Connect Savannah March 18, 2020

MAR 18-24, 2020 NEWS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM

CANCELED

HOW SAVANNAH IS COPING WITH CORONAVIRUS CLOSURES

CONNECTSAVANNAH.COM

MARCH 4 TO

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

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NEWS & OPINION EDITOR’S NOTE

BY JIM MOREKIS

jim@connectsavannah.com

THE steady, relentless cancellation announcements came rolling in late last week, hour by hour, minute by minute.

By Friday afternoon, I had become almost numb to them.

Festivals, parades, concerts, theatre performances, church services. Things people had put thousands of hours and untold love into. Not going to happen.

Savannah is known for — and our local economy is largely dependent on — two busy seasons, centering on March and October of each year.

Spring 2020 will simply be the spring season that Savannah didn’t have. The St. Patrick’s Day without a parade, or even Mass at the Cathedral that morning.

And that’s just off the top of my head.

I’m sure you can add to the list.

Drilling down into my own area of expertise, being editor in chief of a local newspaper, the question begs itself: What does “The Events Paper” do when there are almost no events in town?

Ordinarily, we’d be gearing up right now for big-time Savannah Music Festival coverage, with at least two covers in a row dedicated to it.

But, the Savannah Music Festival, along with most everything else of note, has been canceled or postponed for the duration.

A city dependent in large part on the service industry seems poised, as I write this, to follow the lead of other cities and institute some kind of comprehensive limitation on public gatherings and on the food/ beverage industry.

As a grassroots, independent, and very hyperlocal newspaper we too, are quite

continue to provide in even more volume than before during this time.

Hopefully, when we eventually get to the other side of the pandemic, these lessons and experiences will make for a stronger journalistic outlet in the long run.

We have opted this week to focus on that sense of local solidarity, on how local people are responding to the pandemic, in terms of their events, performances, and small businesses.

One of the more popular things to say these days is “we should put people over profits,” and of course that’s true.

But most of the time when we say “profits,” what we really mean is… people.

People who need to pay rent, need to pay bills, need to be able to make their car insurance payment, need to pay student loans, need to put food on the table.

A friend of mine, Rev. Ben Gosden, senior pastor of Trinity Church, says it best:

What should Connect Savannah’s mission be during this resulting community pause in events and public life?

We are turning enthusiastically to the idea of building and encouraging grassroots solidarity with local people, businesses, artists, and entertainers during this trying time.

And that’s in the best-case scenario, unfortunately.

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare every weakness of America’s economic, social, and educational fabric, one by one: • Wall Street gets more bailouts while Main Street still gets nothing • Our profit-driven healthcare system makes centralized response in the public interest nearly impossible • Self-quarantine means not being able to pay rent or bills, as shift workers/tipped workers have little or no PTO and often no health insurance • Internet access should be a public utility • Public school shutdowns are difficult because so many children literally only get fed during school hours • An antiquated elections system almost completely dependent on retired elderly poll workers who volunteer their time • The move to online learning will expose the massive top-heaviness and cost inefficiency of our higher education system • Universal Basic Income (UBI) no longer seems like such a “crazy” idea, does it?

dependent on local small business and the local entertainment and service industry.

So we will feel their pain too.

What should Connect Savannah’s mission be during this pandemic and resulting community pause, however long it lasts?

We are now going through a very interesting, and I hope ultimately beneficial, conversation about how to be “The Events Paper” when there almost no events in town, with more canceling every day.

So we are turning enthusiastically to the idea of building and encouraging grassroots solidarity with local people, businesses, artists, and entertainers during this trying time, outside the event-driven environment by necessity.

Our print paper is by necessity smaller than usual this week.

The very rapidly-changing and extremely fluid nature of this pandemic means that for the time being, there simply isn’t enough material to fill a normal-sized print edition that we know will be current by the time it hits stands.

That last part is really important.

Stay linked with us at connectsavannah. com and our social media platforms for breaking, up-to-date news, which we will

“If you hear (or see) a small business mourn the losses coming as a result of this season of social distancing, know that it’s not helpful for you to lecture them on how ‘some things are more important than profits.’ Odds are you’re not talking to the CEO of Amazon or Disney,” Gosden writes.

“They’re more likely to be the owners of restaurants, coffee shops, bars, and other establishments that offer your community space to be together. And those profits you shame them over represents their livelihood — food on their table, braces in their kid’s mouth, hope for a retirement one day, etc,” continues Gosden.

“Small business is an important part of the social fabric in our local communities.

And when you’re tempted to shame a business owner for grieving the temporary loss of that livelihood, just take a breath and remember how selfish and privileged you sound.”

I couldn’t have put it better myself.

We’re all in this together, now more than ever, and Connect Savannah will change and adapt to serve the public, as long as it takes. CS

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Connect Savannah is published every Wednesday by Morris Multimedia, Inc 611 East Bay Street Savannah, GA, 31401 Phone: (912) 238-2040 Fax: (912) 238-2041 www.connectsavannah.com twitter: @ConnectSavannah Facebook.com/connectsav ADMINISTRATIVE Chris Griffin, General Manager chris@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4378 EDITORIAL Jim Morekis, Editor-in-Chief jim@connectsavannah.com Sean Kelly, A&E Editor sean@connectsavannah.com Rachael Flora, Community/Events Editor rachael@connectsavannah.com Josephine Beisel, Editorial Intern CONTRIBUTORS John Bennett, Matt Brunson, Kristy Edenfield, Geoff L. Johnson, Lindy Moody, Orlando Montoya, Jim Reed ADVERTISING Information: (912) 721-4378 sales@connectsavannah.com Bucky Bryant, Senior Account Executive bucky@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4381 Dean Moesch, Account Executive dean@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4378 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Brandon Blatcher, Art Director artdirector@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4379 Loretta Calhoun, Graphic Designer ads@connectsavannah.com (912) 721-4380 DISTRIBUTION Wayne Franklin, Distribution Manager (912) 721-4376 CLASSIFIEDS Call (912) 231-0250

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Flattening the curve

Two of Savannah’s event organizers discuss their decisions to cancel

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

AS YOU undoubtedly have noticed, either from social media or from our shortened event listings this week, there’s not a whole lot happening in Savannah right now.

In the interest of public safety, the CDC recommends social distancing to help keep coronavirus from spreading. Essentially, that means staying home as often as possible, limiting touch, and staying three to six feet away from other people.

As a result, many organizations and event planners in our town have chosen to cancel or reschedule their events. While I’d argue they’re making the absolutely correct decision, it makes things a bit tricky for us as an events newspaper, as Jim writes in his editor’s note this week.

Originally, I’d planned to sit down with Cody Shelley, manager of the Flannery O’Connor Childhood Home Foundation, to talk about their upcoming birthday party for Flannery.

But coronavirus had other plans for us: Shelley had to cancel the parade, plus two other events, the day before our meeting.

She suspended operations of the home just hours after we talked.

“It’s a very tough situation, but it’s much more important to keep people safe,” Shelley says. “We are lucky enough that we have this dedicated space and we can reschedule things.”

I was interested in hearing Shelley’s

thought process for this decision.

“The vast majority of our volunteer docents are 65 plus,” says Shelley. “That is the thrust of our decision-making, the unknown factor that any of us could be sharing it and coming into contact with it so readily, given the fact that we work with visitors who are coming from other places. And that was really the reason. I’m minimizing my older docents’ contact, but also, I don’t want to invite a bunch of people in when I’ve been around people who are possibly at risk.”

That’s the same rationale that Tania Sammons employed when choosing to cancel her event, “The Woman Behind the Prophet: The Story of Mary Haskell Minis,” which would have taken place Mar. 11 at the Pennsylvania Avenue Resources Center.

That event was one of the first in town to be canceled; Sammons announced the cancellation on Wednesday afternoon, hours before the City of Savannah would cancel all St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

“That morning I thought, ‘Well, should I do this? What should I do?’” remembers Sammons. “I knew the City hadn’t canceled the parade at that point, and I thought, ‘I’m just going to leave it.’”

But then Sammons received an email from a book club friend who worked at St. Joseph’s.

“This doctor in the book club shared that they’ve seen a lot of respiratory cases, but have no idea if it was coronavirus because they had no tests,” shares

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Sammons. “She was advocating for social distancing, even for a small group like a book club, because she knows that it’s probably here based on the cases that she’s seen. She pointed out that there are so many tourists and international students, there are people traveling in and out of Savannah all the time, and it’s just very likely that it’s here.”

After Sammons read about flattening the curve and some firsthand accounts from Italy, and knowing that many of her attendees at the talk would be elderly, she made the choice, independently, to cancel the event.

“I just couldn’t in good conscience— there would be no way to know if they got it at this event, but for me, this is low hanging fruit. I can give this talk another time,” says Sammons.

Both Sammons and Shelley made the choice based on their demographic and out of a responsibility to the greater good.

