of individuals, foundations, government and corporate donors and sponsors.

Jeremy Denk.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL WILSON

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Septet. PHOTO BY JUSTIN BIAS

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MUSIC Nashville native seeks to create positive moments through music

BY FRANK RICCI

Nordista Freeze will take the stage at Victory North this weekend.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

WATCHING HIS FATHER LEAD THE children’s choirs at the church and school he attended, leading a band comes naturally to Nashville native Nordista Freeze. It’s the only job he ever wanted. Part of the massive non-country music scene there, Freeze is carving out his own place in Music City with much larger goals in mind. His enthusiasm for the positive possibilities of music, expression and performance reveal an earnest, honest artist who sincerely wants to meet you and be friends at his upcoming gig at Victory North on Saturday, May 15.

“I remember sitting in the backseat of the minivan playing air guitar, and that’s still me,” Freeze, 24 explained. “Everyone else has abandoned that dream, but I’ve clung to it.

Not to anyone’s detriment, but someone’s got to be the rock star. I continue to think it could

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At a restaurant I get a lot of appetizers. I want to be me, the person making music. It’s been my try everything, not one thing.” only plan forever.”

Such desire leads to greater ambition. Asked His sound is rooted in 60s pop, leaning what he ultimately is trying to do, he responds slightly toward the psychedelic, with sonic without a hint of insincerity. influences from The Beach Boys’ post-teen“I’m just trying to advocate for peace and idol work and a dance-rock vibe reminislove, that’s really what it’s all about,” he said. cent of Mutations-era Beck. “Fight Song” “Playing shows and creating positive moments; exemplifies this side of the band, with newer that’s it for me.” track “Wysteria” showing their eagerness to Aiming even higher, he mentions indie hero explore different styles and the chops to pull Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Masit off. Nashville succeeds at sustaining such sacre who said in the film Dig! — paraphrasa vibrant scene because the concentration of talent that comes with being one of the biggest ing — “every artist wants to impact culture as deeply as possible.” This stood out to Freeze and music industry cities in the nation is stagmotivated him further. gering. Musicians, songwriters, sound engineers, producers, studios and venues abound.

“I’ve never heard it said like that, but Freeze, trained only as a vocalist, has taken that’s what’s exciting about growing musiadvantage of his surroundings and formed a cally and reaching a bigger audience, strong band behind him. the potential to impact more people and Freeze’s introduction to the Nashville under- impact culture,” he added. ground live scene 10-years ago consisted of Our microculture has a fan in Freeze, but his hardcore punk shows at private homes and two previous Savannah shows couldn’t have DIY art spaces. He loved the style of music, but been more different. A September 2019 show at the aggressive nature didn’t suit him. He gravEl Rocko attracted about eight people. Despite itated to a more inclusive sound as the scene this, his love of performing and James Brownexpanded and matured. level work ethic drove him to play his heart out.

“Now there’s a massive pop music scene, Determined to win over the Hostess City, he so much indie music and so accepted an invitation to play many bands,” he said. “I’ve witthe 2020 Savannah Stopover. A nessed the change and it feels sold-out Jinx show the followlike there’s room for everyone ing year was a redemption. now.”

“That was one of the coolest Room to expand is necesgigs I ever played,” he said. “If I sary for someone who wants had to retire today, that would to do so much. His own perbe one of the ones I’d look sonal tastes expose a vast area back on as the biggest success. for further musical probing.

I couldn’t believe it. It was “Bob Dylan at Budokan” is a packed.” foundational album in his colFreeze’s ambition surfaces lection. Artists he admires and once again as he talks about draws from include the aforewhat to expect at the upcoming mentioned Beach Boys, as well Nordista Freeze with a Victory North show. rotary phone. PHOTO as Kurt Vile, Wilco, Dawes, Of “Tell them I’m going to give Montreal, Modest Mouse, She COURTESY OF THE ARTIST 110%,” he said. “It’ll be a show and Him, a middle school obsession with Daft they’ll never forget and that’s the truth. I’m Punk and other electronic artists that contingoing to lay it all out there. I miss playing so ues to this day, Mikal Cronin — a Ty Segall colmuch. This is everything to me, being on the laborator — and the relentless NRBQ who have road and meeting people.” been releasing records for more than 50 years.

Not surprisingly, his tastes run a wide gamut of Meet Nordista Freeze 7 p.m., May 15, at Vicstyles and bands who can do the same. tory North, 2603 Whitaker St., Savannah, “The most exciting thing as an artist is to with local favorites Reverend Bro Diddley and change it up,” he said. “I like the sampler platter. the Hips and Fauvely opening the show.

FEATURE

Justin Rogue performs acoustically as a member of SUSTO at a previous show. The singer-songwriter will take the stage at Service Brewing Company this summer to play a solo show.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MISSING PIECE GROUP

Justin Osborne going “rogue” in solo acoustic show

BY BRITTANY HERREN

JUSTIN OSBORNE, singer and songwriter for the alternative, folk band SUSTO, will perform a solo, acoustic show at Savannah’s Service Brewing Company, June 25. The show, titled “Rogue Acoustic,” is based on a Feb. 7, 2020, show that was played and recorded live at The Royal American in Charleston, South Carolina.

“This is going to be me performing essentially solo with an acoustic guitar,” Osborne said.

His friend, and newly announced SUSTO bandmate Jordan Reynolds of Rogue Hotel will be opening the show at 7 p.m.

“She’s going to be opening all the shows

and performing with me singing harmonies,” Osborne said. “This is her first time touring and being a part of SUSTO. We’re in the process of getting rehearsals done and her starting with the full band in the fall.”

The show, which Osborne emphasizes is not a SUSTO band tour, includes songs off all three SUSTO albums: “SUSTO,” “& I’m Fine Today,” and “Ever Since I lost My Mind.”

