As a professional talker, Lewis Black only needs a subject — a word — to get him going.
When we spoke with him last year, prior to an appearance in Savannah, the word was “politics.”
“You can Democrat, Republican me to death, all you want, the bottom line is what does it mean to the folks in the town?” he started in. “That’s really what counts.
“I think part of what enrages me about the whole thing — and I guess I’m funnier when I’m angry — is that these guys literally don’t get that people are involved any more. I don’t think that they even know that there’s a constituency. I don’t think they have a clue any more.”
He is, indeed, funnier when he’s angry. And he’s angry a lot of the time. That’s what makes Lewis Black one of the country’s most engaging, and engaged, standup comedians.
See for yourself when Black returns to the Johnny Mercer Theatre Feb. 12 (that’s two days before Willie Nelson plays the same room — woo hoo!)
Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 2.
Berry Christmas
Country singer John Berry (“Your Love Amazes Me,” “Standing on the Edge of Goodbye”) has been doing an annual Christmas tour since 1996. The 2011 “Joy to the World” show is coming to the Lucas Theatre Saturday, Dec. 10. Tickets are $30–$69.50 at savannahboxoffice.com.
Do you know Mose?
Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Mose Allison, the singing, songwriting, piano-tickling Mississippian whose svelte take on the blues influenced so many young British acts in the 1960s, is still alive. He’s an institution.
Alive he is, and 84, not only did Allison headline the 2009 Savannah Jazz Festival in Forsyth Park, he’s been to the Jazz Corner club in Hilton Head a couple of times since.
Catch the Mighty Mose Dec. 2 and 3 at the Jazz Corner.
Tickets for each 8 p.m. performance are $20 at thejazzcorner.com.
Let it Beatles
I haven’t seen them live, but from the look of their online photos and videos, the Nashville-based tribute band the WannaBeatles have at least one thing up on their fellow Faux Fabs: They don’t do the costumes or the wigs.
For these guys, playing a Savannah gig Friday, Nov. 25 at the Westin Resort, it’s all about the music, getting it right and channeling the spirit.
And for this I say, well done. There are so many Beatles tribute bands around - many of them, like The Return and 1964, really good.
But the WannaBeatles, all session pros, have the right idea — it’s fun. The harmonies are solid, but the vocals aren’t impersonations.
Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $20 adult, $12 child, at westinsavannah.com.