And both these situations are unique because Shelley and Sammons have the flexibility required to reschedule these events fairly easily. A large part of that is due to their community-oriented nature.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback on social media saying, ‘This is such a bummer, but the right thing to do right now,’ and that’s very nice to hear,” says Shelley.

The Flannery O’Connor Birthday Parade is a beloved annual event. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FOC CHILDHOOD HOME.

“Our events are geared for the community.

They are not for the visitors to Savannah.

Our events are very much community events, so the impact is within the folks that support us. It’s that crowd that’s impacted when we cancel. It was a really hard decision—we had a two-hour board meeting Wednesday night to discuss. We don’t want to put people at unnecessary risk.”

“It’s a pain!” Sammons concurs. “One of my favorite things in spring is watching the NCAA basketball tournament, and I’m so bummed. This is a huge disruption in our lives, how we live.”

While both Shelley and Sammons report positive feedback and support for their choices, you’d be hard pressed to find that unanimous support on social media, which is even more divisive and vitriolic than usual. (Pro tip: there is a Google Chrome extension called Shut Up that disables comment sections for all websites. You’re welcome.)

Plenty of people on social media are in strong opposition to event cancellations, crowing that it feeds into mass hysteria. I wondered what Shelley would have to say to them.

“I would tell them to read the personal accounts of doctors in Italy right now,” says Shelley firmly, “who are having to make life and death decisions about who gets to survive because their resources are so limited because the virus was not contained early enough. That’s what I would say to them.”

These are uncertain times that, as Sammons points out, come on the heels of an already stressful environment.

“It just feels like we’ve been bombarded,” says Sammons. “Here in Savannah, we have hurricanes, but this is worldwide. All the stuff, regardless of what side you’re on politically, the whole political upheaval over the past four years.

And this is external stress on top of regular stresses people have in their lives. It’s just so much. And we’ve got to give each other a break here somehow.”

Things are changing rapidly. By the time this issue goes to print, there will almost certainly have been another breaking news story. There are steps we can take to look out for each other, be it washing your hands or canceling an event. The caution we exercise now could make a huge difference. Let’s give each other a break.

I implore you: stay home if you are able, log off social media for a little bit, and please, please, wash your hands. CS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

COMMUNITY

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NEWS & OPINION BLOTTER 2020 Sav/Chatham County Crime Stats through Sunday March 15

HOMICIDES

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Memorial Health implements restrictions

While saying that they have so far “not received any patients who have tested positive for COVID-19,” Memorial Health Hospital announced Sunday afternoon several changes to its entrance protocol, effective Mon. March 16.

Public entrances to the hospital will be: • ER (24/7) Monday – Friday • Main Hospital Entrance (5:30am – 7pm) • Heart & Vascular Institute (5am – 7pm) • Day Surgery (4:30am – 4pm) Weekends • Main Hospital Entrance (7am – 7pm) • Heart & Vascular Institute (7am – 7pm) Additional visitation restrictions will be implemented: • Only one (1) well adult visitor per patient at all times • Visitation hours are 6am – 7pm • Children 18 and under will not be allowed to visit “Special consideration will be given to

those in critical care, neonatal intensive care unit, maternity center and at the Children’s Hospital, on a case-by-case basis,” a spokesperson says.

When visitors or patients arrive on campus, “they should utilize the public entrances. Greeters will be screening at those entrances with a list of basic questions to help ensure that patients get the care they need while not potentially exposing others to the virus.”

Please do not visit the hospital if you: • Have a fever • Have a cough or shortness of breath and have traveled outside the US in the past 14 days • Have had direct contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19

No Savannah water shut-offs

The City of Savannah says it will not shut off anyone’s water service for nonpayment through March 31, 2020 due to the spreading threat of COVID-19 .

“We will re-evaluate the situation at that time and make adjustments as conditions warrant,” a spokesperson says.

“With everything else going on during these uncertain times, access to water is the last thing any Savannahian should be thinking about. As we are in a public health emergency, unfettered access to

water is paramount to contain the virus and prevent it from spreading.”

TIU investigates fatal March 8 crash on Interstate 95 Savannah Police’s Traffic Investigation Unit (TIU) is investigating a fatal singlevehicle crash that occurred on Interstate 95 at mile marker 105.

At around 2:40 p.m. on March 8, officers responded to the single-vehicle crash and located Paul Williamson, 81, and Carolyn Williamson, 73, in a Buick LeSabre with serious injuries. A preliminary investigation revealed that Paul suffered a medical episode while traveling north bound on Interstate 95. He lost control of the vehicle and struck a tree.

Upon arrival at the hospital, Paul was pronounced deceased. Carolyn was transported with serious injuries, but is in stable condition.

TIU is continuing to investigate this collision. CS

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NEWS & OPINION NEWS OF THE WEIRD -- Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely is on trial in Athens, Alabama, facing 11 counts of theft and ethics charges related to his job. On March 6, Blakely went to the hospital, where his lawyers told the court he was being tested for COVID19, the disease associated with coronavirus. But in a special hearing on March 7, Dr. Maria Onoya told Judge Pride Tompkins that while Blakely was indeed admitted to the hospital, and received multiple tests, none of them was for COVID-19. In fact, she said there was no evidence to suggest he should be tested for it, The News Courier reported. Judge Tompkins ended the hearing with harsh words for Blakely’s defense team: “I don’t know what your tactic is, but it’s condemned by the court,” he said. He went on to note that he was “very disturbed” by the defense’s mention of COVID-19 in the motion to continue, calling it irresponsible, reckless and unfair to the community.

-- Meanwhile, in Queensland, Australia, people are panicking about running out of toilet paper during the coronavirus pandemic. Which makes Haidee Janetzki of Toowoomba extra popular, after she made an error in her regular online TP order with Who Gives a Crap. “When it asked for quantity, I put 48,” she told 7News, “thinking that would be a box of 48 (rolls). Turned out it was 48 boxes.” At first she thought it was the online retailer’s fault -- until she checked her credit card, which showed an expense of $3,260 plus almost $400 shipping. Janetzki is selling the hot commodity to friends at a slight markup, hoping to raise money to send her kids on a school trip to Canberra. She’s now known Down Under as the Queen of the Toilet Paper.

-- Two state attorneys general and the Food and Drug Administration are

cracking down on disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker, now the host of “The Jim Bakker Show” on cable TV. The New York attorney general’s office on March 3 sent a cease-and-desist order to Bakker, and on March 10, the Missouri attorney general filed suit against him. At issue is Bakker’s hawking of “Silver Solution,” a “medication” made from silver that supposedly cures all sorts of ailments, for use in treating COVID-19. On Feb. 12, The Washington Post reported, Bakker asked a guest on his show whether the gel could cure the coronavirus. “It hasn’t been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it’s been tested on other strains of the coronavirus, and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours,” said “naturopathic doctor” Sherrill Sellman. In the letter, the “extremely concerned” Lisa Landau, chief of the attorney general’s health care bureau, called the segment false advertising and said it violates New York law. She gave Bakker 10 days to comply.

-- A man in Vilnius, Lithuania, with help from his sons, reportedly locked his wife in their bathroom after she expressed worry to him that she had contracted COVID-19 from traveling to Italy, where she came in contact with some Chinese people. The husband called a doctor, who suggested she isolate herself; she contacted police because her husband wouldn’t let her out.

It’s unclear how long she was locked in the bathroom, but Delfi.lt reported that she was tested for the virus and did not have it.

-- The U.S. State Department has advised people, particularly older adults, to avoid cruise ships and air travel during the coronavirus onslaught. But some travelers just can’t be dissuaded. Take, for example, Ben Stults, a sophomore at Florida State University, who will head out on a cruise to Mexico this week for spring break. He’s

hoping to “hit the sweet spot” -- get there and get home before the virus takes hold in Mexico. To be safe, however, he’s bringing along a respirator face mask and a deck of cards in case, you know, quarantine. The Daily Beast asked Stults if he thought his plan was a sound one, to which he replied, “Honestly, no.”

Animal Antics

Firefighters were called to a farm near Bramham, Leeds, in England on March 7 to put out a fire in a large pigpen. At this particular farm, the pigs wear pedometers to prove that they’re free-range, Fox News reported, but one of those gadgets was the probable cause of the blaze, firefighters said. They theorize that one of the pigs ate one of the pedometers, then passed it in its excrement, sparking a fire in the pen’s hay.

The culprit was the copper in the battery reacting with the pig poo. No pigs were hurt in the fire.

The Continuing Crisis

A Polish tattooist known only as Piotr A. has pleaded not guilty to causing blindness in model Aleksandra Sadowska, 25, from Wroclaw, Poland. Sadowska engaged the artist to dye her eyeballs black in 2016.

Following the procedure, she had pain in her eyes, which the tattooist said could be treated with painkillers. But she lost sight first in her right eye, and doctors told her there was nothing they could do to prevent the same fate for her left eye. “There is clear evidence that the tattoo artist did not know how to perform such a delicate procedure,” Sadowska’s lawyers said, according to the Daily Mail. “And yet he decided to perform it, which led to this tragedy.”