Osborne will also play several new songs.

“I don’t consider this movement forward for the band,” Osborne said. “I wanted to do something more intimate, stripped down and story-based.”

The show, which will be socially distanced with limited capacity, will be Osborne connecting with the audience in a new way.

“When SUSTO goes on a tour, I don’t tell stories and this is different,” Osborne said.

“This is different because there is space to talk about the stories of the songs and how they all fit into my life as an artist.”

According to Osborne, all the songs are about growing up and working in the South — side note, Osborne used to work at The Royal American — playing in bars and trying to make it in music.

“The last 15 years of my life have been me trying to get where I am now,” Osborne said.

“These stories are all baked into the songs that are trying to shed light on the moments in my life …[and] how that all fits into the message of SUSTO.” Osborne has a lot of stories to unpack. In

addition to a developing worldview influenced by leaving the South he grew up and spending time in Cuba, he has also experienced more recent life changes such as the global pandemic, the death of his father from lung cancer and the birth of his almost 2-year-old daughter, Harriet.

“It’s been a transformation; I’m a new person,” Osborne said. “I’ve changed a lot in the last year and a half.”

The new, solo album also titled “Rogue Acoustic” was announced today and will be released on June 4. Tickets for the show can be purchased at Eventbrite.com and are expected to sell out quickly. Visit servicebrewing.com for details.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Solo SUSTO singer to perform June 25 at Service Brewing Company

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SOUNDBOARD

May/

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WHO IS PLAYING WHERE THIS WEEK WEDNESDAY 5/12 LIVE MUSIC

Driftaway Cafe Chuck Courtenay, 6 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Ray Tomasino, 7 p.m.

The Wormhole Open Jam, 9 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

El-Rocko Lounge Trivia with Jules and Chris Grimmett, 9-11:30 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Trivia Night with Jess Shaw, 6:30 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Savannah Comedy Underground, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Two Tides Brewing Company Bring Your Own Vinyl Night, 7 p.m.

THURSDAY 5/13 LIVE MUSIC

Cohen’s Retreat Munchies & Music, 5-9 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES Bar Food Trivia Night, 8 p.m.

McDonough’s Family Feud, 7 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Karaoke Night, 8 p.m.

The Wormhole Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Open Mic Comedy, 8:30 p.m.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

DJ

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Club 51 Degrees DJ B-Rad, 9 p.m.

Top Deck Sunset Deck Party, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY 5/14 LIVE MUSIC

Churchill’s Pub Chip Staley, Hitman Blues Band, 5 & 9:30 p.m.

Coach’s Corner Damon & The Shitkickers, 7 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Laiken Love, 7:30 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant JodyJazz Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

River House Stan Ray, 6 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Bluegrass By The Pint with

SAT// SAT

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Swamptooth, 6 p.m.

Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum Savannah Jazz Festival’s Circle of Friends’ Annual Gig, 6:30 p.m.

The Shrimp Factory Andrew Gill, 6 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

The Warehouse Jason Bible, Phantom Wingo, 2 & 8 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Chris Case, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

PS Tavern Beer Pong Tournament, 10 p.m.

KARAOKE

Bay Street Blues Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.-3 a.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nickie’s 1971 Karaoke Night, 9 p.m.

Totally Awesome Bar Karaoke, 10 p.m.

DJ

Club 51 Degrees DJ Fer, DJ Emalo, DJ Lil G, DJ BRad, 9 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club DJ Flip, 10 p.m.

VICE Lounge + Mojito Bar DJ Primal, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Club One Drag Show, 10:30 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.

BUCKY & BARRY @TUBBY’S TANKHOUSE (THUNDERBOLT), 1 P.M. SATURDAY 5/15 LIVE MUSIC

22 Square Eric Clark, 7 p.m.

Churchill’s Pub Ford Natirboff, At Sundown, 5 & 9:30 p.m.

Coach’s Corner The Rush Tribute Project, 7 p.m Congress Street Social Club Dirty Bird and the Flu, 7 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Jawan & Nico, 7:30 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant JodyJazz Trio, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

River House Ricky Standard, 6 p.m.

The Shrimp Factory Matt Hill, 6 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

The Warehouse Rachel Shaner, Hitman Blues Band, 2 & 8 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Ga Kyle, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Blueberry Hill Pool Tournament, 2 p.m.

KARAOKE

Bar Food Karaoke Night, 10 p.m.

Bay Street Blues Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Totally Awesome Bar Karaoke, 10 p.m.

COMEDY

The Wormhole Neighborhood Pub & Music Venue One Night Only: Lauren Knight, 8 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Club One Drag Show, 10:30 p.m. & 12:30 a.m.

SUNDAY 5/16 LIVE MUSIC

Collins Quarter at Forsyth Ember City, 2 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club VooDoo Soup, 10 p.m Nickie’s 1971 Roy Swindell, 7 p.m.

Sting Ray’s Robert Willis, 6 p.m.

Tubby’s Tank House (Thunderbolt) Bucky & Barry, 1 p.m.

The Warehouse Thomas Claxton, 6:30 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Chris Case, 1 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Moon River Brewing Co. Trivia, 6 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

MONDAY 5/17 LIVE MUSIC

Nickie’s 1971 Ray Tomasino, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Club One Super Gay Bingo, 5:30 p.m.

Starland Yard Music Bingo, 7-9 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

BAR & CLUB EVENTS Fia Rua Irish Pub Family Movie Night, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY 5/18 LIVE MUSIC

Nickie’s 1971 Roy Swindell, 7 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Basil’s Pizza and Deli Trivia, 7 p.m.

Fia Rua Irish Pub Trivia, 7 p.m.

McDonough’s Trivia Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Oak 36 Bar + Kitchen Trivia Tuesday, 9 p.m.

