words by Stephanie Augello

On Wednesday, November 17th, The Wormhole will open its doors to the spirit of garage rock.  If you can, please say that last line out loud in your best disc jockey voice.  Back to the point.  New Terminus, a 4-piece rock band from Atlanta, will deliver us “…high-powered, guitar-driven sonic experiences.”  Combining the influences of the Foo Fighters, Radiohead and Built to Spill, New Terminus offers “intriguing lyrics intertwined with infectious melodies under a blanket of swirling guitars and intricately laid bass and drum lines.” They will share the bill with Pure Ed, a garage/punk group derived from the likes of Dinosaur Jr. and the Pixies, as well as Fuzzy Dunlop, a “mysterious duo” hailing from both the Savannah and Atlanta areas.  So, if finals are making your brain explode, head down to 2307 Bull St. for a night of energized, 90′s-influenced rock n’ roll.

Looking back on the last few weeks of music

The music community in Savannah is an enthusiastic one.  It’s comprised of a broad talent pool of creative minds, willing to facilitate friendship and communication with other creative outfits from the Southeast and beyond.  We are always happy to welcome a handful of great touring bands to our city.  On Sunday, November 7th, Dare Dukes shared the Sentient Bean with Portland, OR situated ensemble The Red River.  For quite some time, Dukes has introduced Savannah to a variety of touring acts.  With The Red River, he gave us a cheerful, multi-talented group of troubadours.  Their new album, Little Songs about the Big Picture, was released on November 2nd, and is “a stroll down memory lane of first loves, taco-making and Boyz-II-Men singalongs,” and a has been touted by NPR as being a “magnificent record.”

Really, all of that is just the tip of the iceberg.  For 2 weeks in a row, our venues hosted the raw power of Megan Jean & the KFB.  When I met them at their October 23rd show at The Wormhole, I was immediately captivated by both their songwriting and performance capabilities.  Megan Jean herself is a power house.  When combined with the strength of upright bass/banjo man Byrne Klay, as well as the support of drummer Joseph Stramm, it sets the stage for a captivating, intimate look at the world of self-described “circus gypsy” music.  On October 30th, they played a set at LiveWire, which also featured a tantalizing presentation by burlesque artist Brandy Valentine.

This Charleston, SC unit released their full-length album, Dead Woman Walkin’, on November 13th via a DIY platform.  Filled with rhythm, passion and empathetic lyricism, it deserves a listen by anyone who is a fan of good music.  The first track on the album, entitled Cemetery Man, is wildly infectious.  I’d be willing to bet that it’ll have you dancing the samba around your room, as you recreate the “Shake Senora” scene from Beetlejuice in your mind.  Prior to the show on the 30th, I met with the band at the local Kroger, as we attempted to create Megan Jean’s vision of a modern-day Garden of Eden.  In addition to being intelligently driven, it was also a really good time!