As he awaits his trial, the tattooist continues to run his salon in Warsaw, where he mainly pierces ears. CS

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

And So It Begins

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MUSIC THE VINYL SAY

THE VINYL SAY: Hip hop artist, DJ, and music veteran Basik Lee

PHOTO BY SASCHA HAUK

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

Each edition of The Vinyl Say features a different local musician, with interviews taking place at Graveface Records & Curiosities. All we have is a store full of albums to draw from; no gig or album to promote, no pre-planned talking points. The idea is simple - walk around a record store and talk about albums, influences, and music.

Basik Lee has been a leading purveyor of hip hop in Savannah for many years, as a solo artist and part of the beloved collective Dope Sandwich. He’s also a DJ and regularly performs throughout the city in one configuration or another. He spearheaded hip hop night at The Jinx, and he’s an allaround music aficionado.

Today, Basik Lee has The Vinyl Say. Basik Lee browses the Graveface Records inventory, with a look of excitement in his eye.

8 Do you go record shopping a lot?

Honestly, the thing that sucks is that I work so much DJ-ing, I never have time to sit at home. And I don’t have a full setup at home to just sit and listen, so it’s rare that I have time. I’m looking around right now and thinking, “Damn, I haven’t done this in forever.”

Are you kind of into everything, musically-speaking?

Yeah! I’m sitting here going through some of the tucked-away stuff in the back, looking for samples and little sounds.

Let’s talk about that—what did you find back here?

(Walks to the back of the store) Most of the time, I don’t even go off of what I know.

I’ll just look at something and say, “Okay, this looks nice.” I don’t like a lot of newer records, and most of the time I’m looking for something that has more than one song on it so I can do more with it. If it has one song on it, I want multiple versions—especially instrumental and acapella versions.

It makes it more fun for me.

What kind of music did you grow up on?

Oh, so you’re hearing a lot of world music in your neighborhood.

I’m originally from New Jersey, and I grew up on a lot of house music. House and hip hop, of course. It’s funny, if you’d have asked me as a kid I would have never wanted to be a rapper. It was just always around; it was like basketball or football. It was a hobby, so I didn’t think anything of it. Everybody did it.

My dad had a lot of different things he listened to. He listened to, like, George Michael, and he’d buy Ladysmith Black Mambazo records.

Yeah, all the time. Mostly reggae, just because a lot of my friends were Trinidadian. It was always around.

That’s some cool stuff.

Oh, yeah. He got their stuff because he started listening to Paul Simon. There was a lot of jazz—Coltrane and stuff like that.

My mom was the opposite; she didn’t listen to jazz. She liked Luther Vandross, and she was more about gospel and R&B singers.

But in my neighborhood, I lived around every race you can think of. Most of my friends were Trinidadian, Jamacian, Domenican, Chinese, Hispanic.

That must’ve made its way into your subconscious in terms of the music you choose on the DJ and production side.

I actually started DJing because of Dope Sandwich. We’d tour and play places that were out of town and didn’t have their own DJ. Our DJ would be DJing the whole night after we’d do a 30-minute set.

Wow! I felt so bad [laughs]. But we all started learning to DJ because we felt so bad that he had to be up there all night. We started doing it, and then I got good at it. One of the dudes moved away, and the other decided that he wanted to open up a restaurant. So all of the jobs they had, I ended up pretty much acquiring because of that. From there, it just snowballed to where I just did it.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

So, growing up in Jersey—when would that have been?

I was born in 1979, and lived in Jersey until ‘98.

So it would’ve been during the “golden age” of hip hop, then?

Oh, yeah. I always tell people, I feel like I was spoiled growing up. Naughty By Nature used to walk around my neighborhood, and so did Redman. My art teacher in high school was Queen Latifah’s mom.

It was just always around, so I thought nothing of it. Recently, I was asked what the first concert was that I ever paid for and I realized that I’ve never paid for a concert [laughs]. I would just end up knowing people. There was one concert that I won tickets from, from Hot 97. That was Busta Rhymes, The Fugees, Nas, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, and Keith Sweat—I still don’t understand why he was part of that lineup [laughs].

Woah! That’s nuts.

Yeah, and it was the night that Tupac passed away. I still remember it being announced on stage. Things like that, I was always around those moments. My older brother tells me this one story of the movie Beat Street. He and his crew

actually tried out for it, and they got a callback. But he got home at 1 in the morning, so my mom and dad grounded him and he never got to go back [laughs].

Nobody understood hip hop back then, you know? People just thought it was a passing phase.

I was watching a documentary series on hip hop, specifically KRS-One who’s one of my favorites. The lineage of all of that stuff is so incredible, connecting from the Latin Quarter through KRS, LL Cool J, Tribe, all of that stuff.

It’s crazy to think about. It’s also frustrating and weird to me, because when we were doing Dope Sandwich we were always trying to figure out who to meet and how to get into that world. We did a good couple of shows—we’d open up for The Pharcyde, and we opened for Black Sheep.

I even found out later from one of my cousins, who wasn’t even into hip hop—I was talking to her about A Tribe Called Quest and mentioned the name Jarobi. She said, “Jarobi White?” I said, “Yeah.” She goes, “That’s our cousin!”

It’s crazy how entire cultural movements can start in neighborhoods like that, and you don’t realize you’re

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connected.

It really is crazy. Everybody around my way idolized Redman. Redman, Queen Latifah, Apache—everyone was like, “Yo, these are the motherfuckers. Holy shit.” It was always like that, though. I didn’t think anything of it, and then when I moved to the South I realized the places that did hip hop weren’t around downtown.

Let’s find some more records!

(We walk towards the middle of the store, where hip hop, jazz, and blues records reside. Basik pulls out a Howlin’ Wolf record.)

Is that the kind of stuff that you’ll gravitate towards if you’re sampling?

Yeah. Blues, jazz—eclectic, older records.

Anything mid-70s and older. It was a different way of recording. There was no sampling, and you had one shot to get the recording. It was a different dynamic.

And they’re lower fidelity, so they sound more interesting and you can do more with them.

Right. That, and the musicianship can be

t h e

heard more. I love live albums, because it shows off what people can do. We used to have a thing on hip hop night where we’d talk about how you can either be a stage rapper or a studio rapper. Nobody wants to be a studio rapper, but you find a lot of them. That’s why I love live albums—I want to hear if you can work that stage.

There’s definitely a difference.

There are a lot of rappers I ended up getting a lot more respect for, because I wasn’t about their style but they do a show I go, “Goddamn. I can’t knock your stuff.”

(Grabs Jay-Z’s In My Lifetime, Vol. 1) This is probably one of my favorite albums of all time, because it sounded like he was just talking. When you hear someone who sounds like they’re trying, it sounds whack. He just made it seem like he’s just walking down the block and these rhymes are coming out.

(Pulls out a J. Dilla record) J. Dilla! The greatest ever, perhaps.

Yes! His production—it’s funny, it’s one of those things where I didn’t even realize how much J. Dilla I knew. He worked with Busta, Tribe, everybody. You think you don’t know his sound, but you do. CS

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

THE VINYL SAY

9

MUSIC FEATURE

How Coronavirus is impacting Savannah’s music and arts communities

We check in with local musicians, promoters, and theater professionals

BY SEAN KELLY

sean@connectsavannah.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

THE COVID-19 outbreak that has been worsening worldwide is causing uncertainty and anxiety for people in virtually every way imaginable. Of course, health is of the utmost importance and takes precedence over everything else.

But that doesn’t negate the fact that people in all industries and professions are feeling the economic effects of cancellations and closures happening everywhere.

Savannah is no different—Savannah Music Festival, St. Patrick’s Day, concert calendars at local venues like Victory North and more.

These are all things that have felt the negative impacts of what’s been happening with this increasingly serious crisis. Many of our local theater groups have also been cancelling productions, including Savannah Children’s Theatre, Savannah Stage Company, and more.

And local concert promoters are having to drop their plans and figure out how to 10 navigate these murky waters.

We wanted to check in with some of these valuable members of our community, so that readers could get a sense for how the arts communities in town are responding and how they can best be supported through this difficult time.

Tim Walls, founder and promoter of AURA Fest—who so far has cancelled two shows at the Sentient Bean—says it was a difficult but necessary decision to pull the plug.

“I was in the middle of booking shows for the summer and planning for my next festival when it was declared a worldwide pandemic. So at that point, understandably my March shows at The Sentient Bean had been cancelled. I’m pretty much on hold until things get better,” Walls says.

“It’s unfortunate but this is a developing situation with the virus, and I’m down to do my part in slowing the spread.”

Michael Corbett, one half of local duo Seldom Sober, says the band was just notified of two major cancellations that were high-paying opportunities for them.