Savannah Taphouse Trivia, 7 p.m.

Starland Yard Trivia Night With Chris Grimmett, 6:30-8:30 p.m

KARAOKE

Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.-3 a.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Stafford’s Public House Stafford’s Tuesday Comedy Open Mic, 8:30-11:45 p.m.

SOUNDBOARD IS A FREE SERVICE - TO BE INCLUDED, PLEASE SEND YOUR LIVE MUSIC INFORMATION WEEKLY TO SOUNDBOARD@CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM. DEADLINE IS NOON MONDAY, TO APPEAR IN WEDNESDAY’S EDITION. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO EDIT OR CUT LISTINGS DUE TO SPACE LIMITATIONS.

THE BAND PAGE

DAMON AND THE SHITKICKERS @ COACH’S CORNER

DIRTY BIRD AND THE FLU @ CONGRESS STREET SOCIAL CLUB

The Congress Street Social Club has brought back the popular out-of-towners, Dirty Bird and the Flu. Their funky-blues-soul-fusion is born straight out of the South Georgia swamps, which makes them not your typical Savannah fare. They are worth checking out live any time they come to town because no two shows are ever the same.

SATURDAY, MAY 15 | 7 PM

DANIELLE HICKS AND THE RESISTANCE @ NEW REALM DISTILLING COMPANY

Local favorite and proclaimed soul-shaking siren Danielle Hicks plays with her band The Resistance at Savannah’s new distillery, New Realm Distilling Company. The show is guaranteed to be amazing like all others put on by the talented songwriter, vocalist and bandleader. The Tifton native released her first album, “Honey,” in 2017, which only grew her already adoring fanbase. The group plays rock ‘n’ roll, blues, soul and Americana alike.

THURSDAY, MAY 13 | 6-9 PM

THE SHEM CREEPS @ THE WORMHOLE

The Shem Creeps are a semi-local punk band out of Charleston, South Carolina. They play a combination of punk original and classic punk covers.

Expect shows to be loud, high energy and a sweat fest. Opening up at 9 p.m. are special guests, Abrevity. Tickets are “pay what you can” and can be purchased at the door or on Eventrbrite.com. Suggested admission is $5-10.

SATURDAY, MAY 15 | 10 PM

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Damon and the Shitkickers, named Connect Savannah’s “Best Local Country Band” for three years running, is gracing Coach’s Corner this Friday night. They are arguably one of the best live music experiences in Savannah with an avid following, so get your tickets early. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased on Eventrbrite.com or at the door.

FRIDAY, MAY 14 | 7 PM

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CULTURE Artist’s work stems from childhood compulsion of collecting Morgan Smith announces “Delusions of Grandeur” show at Cedar House Gallery

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

BY NICOLE YOUNGBLUT

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PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST

MORGAN SMITH has her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design she received in 2017, her Associates of Arts in clinical psychology from the College of Southern Maryland in 2014 and will receive her M.F.A. in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in May 2021.

Smith’s senior thesis show “Delusions of Grandeur” at Cedar House Gallery May 21- May 23, features a collection of fabric and textile mixed-media sculptures and installations.

“Delusions of Grandeur” brings together psychoanalysis, in the form of Lacan’s “Objet Petit A,” with the architecture of desire to uncover the absurdity, rooted in human nature, of the current society in which we exist.

“The inspiration for ‘Delusions of Grandeur’ stemmed from my childhood compulsion of categorizing and collecting items,” Smith said. “My mother and I used to play find-it games, and as I grew older, the world became a massive find-it game as well. The more objects I encountered, the more I began to call into question the world I was surrounded by: the reality of hyper commodity consumerism. I realized all of this waste and detruse that took the form of second-hand objects. I draw connections between objects’ textures and material qualities to formulate a broader statement about consumerism and the commodity. I like to bring together aspects of psychoanalysis which deal specifically with the realm of desire.

This idea that desire, once we fulfill it, is no longer as appetizing as it once was. Because once you fulfill your desire by getting the item, it no longer fuels longing and thus becomes a part of the refuse,” Morgan added.

Morgan’s sculpture and painting,

“Phallacies of Life,” mixed media is an assembly of discarded commodities. Her works explore different structural ideas of commodities such as mortality, existence in the realm of the commodity, educational systems and wealth systems surrounding ownership.

Smith mimics desire in consumption by playing with the idea that the need to purchase becomes something that is as fulfilling as one’s sexual need.

“The items become our pleasure points for gratification, and so they take the form in the phallic, and it spills with this material that’s meant to intrigue and beguiles a viewer into not being able to recognize the hollowness that’s concealed within it,” Morgan explained.”It all has to do with the realm of commodity, but it’s also analyzing the systems that are producing the commodity. The systems that are encouraging it to keep going.”

The pieces in this body of work, work together, play off each other; some are stand-alone, some are wall to floor, some on the wall, but all of the pieces are very sculptural. When joined together, the artifacts lose their functionalism.

“It’s all about desire,” she said. “And, I try to remove the functionalism of the artifact that I’m using, and I replace them with this sort of purposeless idea to uncover the absurdity and asininity of the hyper-commodity. This idea that we have to earn more, buy more, and sell more in order to be more. I am trying to take a stance against all of that and stress the need for an authentic human experience.”

“Delusions of Grandeur” opening reception is May 21 at Cedar House Gallery 122 E. 36th St. Food and beverages will be provided to guests, and masks are required. The show will be on display from May 21- May 23 with a live and online artist talk on May 22 from 12 p.m.-2 p.m.

VISUAL ART

Printmaker to display ode to beauty of Savannah at Cedar House Gallery at Cedar House Gallery ANTHONY TUNGNING HUANG is an illustrator, printmaker and ballroom dancer. Upon taking his first printmaking class at SCAD last winter he immediately connected with the process.

