Wilco, the hugely popular alt/country band, will perform in Savannah March 25 as part of the 2010 Savannah Music Festival, March 18-April 3.
Fronted by singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy, Wilco is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. concert appearance in the Johnny Mercer Theatre, inside the Savannah Civic Center.
The concert is part of Crank it Up, a new–for–2010 series that will also include a performance by She & Him, the rock duo consisting of actress Zooey Deschanel and “one man band” M. Ward. The She & Him show will take place March 27 in the Trustees Theatre.
For many younger music fans in Savannah, which has such a large contingent of college students, the Wilco booking will be a most welcome announcement. Traditionally, the festival has been weighted heavily in favor of jazz, acoustic and world music artists.
Rob Gibson, the festival’s longtime director, will announce the full schedule for the 2010 Savannah Music Festival Thursday at the Charles H. Morris Center. Following the announcement, the Belleville Outfit – a blend of gypsy jazz, swing and bluegrass – will perform.
The Belleville Outfit will return in 2010 for an official festival concert.
Traditionally, the Savannah Music Festival is divided into series, delineating jazz from classical, bluegrass from blues, world music from folk. Encompassing a wide variety of musical styles, the world–renowned event takes place in a half–dozen local venues.
The Connect Americana Series, sponsored by this newspaper, will feature the return of two mandolin greats, Chris Thile and Mike Marshall, performing with Bulgarian–born mandolinist Caterina Lichtenberg.
Both Thile (formerly of the group Nickel Creek) and Marshall played the 2008 festival. The trio will do two March 24 shows at the Morris Center.
The Del McCoury Band, one of the best–known groups in bluegrass, will perform April 3 at the Lucas Theatre. McCoury and company will share the bill with Curtis Blackwell and the Dixie Bluegrass.
The bluegrass family band Cherryholmes makes a repeat SMF appearance March 25 at the Morris Center, with singer/songwriter Shannon Whitworth.
Cajun fiddle master David Greeley, former with zydeco’s Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, brings the David Greeley Duo to the Morris Center for matinee performances March 24 and 25.
And the U.S. Army Strings will give a free, family–friendly concert March 27 at the Mighty Eight Air Force Museum.
Tickets to the 2010 Savannah Music Festival – all concerts, in every series – will go on sale on at the Morris Center, immediately following Thursday’s announcement, and will be available at 9 a.m. Friday at www.savannahmusicfestival.org, by phone at (912) 525–5050 or at the box office, 216 East Broughton St. in Savannah.
Wilco tickets are $25, $35 and $55; tickets for the She & Him concert are $25 and $35. Connect Americana tickets range from $12 to $55.
Check www.connectsavannah.com Thursday evening for the full Savannah Music Festival schedule. CS
Savannah Music Festival Announcement and concert
Where: Charles H. Morris Center, 10 E. Broad St.
When: Thursday, Oct. 15. Announcement at 6:30 p.m.; Belleville Outfit concert at 7 p.m.
Admission: $10
Cash bar
Online: www.savannahmusicfestival.org