“Now we’ve lost 2 of our 3 best paying gigs for 2020,” he says.

It’s not just about the financial ramifications, according to Corbett. It’s also about

how gig cancellations stall the progress that bands like them make, in terms of audience building, when they book gigs.

“If the timeline had been different and everything happened two weeks sooner, we would have lost everything. We are preparing for the possibility of a lengthy shutdown once the virus does come here,” he says.

“With the closing of Kevin Barry’s, we were hoping to break into places like The Rail and Molly Maguire’s to fill our schedule and help us build more of a local following after playing for tourists for so many years. Now it’s not just about losing gigs, it’s about potentially stalling Seldom Sober’s progress.”

Local studio owner, musician, and sound engineer Kevin Rose was supposed to be working at Savannah Music Festival this year, and was hit hard by the news that the massive event had been cancelled.

“It’s roughly four months of work that went up in smoke in an instant. We’re not alone; so many businesses and music foot soldiers are being impacted, it’s impossible to predict the total impact. These are uncharted waters,” Rose says, adding that he’s still got plenty of studio work on the

books that will help ease things.

In the world of theater, Savannah Stage Company’s Jayme Tinti says the group was just about to leave on a regional tour that would bring their production of Charlotte’s Web to schools and nursing homes.

The cancellation meant that months of rehearsal and planning was for nothing.

“We had shows booked in 5 cities over 6 days and one by one they began to cancel.

We had hotels booked, airbnbs reserved, and a 15 passenger van ready to go. We’re so grateful that Charlotte’s Web was able to serve up 6 local performances, but our hearts were definitely broken,” Tinti says.

“A lot of money was lost, not only for SSC, but for the individual artists who took a week off of work to commit to this tour.

We even had an actor whose work told him he couldn’t have the week and that artist left his job to go on this tour. My heart aches for him so much.”

The consequences of cancelling shows also puts other activities in jeopardy for local theater companies like Savannah Stage. Programming all around gets shifted when things like this happen.

“We also had to cancel our Spring Break Camp. This one is tough because we rely

FEATURE unemployment benefits,” Rose adds. “The hardest working folks are going to be impacted the worst, and we’re racking our brains on how to help.”

One thing that people are hopefully realizing through this is that artists are as legitimate, professionally-speaking, as anyone else and provide invaluable services to people in addition to contributing to an industry that relies on audience attendance to be sustained.

“Sometimes the best way to bring a community together is to protect each other.

The same community responsibility that makes us want to perform in the first place is what informs all of our decisions now. It was never about us— it’s about you. We put our audience first, even if it means they’re not there,” Tinti says.

“We have other sources of income that won’t be impacted, but our music income is significant, and any losses will hurt,” Corbett adds.

This begs the question: what can people do to support artists and those in the arts industry, if they’re in a position to and feel so inclined?

“It’s easy and not expensive to download our CD, and we sell physical copies of the CD and T-shirts through our website.

There are free videos there as well. People could patronize us that way and still enjoy

our music while we see what happens,” Corbett says.

“Many bands that have tours cancelled are putting up their tour shirts and merch online to buy. That’s one way for sure, as merch is one of the main direct ways bands earn a living. So if you have a favorite band, please go check out their facebook or website store, and buy something if you are able to,” Walls adds.

“I think the easiest way to support is to donate back your refunded ticket purchases. Festivals, venues and grass roots promoters operate on slim margins and every bit can help,” Rose suggests.

What will happen to the concert, event, and music industries when all is said and done, though, is something that is up in the air at the moment.

“My concern is that when this is over AEG and Live Nation will have bought our most beloved visionary venues and turn them into generic venues without a soul,” Rose says with concern.

How can we help to ensure that things like this aren’t the result of the current crisis? Support individual efforts from these artists and the many others in Savannah, through any means necessary, if you’re able and willing.

Specifically, Walls says people interested in supporting AURA Fest through this era

of cancellations can simply keep up with him on social media so they’ll be informed when shows are rescheduled.

Corbett adds that people can visit Seldom Sober on their website and social media to purchase their merchandise and stay current on performance updates.

Tinti says her company is planning a live stream of their current production in lieu of a cancelled Forsyth Park performance at the end of the month.

“We’re excited to share the show with a wide audience in a safe and modern way.

We’ll have links to our paypal and cash sharing apps in hopes to recoup some of the money lost for our artists. That’s our big focus, taking care of our people who have given so much to the company in service of our audiences,” she says.

Rose says that people can support his work at his studio, Elevated Basement, by supporting the artists that they work with.

“Elevated Basement Studio is a secondary part of the food chain. Supporting our artists helps support us, so donating to their kickstarters and making pre-orders on their albums is a great place to start,” he says.

“We’ve been here a long time and try to give back as much as we can to the community, and this time we’re all in it together.”

CS

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

on our Education Department to fuel the summer show. What we make on Spring Break Camp goes directly into funding our summer show. Again, two more artists that were scheduled to teach camp lost out on money,” Tinti explains.

“This season we introduced Spring Classes. We haven’t officially cancelled those as of yet and are hoping to offer some sort of virtually learning to those who have already signed up.”

One thing that becomes abundantly clear in situations like this is the fact that people who work in arts and entertainment fields literally rely on these opportunities for income.

Like so many right now, their future is uncertain for the time being.

“There are definitely people losing massive income that work full time as booking agents, promoters, venue managers, bartenders, and so many bands that have had to cancel tours and festival appearances over the world,” Walls says.

“Also, I think people are now seeing this hit closer to home with schools closing, and retail stores and restaurants closing early, so this is obviously impacting everyone close to home.”

“Most musicians, artists, sound engineers, stage hands live gig-to-gig, with no safety net, no insurance and no

11

MUSIC THE BAND PAGE (CALL BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT!)

BY SEAN KELLY

VINYL NIGHT @FOXY LOXY CAFE

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

Foxy Loxy is the place to be if you want to listen to an eclectic mix of vinyl from artists and music enthusiasts alike. Graveface Records will be on hand as well - don’t miss this one. Call before going to make sure it’s still on!

THURS., MARCH 19, 6 P.M.

12

ARETHA FRANKLIN TRIBUTE @GOOD TIMES JAZZ BAR & RESTAURANT

This incredible Aretha Franklin tribute concert is sure to be one for the books, and if you haven’t been to Good Times yet there may be no better show as your first. The incredible Laiken Willians, Gina Rene, and Chassity Nobles come together for a night ofmemorable and important music.

Call before going to make sure it’s still on!

FRI., MARCH 20, 7:30 AND 10 P.M., $15

HEDONISTAS, VOODOO VISIONARY @BARRELHOUSE SOUTH

By all accounts, Barrelhouse South is still open for business and serving up serious funk rock with Hedonistas. The Atlanta-based band roll into town for a rock show that you won’t find anywhere else. Voodoo Visionary opens.

Call before going to make sure it’s still on!

FRI., MARCH 20, 9 P.M.

DJ D-FROST @CONGRESS STREET SOCIAL CLUB

Head over to Congress Street Social Club for a night of music courtesy of DJ D-Frost. Expect a broad mix of music and some serious dancing. Take the opportunity to patronize a great local establishment and enjoy some music while you’re at it. Call before going to make sure it’s still on!

SAT., MARCH 21, 10 P.M.

Soundboard

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.

El jimador & Herradura shot and drink specials $4 corona and Corona light

WEDNESDAY 3.18

Wednesdays:

Ladies Night Out

LIVE MUSIC

TRIVIA & GAMES

The Chromatic Dragon Geeky Trivia Night, 8 p.m.

Dub’s Pub Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

The Jinx Human Jukebox Trivia, 10 p.m.

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

Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill Trivia, 9:30 p.m.

Tubby’s Tank House (Thunderbolt) Tubby’s Bar Bingo, 7 p.m.

World of Beer Trivia, 7 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

DJ

Little Lucky’s DJ and Karaoke

THURSDAY 3.19 LIVE MUSIC

Bay Street Blues Hitman Blues Band Bayou Cafe Eric Culberson Band, 9 p.m.

Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Nancy Witt, 6 p.m.

Cohen’s Retreat Munchies and Music, 5 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club DJ Square One, 10 p.m.

Fiddler’s Crab House (River St.) Willis Gore Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant The Howard Paul Trio, 7 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Trevor Clendenin, 7 p.m.

The Jinx Scott H. Biram Peacock Lounge Laiken Love, 9 p.m.

The Perch at Local 11 ten Mary Kenyon,

savannah bourbon & vodka $4 Two Tides, Service & Southbound drafts

Tequila Tuesday

NOTE: While these listings were accurate as we went to press, we strongly encourage you to call ahead before going out!

Barrelhouse South VuDu Shakedown, 10 p.m.

Bay Street Blues Hitman Blues Band Bayou Cafe Ray Tomasino, 9 p.m.

Boomy’s Blues Night w/ Ben Keiser, 9:30 p.m.