“As a printmaker, my work primarily focuses on communicating the beauty in the simplicity of Nature,” Huang said. “This work is an exploration of how I view the world and my place within it.”

As a Taiwanese-American printmaker, born in Taipei and raised in Shanghai, China, his work is often inspired by traditional Eastern prints and influenced by the places he has lived: Los Angeles and Savannah.

“My current artistic practice is profoundly influenced by Chinese flower-and-bird paintings, which depict the beauty of nature,” Huang said.

“These paintings often convey symbolic meanings, mostly reflecting a yearning for happiness and harmony.

Nature, weeds, and wildflowers have Screenprinting display by artist Anthony Tungnstrong vitality, and the beauty of the ing Huang. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARTIST an ode to the beauty of Savannah. blooming of life is one of the things I “He takes these symbols and tries to most admire about this world.” put himself in them, so it’s not a copy of His work in “The Reckless Blossoms of something that has already been done,” Weeds” at Cedar House Gallery was made Clark said. “He’s taking a traditional way using several different types of print proor working it and then doing it in his own cesses such as monoprints, which are oneunique way, and making it more modern of-a-kind prints, lithographs, intaglio prints, and relevant.” and relief printing, otherwise known as Hung will takeover printmaking company, block printing.

Speedball’s Instagram feed and stories @ “He has one monoprint triptych that takes speedball_art, and his account @nirvana. up a full wall,” said SCAD printmaking stuchaos from May 13-16th. During this time he dio tech Hannah Clark. “As we’ve been workwill be doing a giveaway of two of his prints. ing on it, we’ve been calling it the ‘Savannah Piece.’ The actual title is ‘Garden of Dust.’ It contains floral and fauna from Savannah as “The Reckless Blossoms of Weeds” exhibit a tribute to his time here.” opens May 14 at Cedar House Gallery from His large three-panel work features local 1-3 p.m., with special music guests, The animals, Spanish moss, and live oak trees in DRAUKER Duo. This event is free and open to this body of work that is highly symbolic and the public.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

BY NICOLE YOUNGBLUT

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Graduating SCAD students collaborate to open dual exhibit

BY BETH STEWART

AN ART EXHIBIT, “The Address,” will be held for two days, starting with an opening reception from 7 p.m.-10:30 p.m. May 14 at 113 W Perry St. and an artist talk at 1 p.m.

May 15. Highlighting the artistic endeavors of two SCAD students, Mila Anastasia Lazarevic and Jermaine Jones, the show will feature art installations and over 100 prints.

Jones and Lazarevic invite you inside their private residence, exposing the intimacy of what occupies their minds; analyzing necessary skills for survival with the chain reaction of beliefs being questioned.

These multimedia artists provoke conceptual ideas, indulging into today’s consumerist culture whether it is consuming money, faith or love.

“We’ve been colleagues and peers and friends for four years so naturally our work bounces off each other,” Lazarevic said.

“When it comes to collaboration the biggest connecting line is what we are exploring in our show.”

Influenced by Andy Warhol and financial markets, Jones explained, “I will have 10 paintings, posters, portraits with 100+pieces of clothing, screen print copies with 2000 prints ready for release that day with the goal of 10,000 total. All pieces and prints will be for sale with the focus of financial literacy.”

The duo will be graduating soon and

are thinking about their futures. Lazarevic planned to go to Serbia to continue her work, but had to delay plans due to the pandemic.

When talking about her future, she said, “We are in the moment of time in our lives and history and that question became the most difficult one. My original plan was to go to Serbia, so I will be staying in Savannah and producing work and figuring myself out as an artist and person.”

Jones plans to travel throughout the United States networking with pop up art exhibits.

They hope this networking art exhibit will attract other artists, students, educators and business owners.

“This isn’t just any art exhibit for graduating seniors, this is a networking event,” Lazarevic said. “This is two days of service – taking time to create an event that will be remembered and appreciated after a year that many may be trying to forget. As artists it is our job to examine and analyze, to inspire and create, to question and answer.

Join Us in exposing our vulnerability so You can benefit from it. Together we may have a chance of flourishing.”

Find the exhibit at 113 W. Perry St., Savannah. Visit artbymaine.wixsite.com/ beingmain and milaanastasialazarevic. me for information and to see the artists’ work.

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CULTURE Art by SCAD artist residing in Amsterdam brings local walls of Gallery Espresso to life

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

BY TREYY NIVENS

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FERMIN URIZ COMES from a bloodline that has been involved in arts and design for decades. He is originally from Cordoba, Argentina. However, he is currently living in Amsterdam pursuing an internship with Iris van Herpen while also being involved with an internship in Atlanta for NanoResearch, Inc. His art, however, is currently on display on the walls of Gallery Espresso at 234 Bull St., near Chippewa Square.

Jessica Barnill, art director for the shop invites community members to visit the café and enjoy the diverse culture of Savannah and the many artists that thrive in the community, like Uriz who will be featured in Gallery Espresso through May 31.

Uriz’s family has consisted of architects, engineers, graphic designers, painters and sculptors. Uriz said he often reflects on how fine of an artist his father was. He can remember how as a kid his father would make him and his brother sit down and draw for a little bit almost every day.

His father is his biggest influence, he said, along with nature. Uriz’s father is a self-taught, award-winning artist.

“I always did admire my father’s playful interpretations of the world,” Uriz said. “The most valuable thing my father taught me was that you can find inspiration in everything, it is a matter of whether you have the vision to imagine possibilities for anything.”

Uriz’s exposure to art as a kid led him to continue onward with his education in middle and high school. Uriz attended an art school where he had more time to experiment with ideas in various mediums; drawing, ceramic, paper, wood, wire and everything in between. Later in high school, he started to find himself. He combined all these skills he learned and ended up diving into fine art, mixed with media

sculpture.

