THE CORDUROY ROAD
According to the group Sister Cities International, Savannah has three siblings, none of them in the United States. Music-wise, however, few would argue that Athens – home of them University of Georgia Bulldogs – has a special bond with us. So many talented players come from Athens, and they all seem to visit here with regularity.
Case in point is The Corduroy Road, the four-man country-slash-Americana band that’ll take the Wormhole stage Friday night. The band has been to Savannah on numerous occasions, and no one in the audience has ever left dissatisfied with their hippie-fied blend of guitar, banjo and big-beat rock ‘n’ roll.
The ‘Road has just put out its first complete CD, Love is a War, with production by John Keane, who’s manned the console for the likes of R.E.M., Widespread Panic and Uncle Tupelo.
There’s a well-defined streak of “alt-country” in the Love is a War songs, but the band’s sound goes even deeper, with Hammond B3 organ, mandolin and dobro to the fore. Shiver-inducing vocal harmonies on terrific songs – think The Band jamming with Poco, with Ryan Adams sitting in for good measure. Listen & learn: www.thecorduroyroad.com. Friday, Aug. 28 at the Wormhole, 2307 Bull St.
JASON MOON, BARITONE
OK, so this isn’t a rock ‘n’ roll show. Sue me! Moon is a Korean-born baritone who’s performed with opera companies all over the world, and has a keen interest in song cycles, particularly German lieder. His accompanist for this free recital is Quynh Shannon, an accomplished classical pianist who’s been a Savannah resident since 2007. She’s a member of the faculty at Savannah State University. Check it out – a little culture never hurt anyone. At 2:30 p.m. Thursday. Aug. 27 in the Armstrong Atlantic State University Fine Arts Auditorium, 11935 Abercorn St.
ALLISON WEISS
“My life is all about living the dream,” says this 22-year-old singer/songwriter from Athens, whose clever, spunky songs bring the best of Lisa Loeb happily to mind (she wears glasses, too). “I’m playing every show I can get my hands on, and in the meantime I enthusiastically blog, twitter, facebook, myspace, and join every social networking site you’ve heard of. I make my own music videos and do all my own design. I am the epitome of a DIY artist and I’m not slowing down anytime soon.” No kidding – she’s playing two different shows, in different venues, both Saturday night. Listen & learn: www.allisonw.com. At 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Distillery, 416 W. Liberty St. At 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Guitar Bar, 348 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
TRAIN WRECKS
New in town? Want to see one of the best bands Chatham County’s got going? Journey out to the Rock House, on Tybee Island, Saturday to catch the explosive alt-country quartet fronted by singer, guitarist, harmonica player and Johnny Cash enthusiast Jason Bible. The Train Wrecks – about to start recording their sophomore CD – are the real deal, whiskey-soaked and sweat-fueled, and no one has ever left a show complaining that they didn’t get their money’s worth. Listen & learn: www.thetrainwrecksband.com. Saturday, Aug. 29 at the Rock House, corner of Butler and Tybresa, Tybee Island.