Fiddler’s Crab House (River St.) Turtle and Joe Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant Laiken Williams with Eric Jones Trio, 7 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Levi Moore, 7 p.m.

Mansion on Forsyth Park George Evans, 7 p.m.

Rachael’s Open Mic Night, 8 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Bill Smith Trio, 6:30 p.m.

Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m.

Southbound Brewing Company Boogaloo Bingo and DJ Miami, 7 p.m.

Starland Yard Jacob and James Live, 6 p.m.

White Whale Craft Ales Open Mic Music, 7 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Jason Courtenay and Uncle Buck, 7 p.m.

The Wormhole Open Jam, 9 p.m.

Savannah Nights

half price glasses of wine $3 Rosé and $4 Trulys!

Them Dirty Roses @Barrelhouse South

Alabama’s Them Dirty Roses brings their southern rock goodness to Barrelhouse South. For fans of straight up rock and roll, and the twangier side of things as well.

SAT., MARCH 21, 9 P.M. 6 p.m.

PS Tavern Live Music Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Gypsy Jazz, 7 p.m.

Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m.

Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill Open Mic, 9 p.m.

Top Deck James Lee Smith, 6:30 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Jason Bible, 7 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) Sarah Poole The Wormhole The Stone Eye, 8 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

B & D Burgers Pop Culture Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

McDonough’s Trivia, 7 p.m.

Pour Larry’s Explicit Trivia, 10 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

The Jinx Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Rusty Rudders Tap House Karaoke World of Beer Karaoke, 9 p.m.

The Wormhole Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

Totally Awesome Bar Totally Open Mic, 8 p.m.

DJ

Foxy Loxy Cafe Foxy Vinyl Night, 6 p.m.

Little Lucky’s DJ and Karaoke Rusty Rudders Tap House DJ Tap

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Stafford’s Public House Open Mic, 9 p.m.

FRIDAY 3.20 LIVE MUSIC

Barrelhouse South Hedonistas, Voodoo Visionary, 9 p.m.

Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Nancy Witt, 6 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club JD Music Group, 10 p.m.

Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant Aretha Franklin Tribute w/ Chassity Nobles, Gina Rene and Laiken Williams, 7:30 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Kyle Yardley Blues Band, 9 p.m.

Molly McGuire’s Liquid Ginger, 7 p.m.

Pour Larry’s DJ & Live Music Prohibition Bootleg Beats, 10:30 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Jody Jazz Trio, 6:30 p.m.

Rusty Rudders Tap House Live Acoustic Music, 6 p.m.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House David Duckworth, 8 p.m.

Saddle Bags Pryor & Lee, 8 p.m.

Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m.

Service Brewing Company Bluegrass

By The Pint w/ City Hotel, 5:30 p.m.

Taste of India Don Read, 6:30 p.m.

Vic’s on The River Claire Frazier, 6 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Andrew Gill, Bill Hodgson Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) Rock-A-Licious

TRIVIA & GAMES

PS Tavern Beer Pong Tournament, 10 p.m.

KARAOKE

9 p.m.

Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub The Bazookas Molly McGuire’s High Velocity, 7 p.m.

The Olde Pink House David Duckworth & Alisha Duckworth Pour Larry’s DJ & Live Music Prohibition Bootleg Beats, 10:30 p.m.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant Jody Jazz Trio, 6:30 p.m.

Rusty Rudders Tap House Live Acoustic Music, 6 p.m.

Saddle Bags Sean Stemaly, 8 p.m.

Savannah Smiles Dueling Pianos, 7 p.m.

Stafford’s Public House DJ Rudy Lui, 9:30 p.m.

Vic’s on The River Claire Frazier, 6 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Jason and Jarrod, Thomas Claxton, Bill Hodgson Bay Street Blues Karaoke Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

The Black Rabbit DJ Square One, 9 p.m.

Little Lucky’s DJ and Karaoke Peacock Lounge DJ Jeff, 9 p.m.

Rusty Rudders Tap House DJ Tap Vice Mojito Bar and Lounge Live DJ

DJ

Little Lucky’s DJ and Karaoke Peacock Lounge DJ Jose, 9 p.m.

Rusty Rudders Tap House DJ Tap Vice Mojito Bar and Lounge Live DJ

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Abe’s on Lincoln DJ Doc Ock

SATURDAY 3.21 LIVE MUSIC

Barrelhouse South Them Dirty Roses, Oweda, 9 p.m.

Billy’s Place at McDonough’s Nancy Witt, 6 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club DJ D-Frost, 10 p.m.

The Flying Fish Pete Love, 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant Edwin G. Hamilton Quartet, 8 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar The Magic Rocks,

Locals only

Ghost Coast Specials $4 Two Tides, Service & Southbound drafts

Fridays

local music lunch sessions noon to 3pm

with Annie Allman

KARAOKE

American Legion Post 184 Karaoke, 7 p.m.

Bay Street Blues Karaoke Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill Karaoke/ DJ, 10:30 p.m.

Foxy Loxy Cafe Comedy Night, 7:30 p.m.

Thursdays:

COMEDY

The Wormhole One Night Only: Lace Larrabee, 8 p.m.

DJ

SUNDAY 3.22 LIVE MUSIC

Bayou Cafe Don Coyer, 9 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club Voodoo Soup, 10:30 p.m.

Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant Eric Jones Trio w/ Teddy Adams and Cynthia Utterbach, 7 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Eric Britt, 7 p.m.

The Olde Pink House Eddie Wilson The Perch at Local 11 ten PhaRii, 6 p.m.

Prohibition Bluegrass Brunch w/ Cory Chambers and Evan Rose, 11 a.m., Whiskey and Wine Weekend Wind Down, 8 p.m.

Starland Yard Voodoo Soup, 5 p.m.

CONTINUES ON P. 14

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$3 Rosé all Day sparkling and still friday, saturday and sunday

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

MUSIC

Mondays:

13

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CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Tubby’s Tank House (River St.) Jeremy J Riddle, 6-9 p.m.

Vic’s on The River Claire Frazier, 6 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Keith & Ross, JD Music Group

TRIVIA & GAMES

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

Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill Trivia, 9:30 p.m.

KARAOKE

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill Karaoke/DJ, 10:30 p.m.

DJ SQUARE ONE FRIDAY MAR, 20

JD MUSIC GROUP SATURDAY MAR, 21

Live Music DJ D-FROST Live Music

SUNDAY MAR, 22

VOODOO SOUP MONDAYS

$2.50 BOURBON & CRAFT BEER NIGHT

No Cover!

TUESDAY NIGHT

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

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14

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912-349-0525 abesonlincoln.com

American Legion Post 184 3003 Rowland Ave.

DJ

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

912-231-0986 www.bdburgers.net/

Exclusives Bar & Grille Open Mic Poetry Night, 7 p.m.

Saddle Bags Bar Olympics

THURSDAY MAR, 19

Abe’s on Lincoln 17 Lincoln St.

912-354-5515

Boomy’s DJ Basik Lee, 10 p.m.

ic o Cover!

MusMusic Live N LiveLive Music

SOUNDBOARD DIRECTORY

MONDAY 3.23 LIVE MUSIC

Abe’s on Lincoln Open Mic, 10 p.m.

Bayou Cafe David Harbuck, 9 p.m.

Fiddler’s Crab House (River St.) Phillip Wise Open Mic Peacock Lounge Industry Night ft. Laiken Love, 9 p.m.midnight Wild Wing Cafe Matt Hill The Wormhole Open Mic, 8 p.m.

TRIVIA & GAMES

Club One Bingo with Dawn Dupree, 5:30 p.m.

The Flying Fish Trivia Night, 7-9 p.m.

The Jinx Music and Movie Trivia, 10 p.m.

KARAOKE

Boomy’s Karaoke, 10 p.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, ongoing, 9 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

COMEDY

White Whale Craft Ales White Whale Open Mic Comedy

DJ

Little Lucky’s DJ and Karaoke

BAR & CLUB EVENTS

Fia Rua Irish Pub Family Movie Night, 8 p.m.

TUESDAY 3.24 LIVE MUSIC

Bay Street Blues Ben Keiser Band Bayou Cafe Jam Night with Eric Culberson, 9 p.m.

Fiddler’s Crab House (River St.) Big E and Ben K Foxy Loxy Cafe Acoustic Tuesday featuring Clouds and Satellites, 7 p.m.

Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant The Claire Frazier Quartet, 7 p.m.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar Ray Lundy, 7 p.m.

The Jinx Hip Hop Night The Ordinary Pub Jeremy J Riddle, 7 p.m.

Peregrin Benedetto Duo, 6 p.m.

Top Deck James Lee Smith, 6:30 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe Chuck Courtenay, Chuck Courtenay

TRIVIA & GAMES

Basil’s Pizza and Deli Trivia, 7 p.m.

Coach’s Corner Texas Hold ‘Em, 7 p.m.

CoCo’s Sunset Grille Trivia, 7 p.m.