“I never would have thought those drawing days as a kid would lead me in perusing a serious career in any creative study until I had the chance to tour the Savannah College of Art and Design,” he said. “It changed my whole perspective of what my future held. It changed my life.”

Now reflecting, Uriz feels completely fulfilled with his career and needs a symbiotic balance between art and design.

He allows his viewers to have their own experience with his work rather than tell them what it means to him.

“My work does not have any direct message, rather I want my viewers to find inspiration in my work and imagine possibilities,” he said.

Therefore, he does not price his work; he likes to say artwork prices itself.

Uriz believes every piece is a new experience and that the process is constantly changing.

“Make it a bit unpredictable and spontaneous, like life,” he said.

He does not follow trends because they are temporary, he said. He feels as though one is always behind trying to catch up to them.

Developing a piece takes time to cultivate, therefore, each one of his ideas has its timeline. “When you are passionate about your work, the process comes naturally,” Uriz said.

He defines success as a feeling of confidence, having proper love and support; being the architect of his own life. He believes you should be at peace with yourself and inspire others throughout your journey.

“Do not let your voice be stifled by others’ preconceived notions,” he said.

Uriz’s favorite quote is “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm,” by Winston Churchill. He has learned throughout many failures that you must be open to all possibilities and that you must be humble, and you must be hungry. Uriz believes

Baxter Orr enjoys the art on the walls as a regular patron of Gallery Espresso.

PHOTOS BY NOELLE WIEHE

Patrons enjoy bakery items and cafe beverages among the art on the walls at Gallery Espresso which regullary house new artists.

that he can redesign the whole world around him, imagining and producing his dreams into reality. Which is the best

thing about being an artist. He hopes to inspire many more to be creative and find their voice through various outlets.

COMMUNITY

Art by Fermin Uriz is displayed on the walls of Gallery Espresso.

FOR LIFE...

I’m COVID vaccinated.

PHOTOS BY NOELLE WIEHE

In the future, Uriz would like to have a collaborative creative design studio with his peers that have inspired him.

He is interested in the development of biomaterials, biomorphic design, and the overall merging of science, technology and art. He lives by the motto: Wake up. Kicka--. Be Kind. Repeat.

During the global pandemic, he has been fortunate enough to start many personal projects, which he hope to release soon.

Aside from the walls at Gallery Espresso this month, art fans can find his work on his website, Ferminuriz.com, or on Instagram @Franco_meench_.

— Pastor Bernard Clarke, Senior Pastor at Saint Philip Monumental AME Church

SPREAD THE FACTS NOT THE VIRUS

www.sjchs.org/vaccine

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Patrons take note of art

by Fermin Uriz on the walls at Gallery Espresso.

“Personally, I think of all those individuals who lost their lives, and I’d hate to say they were lost with no cause, but the fact of the matter is that those of us who are still here should do all we can to remain here. Knowing that life is valuable, knowing that life and death happens, we must do the very best we can to protect ourselves.”

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CULTURE

COMMUNITY

Savannah Stage Company presents PAY WHAT YOU CAN Camp

BY NICOLE YOUNGBLUT

SAVANNAH STAGE COMPANY will be offering their annual week of improv camp from June 14-18 for one week focusing on saying yes, following their impulses, and storytelling. This year SSC is offering a brand new special musical theatre camp from June 21-25. Kids’ 3rd-10th grade are going to be learning the foundations of improv and music theatre while building their bravery, expanding their imaginations, and growing their self-confidence.

“This is our 5th year of camp, and musical theatre is the new piece,” said Lead Director Ashley Frazell-Cook. “We’ve got specialists who are coming in to lead the choreography and music directing. I think we have a really great team put together.”

“I will be the lead director on the backend of directing and acting, along with another company member Rayshawn Roberts,” Frazell-Cook said. “And, we have two of our college company members, Io Ermoli, Choreographer, and Finn Repella, music director. Io Ermoli and Finn Repella are both alumni of the Savannah Arts Academy and staples of the Savannah performing arts community before heading off to college. So, it could be that they know some of the students coming in.”

PAY WHAT YOU CAN, allows parents to pay whatever is within their range for them.

The cool part of the pay what you can option is that it allows people to pay what they can afford over time. Camp asks for $175 with a pay-what-you-can options available. Registration and payments are due Friday before camp begins.

Children and teachers take the stage at improv camp. PHOTO BY MELANIE GOLDEY

“Snacks will be provided daily, they are to bring their own lunch and they get a free t-shirt,” added Frazell-Cook.

The goal is to encourage kids to get off of the screens and to challenge their imaginations through engagement. This summer the Savannah Repertory Theatre is hosting the improv camp allowing campers to work on a real professional stage.

“Each of the camps will have a showcase at the end, so their parents can come see what

they’ve been working on,” Frazell-Cook said.

“That will happen on the last Friday [at the end of camp].”

Standard covid protocol will be followed according to CDC set guidelines such as social distancing and wearing masks indoors, excluding the final performance.

Viist savannahstagecompany.com/its-bigcamp for information and registration.

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5 0 M E E T I N G S T R E E T, S U I T E E | S A V A N N A H , G A 3 1 4 1 1 912.219.3941 | FAX: 912.436.6579

ART PATROL ‘Count Down’ by Rose Simpson

In Countdown, a major commission of new works by Rose B. Simpson, the artist surpasses the signature human scale typical of her figurative sculptures, bringing bodily forms to an unprecedented totemic stature. Simultaneously, Simpson further probes the capabilities of sculpture with forays into two-dimensional laser-cut metal formations. These works act as flattened sundials that serve as points of contact to matching vinyl designs placed on the window of each SCAD Museum of Art Jewel Box. $10 general admission scadmoa.org/.

SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd.

Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage

Picasso to Hockney: Modern Art on Stage presents a rare opportunity to experience nearly 100 years of original performance designs by renowned visual artists who took their creativity to the stage.

This exhibition pulls back the curtain on a lesser known but equally inspiring aspect of their creative expressions— their collaborations as designers of sets, costumes, lighting, scenery, and in some cases, complete performances... more on telfair.org. $5-$20 general admission telfair.org/. telfair.org Jepson Center for the Arts 207 West York St.

‘A Conversation with the Savan nah Landscape’ by Dottie T. Leatherwood The Mansion on Forsyth Park’s Grand Bohemian Gallery in Savannah, Georgia, will feature the work of accomplished painter Dottie Turner Leatherwood and other artists in its 2021 Savannah Series, an annual presentation of art exhibits and artist talks showcasing talented local artists as well as the region’s inspiring landscapes.

Savannah native Dottie Turner Leatherwood’s paintings will be featured in an exhibit entitled “A Conversation with the Savannah Landscape.”

The exhibit will opened on April 15 and remains on display through May 15. Free and open to the public. 4-6 p.m..

912.721.5007. kesslercollection.com. grandbohemiangallery. com/.

The Grand Bohemian Gallery 700 Drayton St.

‘A City View from the Table of My House’

by Carlos Garaicoa Based in Madrid and Havana, Carlos Garaicoa originally trained in thermodynamics and later in painting, lending him a unique perspective on the relationship of social and historical structures to architecture and urbanism. For his solo exhibition A City View from the Table of My House, Garaicoa will present a very particular retrospective exercise, which studies the format of the table as one of the most fertile substrates for his artistic production.

scadmoa.org/.

SCAD Museum of Art, 601 Turner Blvd.

‘Merchants, Bandits, and Certain Senators’

by Craig Drennen Laney Contemporary presents Craig Drennen: Merchants, Bandits, and Certain Senators.

Since 2008, the Atlanta-based artist has used Shakespeare’s Timon of Athens to structure his studio practice and this exhibition title refers to the most recent three characters that he has addressed.

Free admission 9124384442. info@laneycontemporary. com. laneycontemporary.com/ exhibitions/merchantsbanditsandcertainsenators.

Laney Contemporary, 1810 Mills B. Lane Blvd.

‘A Message from Venus’ by Christto & Andrew

In A Message from Venus, the duo’s first U.S. museum exhibition, the artists present recent photographs that speak to our globalized culture at a time when our relationships to and experiences of image-making technology are dissimilar.

The artists’ photographs proffer objects loaded with symbolism and figures that paradoxically seem to inhabit a place neither past nor future that could exist within various cultural systems... more on Scadmoa.org $10 scadmoa.org/exhibitions/a-message-from-venus. scadmoa.org/.

SCAD Museum of Art

May/ 601 Turner Blvd.

‘Vehicles of Change’

by Anne-Solene Bayan

This exhibition will consider the pivotal role the automobile played in advancing societal and political revolutions in the United States in the 20th century. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, buses and cars were used to combat systematic racism and segregation enforced by Jim Crow. This was exemplified most famously in the Montgomery bus boycott and in the Freedom Riders’ journeys to the South... more on telfair.org. $5-20 general admission Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St.

Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America

Complex Uncertainties: Artists in Postwar America is an evolving exhibition grounded by works in Telfair’s modern and contemporary collection. This presentation brings forth undercurrents that permeate artmaking from the global eruption of World War II until today—events that challenge artists to explore unknowns, react to power, and construct narratives. ongoing. telfair.org/jepson/. Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St.

If These Walls Could Talk: 200 Years of William Jay Architecture Jay delivered the luxurious showplaces they desired and also elevated

Savannah’s civic life with a new theater, a design for the Savannah Branch of the Second Bank of the United States, and a new Customs House.

Exhibit is ongoing. telfair.org Telfair Academy of Arts and Sciences, 121 Barnard St.

Before Midnight: Bonaventure and the Bird Girl Telfair Museums presents Sylvia Shaw Judson’s iconic sculpture Bird Girl within the context of the history and art of Bonaventure Cemetery.

Made famous by Jack Leigh‘s photograph for the cover of John Berendt’s bestselling novel of Savannah, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Judson’s sculpture was removed from the cemetery to Telfair Museums where it has been enjoyed by visitors for decades... more on telfair. org $5-20 telfair.org/jepson/.

Jepson Center for the Arts, 207 West York St.

YOUNG ARTISTS: Call for Youth Artwork K-8 for CorkHouse Gallery Exhibition CorkHouse Galleries and Rocking Chair Media will present a Youth Art Exhibition, which will reflect Spring Awakening, inspired by music, with “We Hear Our Earth Sing”.

Choose one of four songs, create an original work of art inspired by that song & submit your original artwork.

Deadline for submission of your artwork will be: Friday April 23. The exhibit

12-18

will run from May 3rd to June 27th.

Free to enter. musicinmypaintbrush@ gmail.com or visit corkhousegallery. com. corkhousegallery.com CorkHouse Gallery, 230 West Bay St.

Art Classes on Tybee

Tybee Arts Association offers a variety of art classes every week: acrylics, oils, watercolors, stained glass, mosaics, jewelry-making and more. See website or Tybee Arts Facebook page for up to date schedule of classes. ongoing. tybeearts.org.

Tybee Arts Center, 7 Cedarwood Dr.

Open Pottery Studio at Savannah’s Clay Spot For potters with experience who want time in the studio. Choose from 4-hour time slots.

Registrations based on monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly commitment. ongoing. 912-509-4647 savannahsclayspot.com Savannah’s Clay Spot, 1305 Barnard St.