Congress Street Social Club Trivia, 10 p.m.

Fia Rua Irish Pub Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

McDonough’s Bingo, 7 p.m.

Mellow Mushroom Trivia, 7:30 p.m.

PS Tavern Poker Rachael’s Adults Only Trivia, 9 p.m.

Savannah Taphouse Trivia, 7 p.m.

Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) Trivia, 9 p.m.

KARAOKE

Blueberry Hill Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Club One Karaoke, 10 p.m.

McDonough’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

The Rail Pub Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Wet Willie’s Karaoke, 9 p.m.

B & D Burgers 13 East Broughton St. Barrelhouse South 125 W. Congress St. 912-662-5576 barrelhousesouth.com

Fiddler’s Crab House (River St.) 131 West River St. 912-644-7172 www.liveoakstore.com/ fiddlersriverstreet

The Flying Fish 7906 E. Hwy 80

912-897-2009 www.flyingfishbarandgrill.webs. com/

Foxy Loxy Cafe 1919 Bull St. 912-401-0543 foxyloxycafe.com

Basil’s Pizza and Deli 216 Johnny Mercer Blvd.

Good Times Jazz Bar and Restaurant 107 W. Broughton St.

Bay Street Blues 17 E. Bay St.

Jazz’d Tapas Bar 52 Barnard St.

912-897-6400 basilsonline.com

912-236-6655

Bayou Cafe 14 N. Abercorn St. 912-233-6411 bayousavannah.com

912-236-2226 goodtimesjazzbar.com

912-236-7777 www.jazzdsavannah.com

The Jinx 127 W. Congress St.

912-236-2281 www.facebook.com/thejinx912/

Billy’s Place at McDonough’s 20 E. Perry St.

Little Lucky’s 6 Gateway Blvd. E.

The Black Rabbit 1215 Barnard St.

Lizzy’s Tequila Bar and Grill 417 East River St.

Blueberry Hill 546 Dean Forest Rd.

Mansion on Forsyth Park 700 Drayton St.

912-231-9049 billysplacesavannah.com

912-200-4940 blackrabbitsav.com

912-964-8401 blueberryhillbar.com

Boomy’s 409 W. Congress St. 912-436-6660 boomysbar.com

912-925-1119

912-341-8897

912-238-5158 mansiononforsythpark.com

McDonough’s 21 E. McDonough St.

912-233-6136 mcdonoughssavannah.com

The Chromatic Dragon 514 MLK Jr. Blvd.

Mellow Mushroom 11 W. Liberty St.

Club One 1 Jefferson St.

Molly MacPherson’s Scottish Pub 311 W. Congress St.

912-289-0350 chromaticdragon.com

912-232-0200 clubone-online.com

Coach’s Corner 3016 E. Victory Dr. 912-352-2933 coachs.net

912-495-0705 mellowmushroom.com

912-239-9600 macphersonspub.com

Molly McGuire’s 216 Johnny Mercer Boulevard

CoCo’s Sunset Grille 1 Old U.S. Hwy. 80

912-898-0852 liveoakstore.com/mollymcguires

Cohen’s Retreat 5715 Skidaway Rd.

912-447-0943 www.moonriverbrewing.com/

Congress Street Social Club 411 W. Congress St.

912-232-4286 www.plantersinnsavannah.com

Dub’s Pub 225 W. River St.

912-238-5130 www.theordinarypub.com/

912-786-7810 cocostybee.com

912-355-3336 cohensretreat.com

912-238-1985 congressstreetsocialclub.com

912-200-3652 dubspubriverstreet.com

Exclusives Bar & Grille 2003 Greenwood Street 912-695-2116

Fia Rua Irish Pub 10132 Ford Ave. 912-459-4160 fiaruairishpub.com

Moon River Brewing Co. 21 West Bay St. The Olde Pink House 23 Abercorn St.

Pour Larry’s 206 W. St. Julian St.

Top Deck 125 W. River Street

Prohibition 125 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Totally Awesome Bar 107 B Whitaker St.

912-232-5778 sportsbarinsavannahga.com

912-200-9255 prohibitionsavannah.com

PS Tavern 11 W. Bay St.

912-495-5145 pstavernsav.com

Rachael’s 1190 King George Blvd.

912-920-7772 rachaels1190.com

The Rail Pub 405 W. Congress St.

912-233-0770 www.liveoakstore.com/ tubbysriverstreet

Tubby’s Tank House (Thunderbolt) 2909 River Dr. 912-354-9040 www.liveoakstore.com/ tubbysthunderbolt

River House 125 W. River St.

The Warehouse 18 E. River St.

Rusty Rudders Tap House 303 W. River St.

Wet Willie’s 101 E. River St.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House 111 W. Bay St.

White Whale Craft Ales 1207 Bull St.

912-292-1656 ranchoalegrecuban.com

912-234-1900 liveoakstore.com/riverhouse

912-944-6302

912-721-4800 ruthschris.com

Saddle Bags 317 West River St.

912-349-5275 saddlebagssavannah.com/

Savannah Smiles 314 Williamson St.

912-527-6453 savannahsmilesduelingpianos. com

Savannah Taphouse 125 E. Broughton St. 912-201-8277 savannahtaphouse.com

Service Brewing Company 574 Indian Street 912-358-1002 servicebrewing.com

The Shrimp Factory 313 East River Street

912-236-4229 www.theshrimpfactory.com

Southbound Brewing Company 107 East Lathrop Ave. 912-335-1737 southboundbrewingco.com

Peacock Lounge 37 Whitaker Street The Perch at Local 11 ten 1110 Bull St.

Starland Yard 2411 DeSoto Ave.

912-559-8400 peregrinsavannah.com

Tubby’s Tank House (River St.) 115 East River St.

Rancho Alegre Cuban Restaurant 402 MLK Jr. Blvd.

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

Peregrin 256 E Perry Lane

912-349-1707

Vice Mojito Bar and Lounge 109 W Broughton St, Unit B Vic’s on The River 26 E. Bay St.

912-238-1311 therailpub.com/

The Ordinary Pub 217 1/2 West Broughton Street

912-790-9000 local11ten.com/perch

912-436-6828 topdeckbar.com

912-660-9001 staffordpromotions.com/ staffords-public-house

www.starlandyard.com/

Tailgate Sports Bar and Grill 11215 Abercorn St. 912-921-2269

Taste of India 401 Mall Blvd. Ste. 102C 912-356-1020 tasteofindiasav.com

912-721-1000 vicsontheriver.com

912-234-6003 thewarehousebarandgrille.com

912-233-5650 wetwillies.com

912-358-0724 whitewhalecraftales.com

Wild Wing Cafe 27 Barnard St. 912-790-9464 wildwingcafe.com

Wild Wing Cafe (Pooler) 417 Pooler Pkwy.

912-208-3700 wildwingcafe.com

World of Beer 112 W. Broughton St. 912-443-1515 worldofbeer.com

The Wormhole 2307 Bull St. 912-713-2855 wormholebar.com

CULTURE VISUAL ARTS

QUESTIONS WITH Stacie Jean Albano

BY RACHAEL FLORA

rachael@connectsavannah.com

1. Tell me about your show, “After-

glow,” at the Savannah LGBT Center.

Peter [Roberts] gives me license to do whatever I want for my shows. Nobody knew I could draw until I had that show last year with the animal heads [“Instinctual” at Location Gallery]. It all started from one illustration he’d seen. I posted it by chance, and that’s how it all came to be. I had so many people saying, “I didn’t know you knew how to draw the figure!”

I’m like, “Well, I went to school for lots of things besides landscape!”

The same thing with this current show was the underpainting. And it makes your eye vibrate, the colors. It peeks through but it never has that same quality as when I first put those layers down, just bouncing off the panel. Some of the paintings right now, I was trying to take pictures of them to put on social media. I really had a problem and had to constantly adjust my eyes, but I love that friction that comes with the colors. Of course Peter was like, “Do you want to do a whole show with that?”

I wanted to call the show, “Hey, Your Underpainting Is Showing,” but that’s because my personality is just gutter humor.

Albano’s landscapes are notable for their bright orange underpainting peeking through. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALBANO.

2. What draws you to the idea of underpainting?

Two reasons. When I was in school, it was always that sienna underpainting. It gives you an idea of where you want to go.

When I first started doing it, I remember there was a professor at SCAD who did a series of paintings that were complementary colors. I thought, “What an interesting concept,” but I wasn’t quite at that level, I wasn’t a mature enough painter where I could’ve pulled that off.

I just wasn’t ready to make those colors work together. But then, I noticed when I started painting over it, but in layers rather than finished product, that’s how the idea started to evolve.

And also, having the stark white canvas or panel is very intimidating. You’re afraid to just put that first mark down, but if you know those first marks are going to get colored over, where’s the fear? It takes away that initial fear of, “What am I doing?”