Wine & Canvas Painting Classes

Gather with other painters (novice or experienced) at one of your favorite restaurants for a Wine & Canvas event. Sit together and paint your heart out while enjoying your favorite menu items.

Fees include all supplies needed to create a painting. Meals are your own expense. See website for dates/locations/times. $35 912-677-6348. lindsey@ wineandcanvas.com.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

CONNECT SAVANNAH

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CULTURE

Savannah Voice Festival tests the waters early with two concerts CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

BY ORRIN KONHEIM

30

Lauren Jelencovich. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAVANNAH VOICE FESTIVAL

COMMUNITY A moment is captured fromthe 2019 Savannah Voice Festival. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SAVANNAH VOICE FESTIVAL

host Hospice Savannah.

Hospice Savannah President and CEO Kathleen Benton came into contact with the non-profit in Spring of 2019 and was so impressed that she offered to partner with them. By August of 2019, they had their first concert at the Isle of Hope Marina.

Hospice care is usually done in patients’ homes but Hospice Savannah is relatively unique in that it is done in a central location. It is also not just for the terminally ill, but houses grievers, caregivers and the chronically ill.

For the second concert, Lauren Jelencovich will be starring the stage with seven other vocal talents.

“Like any good repertory theater company, these are artists that we work with,” Zouves said. “We like to develop relationships between our artists and our audiences.”

Because she believes “in the healing power of music” as she says it, Benton finds Zouves’s programs to be a great fit for her hospital. However, most of her work with VOICExperience and Savannah Voice Festival has been done virtually because she partnered up so close to the pandemic.

“There’s a lot of gratitude that comes with being able to get out and support our programs in a way that virtual does not do,” Benton said. “Eighty percent of communication is about being in person.”

Zouves is equally excited to get back into live concerts but also notes that part of her mission as a promoter of classical music is to think outside the box.

“We’ve been forced to rethink the way we present art,” Zouves said.

Since May of 2020, SVR has presented 25 different events with a total of 51 streams across 22 countries.

“We’ve cultivated new audiences that never heard about Savannah as a city or never heard it that way,” said Zouves who made sure to overlay images of the city alongside the music.

For the concert at the Savannah Hospice, SVF will be trying out a jukebox format where people will put proverbial quarters in a box with sheet music and artists will have to perform whatever the patrons selected.

The event will be catered with food from five local restaurants. The Emcees will be Visit Savannah President Joe Marinelli and his wife Rene.

“We’re inching our way back to what we used to call normal,” Marinelli said.

“More and more in-person events are happening, and they are happening in all the traditional ways. Over 25,000 of our friends and neighbors are employed in the hospitality and tourism industry and make their living serving others.

And yes, seeing people and organizations spending money again is terrific, but more importantly, in some ways, is the desire to get folks connecting.”

Information about Hospice Savannah can be found at hospicesavannah. org and inquiries about the May 13 concert can be obtained by emailing LLMcKinnon@hospiceSavannah.org.

For information and tickets about the Savannah Voice Festival, visit savannahvoicefestival.com or call 855-766-7372.

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THE SAVANNAH VOICE Festival kicks off its first series of live performances since the Pandemic began on May 13 and May 16 as classically-trained international star Lauren Jelencovich headlines both concerts. The second concert, Back to Before – A Live Jukebox Experience, will be a more experimental concert set at Hospice Savannah.

The Savannah Voice Festival is a nonprofit with the mission to bring classical vocal music to the city. They are primarily focused on a two-week festival in August which will be celebrating its ninth incarnation this year. Last year’s festival was virtual.

“Typically, in a non-COVID world, May would be when we announce our dates for our August concert, but this offers us a chance to dip our toes in the live-performance water,” said SVF Executive Director Maria Zouves.

Hailing from Florida, singer Lauren Jelencovich rose to prominence as a reality TV winner on Star Search with Ed McMahon in the mid-1990s. The program might not be known by many since American Idol and America’s Got Talent but back in the day, Drew Carey, Sinbad, Alanis Moisette, Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera were competitors. Jelenovich won the grand prize as a high school student and was already booked in MGM Grand and Carnegie Hall by the age of 20. She was also featured in People and Teen Magazine at the time.

She has since won several prizes in the world of operatic performance but has also branched out into releasing pop albums. She has toured as the lead vocalist for New Age musician Yanni since 2010.

In her training, she has also crossed paths with Savannah Voice Festival’s sister non-profit VOICExperience which runs vocal workshops.

During her 60-minute concert, Jelenovich will be sharing stories of her time with VOICExperience and of being on the world stage.

“Lauren fits in that category like Kristin Chenoweth who was classically trained and then moved onto other categories of music,” Zouves said.

The May 16 concert will take place in the courtyard of the Hospice In-Patient Unit which is on the grounds of event

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JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

BY MATT JONES ©2021

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Georgia Southern University invites applicants for the following vacancy on the Armstrong campus:

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Police Officer - Office of Public Safety - JOB ID 226720 Please visit the Georgia Southern University employment website and complete the application process at https://apptrkr.com/2246778 The application process must be completed by the deadline to be considered. Georgia is an open records state.

Individuals in need of reasonable accommodations under the ADA to participate in the search process should notify Human Resources: (912) 478-6947. Georgia Southern University is an EEO/AA/ADA/Veteran employer.

ACROSS 1 Garden fixture 8 It’s not the R in “MMR,” but another name for measles 15 Before 16 Maroons 17 Misheard phrase such as “nerve-wrecking” 18 Thought that one could 19 Complete beginner?