It doesn’t matter how many years I’ve been doing this for, there’s always that piece that you battle with. I had a piece I worked on for days, and I can’t stop looking until it’s correct, what I saw in my mind.

3.

So you only work on one piece at a time? What’s your process?

I used to be able to have five or six pieces going at a time, and that’s when I worked in oil, but now I work in acrylic and the drying period is short. The older I get, the more patience I lack, probably because I have a lot of other things going on, like those little people that came out of my

body. Things have to happen fast.

And I beat myself up a lot; I’m probably my worst critic. I do like more of my work that I finish now than I did, say, ten years ago. But I will constantly think there’s more I need to learn. Acrylic has been better with that also, with having the kids.

They’re able to come in and out of the studio, but with oils they wouldn’t.

[In the studio] everything I love is hanging on the walls. I used to paint on the walls, and it was a place I went to work; it wasn’t a place I went to just enjoy being in.

And that’s when I decided the walls would be things I loved, things I’m constantly working on, things that remind me of how I got to where I’m at, and the people that brought me here, too. There’s a reason I stayed in Savannah, because of all the amazing people I’ve met. There’s a Damad poster that reminds me of my friends, and some of them have passed. Dick Dale—I mean, shoot, I love to be reminded that Dick Dale loved the way I shook my ass onstage!

I do miss having a studio that was separate from my house, because now it’s very easy for them to come in. That’s probably why I paint until three or four o’clock in the morning. Nobody’s up, no phone call can be made, there’s no interruptions.

It’s funny that I chose the two jobs that are not really recognized as jobs. Being a mother, doesn’t matter how much time I put into it, I don’t go somewhere and clock in and clock out. And then being in the studio, it’s the same thing. [The kids]

come in and ask me questions, and I’m like, “Well, I’m just saying, if you had this question, would you call your father up and ask him it? No, you would not.” This should be respected just as such.

4. Coming up next you have a solo

show at the Grand Bohemian at the Mansion on Forsyth. How’d you get involved in that one?

I think I was insane by saying yes, but that’s my thing lately—if I want to be successful, I treat this as a job that I love, but you say yes.

Carmen met me through Location Gallery shows. Besides the solo shows, Peter’s always including me in the group shows, probably because I nag him! He’s really good about showing artists or old artists that haven’t been introduced to a constantly new, growing populations.

Especially now with the art scene, the community of artists has grown stronger in such a way within the past five years.

It never used to be like that. I never used to be able to sell work in Savannah. It used to be that I’d have a show once a year at Gallery Espresso, which Jules was great about. I wouldn’t have to do the whole trialand-error and see if I could get in. We knew each other and it was easy. I’d sell pieces there, but as far as a continuing following, I never had that. Social media has probably helped with that, but a lot of it I think is galleries like Location, constantly having

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

THE WALLS of Stacie Jean Albano’s studio are covered in ephemera that tells her life story. Pictures of her kids, a cheerleading certificate and an autographed Dick Dale poster paper the walls alongside her rough sketches and finished pieces. It’s a space that at once feels so personal and so homey.

A Long Island native, Albano’s been in Savannah since 1991 and has built a solid reputation for herself as an artist since.

She’s currently showing “Afterglow” at Location Gallery’s LGBT Center and in mid-April will show “Home: Then and Now” at the Grand Bohemian at the Mansion on Forsyth.

She’s perhaps best known for her landscape paintings with bright orange underpainting peeking through. The ambiguous landscapes leave the interpretation and assignment of place up to the viewer.

But painting is just one of Albano’s passions: she’s also a mother to two boys and is known to play a mean cello.

We talked with Albano last week.

CONTINUES ON P. 16 15

2019

VISUAL ARTS

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

20

SEASON FINALE

Maestro Harada Returns

2020-2021 Subscriptions On Sale Now

MOZART’S REQUIEM May 2 7:30 pm Johnny Mercer Theatre

KEITARO HARADA conductor ALYSSA TOEPFER soprano STEPHANIE FOLEY-DAVIS mezzo-soprano OMAR NAJMI tenor DAVID CUSHING bass Savannah Philharmonic Chorus

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

#savphil

16

Thank you to our generous sponsors

Charles C. Taylor & Samir Nikocevic Charitable Foundation Rhegan White-Clemm & Timothy Clemm Michael & Catherine Thames

TICKETS SAVANNAHPHILHARMONIC.ORG this revolving door of new artists, very successful local artists, and everybody in between. And with Starland, all of it working together has opened up the doors to Savannah being a really established place to look at local art.

Before, if you weren’t represented by SCAD or were from these old established galleries, you kind of were screwed. You’d have to look elsewhere beyond the city and that’s what I did for a while; that’s why I have work up in Virginia.

That’s how the city will survive—by its artists. I wish the city would recognize the local art scene a little bit more. That would be helpful. But how empowering that thee community is kind of doing it all on its own. Clinton [Edminster] with the mural project and all that—amazing. There’s so much stuff that happens now. I was out of the scene for a little bit because of having the kids. It made it easier to come back when I started painting again.

5. How did you come to Savannah?

When I was looking at schools, my aunt, who is an established book illustrator, was helping me look through and she saw it as an up-and-coming art school. They had a lot more scholarships back then, so it helped with finances. I loved the teachers I had. And then through the school I met really great people. I’ve been friends with Danielle [Hughes] since ’91.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALBANO.

I have friends that live in larger cities and it seems harder to meet and get those well-connected relationships that you just know you’re around somebody that is like family. That’s why I stayed. And not for nothing—it’s got some pretty good landscape around here!

I still do New York; we go back every summer for about three weeks. There’s always going to be a little New York in my shows. I might not always say where it is.

I also believe that if you’re looking at a piece and if it reminds you of something in your life, I wouldn’t put the work up if I didn’t want someone to take whatever they wanted from it. It’s their interpretation.

I typically don’t put where the work is.

With this next show at the Bohemian, I will be because the show is called “Home: Then and Now.” It’s going to be a little of this, a little of that. CS

FOOD & DRINK EPICUROPEDIA

Ben’s Friends to meet in Savannah Group addresses issues within the service industry

THIS WEEK I took a break from my normal indulgent discussion of local food.

Especially at this very trying time, some topics deserve more of a spotlight.

On a recent Sunday, the very first meeting of the brand new Savannah chapter of Ben’s Friends took place. Ben’s Friends is a Charleston based organization that has spread to over a dozen different states.

Mickey Bakst and Steve Palmer.

Currently, according to co -founder Mickey Bakst, “Ben’s Friends is currently restaurateurs that recognized the issue facing sobriety. By coming together the two working on seven new cities with hopes and experienced it close to home. After the are providing industry workers across the to be in all 50 states in the not too distant death of a longtime friend, the two decided nation a support system that is unique and future.”

As a free support group, Ben’s Friends is to take action by opening up a support sys- often hard to find. specifically open for workers of Savannah’s tem within their hometown Charleston, Pending any further coronavirus meafood and beverage industry. The focus is South Carolina. sures, the plan has been for Local 11Ten to to aid and support for those who struggle According to Bakst, the story goes: open each Sunday at 11 am to the industry with substance abuse and addiction.

“Ben’s Friends was formed three years and host the weekly meetings. Savannah We all know someone who has struggled ago in Charleston after a series of tragic has been lucky enough to follow in Charleswith addiction or may be struggling with deaths in the restaurant industry culmiton’s footsteps due to the kindness of Local it now. It is an issue that is all too common nated by the suicide of long-time chef, Ben 11’s owner. within our community.

Murray. Ben’s Friends was formed as a The same can be said about the leaders This is especially true for a party city response to the increasing damage that in 13 other cities that have already partsuch as Savannah. drugs and alcohol are doing to the F&B nered up with Ben’s Friends.

Couple a hyper-vibrant city life with community,” Bakst says.

Bakst explained, “Local 11Ten owner an extremely depleting job, often times it “Founded by myself and fellow restauJamie Durrence reached out to Ben’s results in something negative. The indusrateur Steve Palmer, we collectively have Friends over six months ago with a desire try is hard work. That’s why I decided to over 55 years of sobriety. Ben’s Friends was to help his employees as well as other leave multiple past jobs as a server and line created to assist members of the indusindustry members in Savannah.” cook. try that we love and it has grown from Before starting a new chapter in a new Whether front of house or back of house, one group in Charleston to now 15 active city, Ben’s Friends thoroughly vets caneveryone experiences long, late hours cou- groups around the country.” didates wishing to serve as the leaders pled with physical work. Let’s not forget Steve Palmer is a managing partner of of each chapter. Each chapter consists the need for customer service skills that a restaurant group in Charleston—The of three leaders that have a minimum of even your therapist would struggle with.

Indigo Road Hospitality Group. The Group three years of sobriety.

Most telling of all, it is also a career that formed in 2009 with its first project—Oak The second requirement is a consistent often leaves workers with little compensa- Steakhouse off Broad Street. As for Mickey location to hold meetings. Due to Local tion and/or medical insurance coverage.