20 Martial arts-based Lego set that launched a cartoon and subsequent movie 22 Req. for a restaurant to serve alcohol 23 Eric who said “I believe in the separation of church and planet” 25 Spread for some bougie brewpubs 26 Dal ___ (Rajasthani dish with wheat bread and ghee) 27 “Barbarella” actress 29 Heart diagnostic, for short 30 Lammermoor bride of opera 31 Virtuoso guitarist Malmsteen 33 Use your break time, in a way 35 In the meantime, in Latin 37 How “Waiting for Godot” was originally presented 40 Jays’ and Yanks’ div.

44 Gotta-haves 45 ‘50s Dem. presidential candidate 47 Chilean pianist Claudio 48 E. ___ (rod-shaped

bacteria) 49 Award given to “Nomadland” for Best Film in April 2021 51 Line parts (abbr.)

52 Dijon’s here 53 Santa Monica area in early skateboard documentaries 55 Biden, to GIs 56 Beauty chain since 1970 58 Model who’s the daughter of Wayne Gretzky 60 About .035 ounces 61 Connecticut-born cartoonist known for big stripy cats 62 Say again 63 Like old parchment DOWN 1 Spell out 2 Rooted for 3 Malaysian-born comedian who gained fame in 2020 for his online cooking reviewer persona Uncle Roger 4 Happy coworker?

5 About 90% of all refined metal 6 Places in the heart 7 Johnson who invented the Super Soaker 8 Harmful bloom makeup 9 Long sushi order?

10 Ballpoint pen, in the U.K. 11 “Taiwan” suffix 12 Arsenic partner, in film 13 Wright who played Shuri in “Black Panther” 14 Withdrawn, perhaps

21 Big no-no for stand-up comedians 24 King nicknamed “Longshanks” 26 Sucky situations 28 Professional staff 30 Ali who had a perfect record in the ring 32 One, in Bonn 34 La la leader?

36 March Madness event 37 Canine neighbor 38 Division of the Tertiary period 39 Former Mexican president Calderón and baseball manager Alou, for two 41 Puerto Rico observatory site where a notable telescope collapsed in 2020 42 City north of Flint 43 Chianti’s region 46 Visit 49 He was in a “Subsequent Moviefilm” 50 Caffeinated

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

THIS IS HOW I STAY CONNECTED “Art museums, informative tours, prohibition-born distilleries, and traditional sweet shops remind me that Savannah hasn’t just become a great — and wild — place to be, it has always been. I love the way Connect Savannah magazine allows readers to connect the dots between the city’s rich history and its progressive present by also acknowledging blooming businesses, talented artists, the city’s newest innovations, and of course, the coolest places to be. This is how I stay connected in Savannah.” - Brandy

WE’RE REACHING THE LANDINGS. Connect Savannah recently started mailing every home at the Landings – all 4,600 of them!

It’s our way of introducing the exciting new format and contents of Connect, Savannah’s premier News, Arts and Entertainment publication.

We want to make it easy for everyone to read Connect! We’ve added new locations all over town – especially out in the fast-growing Westside and Pooler locations!

912.231.0250 | ConnectSavannah.com | 611 East Bay Street | Savannah, Georgia 31401

PHOTOS FROM LOCAL EVENTS

Photos by Bunny Ware

View more photos online at connectsavannah.com/connected

Nancy Radke, Tuesday Bigelow, Kathryn Murph and Barbara Gatens adorn their derby hats as they attend a celebration downtown of the 147th Kentucky Derby.

Mark “Rooster” Hiott adorned in plaid and David Murph and Gary Radke both in pinstripes converse about their pick of the finest horse in the race as they anticipate events of the 2021 Kentucky Derby.

Ric Fiano with his wife Kristen Fiano pick their favorite horse to win the race and await the announcement of the winner May 1 at a derby party.

Area residents celebrate 147th Kentucky Derby with at-home, post-pandemic party Local business woman and nonprofit benefactor Katherine Murph and her husband David host an annual derby watch party at their residence on Washington Square in historic downtown Savannah for local area friends May 1 as they cheer on their favorite horses while adorned in derby-day attire.

The event was hosted in honor of the 147th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, and guests adorned big hats, bow ties and were offered festive beverages.

H S

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

Carole Cornett and Kathleen Brenneman surround Eric Brooks with Kathy Virant and Susan Lowrey-Flaherty May 1 at a local Kentucky Derby party.

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Attendees of Kathryn and David Murph’s annual Kentucky Derby Party raise their glasses as they celebrate the 147th Kentucky Derby from the Murphs’ residence May 1 in historic downtown Savannah. The Kentucky Derby race returned this year to the traditional date on the first Saturday in May.

Photos by Bunny Ware

PHOTOS FROM LOCAL EVENTS View more photos online at connectsavannah.com/connected

Workplace Health hosts Luau Happy Hour at South Bridge poolside Disrupt HR Savannah and Workplace Health host a Happy Hour Luau poolside April 29 at the Grand Lake Club at Southbridge in Savannah. The event brought together local professionals to discuss such topics as mental health, worker’s compensation and COVID-19 progression while allowing attendees the freedom to network and enjoy the Grand Lake Club amenities.

Dena Alexander and Amanda Neidlinger wave from the poolside at the Grand Lake Club at Southbridge April 29 during the Workplace Health Connect Luau Happy Hour.

Hostesses Michelle Wilds and Garlana Mathews celebrate happy hour with Mack McKenzie and Sherri Forbes during a poolside luau April 29 at the Grand Lake Club at Southbridge.

Above: Thomas Musselwhite, Brent Holcombe and David Stephens take a break poolside during the Luau Happy Hour at Grand Lake Club.

Top left: Chris and Susan Kubas are spotted poolside with Todd Ross at the April 29 Workplace Luau Happy Hour at the Grand Lake Club.

Bottom left: Grand Lake Club’s Tara Reese, Gina Shields, Alaina Radford and Tara O’Sullivan plan a perfect luau April 29 at Southbridge.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAY 12-18, 2021

y

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