Bakst, he too has a long history within the 11Ten’s generosity in providing a consisOne can easily understand how working food and beverage industry. Bakst is the tent meeting location Baskt expressed, in the food and beverage industry in a city general manager of Charleston Grille, as “Steve Palmer and I are humbled to have so comfortable with its bar scene is a petri well as serving as president of charitable the opportunity to further expand Ben’s dish for addiction. organization Feed the Need.

Friends to support restaurant professionCo-founders of Ben’s Friends Mickey Whether personal or through work, the als in Savannah... We feel that we have a Bakst and Steven Palmer are two co-founders have decades of experience in higher purpose to help our own who are

struggling with addiction and are grateful to the leaders in other cities that have stepped up so we can continue to grow this mission.”

Ben’s Friends is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. The focus is similar though, to help those who would like to change their lives and to provide support for anyone taking their first step.

Each week the leaders and attendees can come together and have a conversation about any and all issues those seeking help may have. This is especially important because overcoming substance abuse without support can make the road ahead that much more treacherous.

I asked Bakst what those servers and cooks interested in attending should expect.

“Attendees at a Ben’s Friends meeting can expect a community of like-minded individuals who understand the lifestyle of the restaurant industry and the stresses that it can cause, talking together and supporting each other,” says Bakst.

At the end of learning about Ben’s Friends, Bakst left me with a piece of advice for anyone struggling with similar issues.“Connect with others who understand the struggle and have been successful in managing it.” CS Local 11Ten is located 1110 Bull St.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

BY LINDY MOODY

17

MOVIES THE FILM SCENE

A rapidly changing environment for local screenings Elisabeth Moss stars in The Invisible Man

BY JIM REED THE BIG NEWS this week is of course the fallout from the increasing spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, which is wreaking havoc on most every aspect of the entertainment industry, including movie theaters.

As I write this column, most national and regional theater chains have adopted some form of modified seating plans in an attempt to facilitate attendance by those who still want to take in a movie in a group setting, while simultaneously allowing for greater “social distancing,” as recommended by the CDC and the WHO. So, by all means, while the information in this column was up-to-date and accurate at the time it was written, I encourage all Film Scene readers to call ahead before traveling to any listed venue, just in case their schedules or rules have changed.

Case in point: as of just a few days ago, AMC Theaters, which currently operates the two remaining multiplexes within Savannah’s city limits (the AMC Savannah 11 behind the Savannah Mall and the AMC Savannah 10 on Stephenson Ave. near the Ole Times Country Buffet — shout out to their lima beans) announced they will limit ticket sales to 50 percent of each theater’s typical seating capacity.

Meaning that even in their largest rooms, which typically seat 500 patrons, they will only admit a maximum of 250,

which falls within the guidelines on public gatherings laid out a few days earlier by health officials. They are also reportedly increasing sanitation regimes in their buildings.

This new protocol is meant to be in place until at least April 30, but of course, as with everything these days, that could change without warning.

Let’s dive in now and see what’s on tap (supposedly) for the next seven days: On March 18, the AMC Savannah 11 presents an encore High-Definition presentation of the Metropolitan Opera House’s brand-new stage production of composer Richard Wagner’s eerie 1943 work “Der Fliegende Holländer,” better known to English-speaking audiences as “The Flying Dutchman.” Directed for the stage by the acclaimed François Girard,

IF YOU GO: “THE MET: LIVE IN HD - DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER” 6:30 p.m Mar. 18 AMC Savannah 11, 1150 Shawnee St. $19.26 - $25.68 fathomevents.com

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

“I AM PATRICK” 6:30 p.m., Mar. 18 AMC Savannah 11, 1150 Shawnee St. $13.38 fathomevents.com

“SURPRISE IRISH CULT FILM”

8 p.m. Mar. 18 Online Watch Party & Discussion via Private Psychotronic Facebook Group Voluntary Online Donations Appreciated facebook.com/groups/2519522234807695/

“I STILL BELIEVE”

7 p.m. Mar. 19, 20, 21 18 Mars Theatre, 106 S. Laurel St. Springfield

it’s sung in German, with English subtitles.

6:30 p.m. showtime.

That same day, at the same time, that same venue offers an appropriately-timed premiere of “I Am Patrick,” a new docudrama on the life and times of St. Patrick himself, told through interviews with biblical experts and academics, as well as through dramatic re-enactments of his supposed life story.

A few days later, on March 23, the AMC Savannah 11 offers up (for one-show-only) “Steven Universe: The Movie (Sing-A-Long Event).” This full-length motion picture spin-off from Cartoon Network’s popular Peabody and GLAAD Media Awardwinning “Steven Universe” series —which stands as that influential cable network’s first animated series ever created solely by a woman, and one that has earned a loyal

$7 marstheatre.com

DOUBLE-FEATURE: “ONWARD” FOLLOWED BY “CALL OF THE WILD” 8 p.m. Mar. 19, 20, 21, 22 Highway 21 Drive-In, 55 Parker Dr. Beaufort, S.C. 29906 $3 - $7 hwy21drivein.com

DOUBLE-FEATURE: “THE HUNT” FOLLOWED BY “THE INVISIBLE MAN” 8 p.m. Mar. 19, 20, 21, 22 Highway 21 Drive-In, 55 Parker Dr. Beaufort, S.C. 29906 $3 - $7 hwy21drivein.com

DOUBLE-FEATURE: “ONWARD” FOLLOWED BY “CALL OF THE WILD” 8 p.m. Mar. 19, 20, 21, 22 Jesup Drive-In, 55 Parker Dr. Beaufort, S.C. 29906 $5 jesupmovies.com

DOUBLE-FEATURE: “THE INVISIBLE MAN”

and diverse following through its unusually emotion-driven content and embracement of LGBTQ themes— this sci-fi fantasy adds a musical element not included in the original TV series, and fans are encouraged at this show to belt out the songs. Afterwards attendees will be treated to a sneak preview of an as-yet-unreleased episode of the limited-run follow-up TV series “Steven Universe Future.” 7 p.m. showtime.

Speaking of animation on the big-screen, two nights later on March 25 at the same venue, “Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna,” a brand-new, feature-length follow-up to the 1999 Japanese anime TV series “Digimon: Digital Monsters” (which is set 11 years after the events in the original TV show) will be screened.

It continues the technology-driven tale of young Japanese people who must enter a virtual world to save themselves and their fellow inhabitants from an insidious force.

This serves as the U.S. premiere of the film, and it will be shown in its original Japanese language, with English subtitles.

The AMC Savannah 10 celebrates the 25th anniversary of the release of “Braveheart,” Mel “Very Stable Genius” Gibson’s sprawling, three-hour-long adaptation of the epic story of Scotsman William Wallace, who led the violent revolt against King Edward I of England.

This five-time Oscar-winning picture maintains a rabid following worldwide, and in addition to a High-Definition print of the film, viewers will be treated to a sneak preview of the recently completed historical drama “Robert the Bruce,” which tells the tale of a real-life 14th century nobleman

FOLLOWED BY “FANTASY ISLAND”

8 p.m. Mar. 19, 20, 21, 22 Jesup Drive-In, 55 Parker Dr. Beaufort, S.C. 29906 $5 jesupmovies.com

“BRAVEHEART” 3 p.m. Mar. 22; 7 p.m. Mar. 23 AMC Savannah 10, 511 Stephenson Ave. $13.38 fathomevents.com

“STEVEN UNIVERSE: THE MOVIE (SING-A-LONG EVENT)” 7 p.m Mar. 23 AMC Savannah 11, 1150 Shawnee St. $16.05 fathomevents.com

“DIGIMON ADVENTURE: LAST EVOLUTION KIZUNA” 7 p.m Mar. 25 AMC Savannah 11, 1150 Shawnee St. $13/38 fathomevents.com

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

who was ultimately crowned King of Scots.

Showtime at 3 p.m., with an encore screening at 7 p.m. on March 23.

Heading downtown, the Sentient Bean Coffeehouse on Forsyth Park is where the Psychotronic Film Society’s long-running weekly series of underappreciated or downright obscure feature films from around the globe has taken place nearly every Wednesday night for 16 years.

However, the Bean has made the difficult decision to refrain from holding public events in its space until at least the beginning of April. That means the next few PFS screenings will not take place there as scheduled. However, the organization has decided to attempt a workaround of sorts.

For the next few weeks, they are encouraging audience members to join Online Viewing Parties. These virtual events will take place at 8 p.m. on Wednesday nights —the same time we’d all normally gather at the Bean— and will be coordinated through the PFS’ Private Facebook Group (which is open to anyone, just head to facebook.com/groups/2519522234807695/ and ask to join).

Earlier on those days, solely through that group, the organization (which I oversee) will make available a private code allowing access to that evening’s movie, which folks are encouraged to download ahead of time and then watch individually from the comfort of their own homes, laptops, TVs, what have you, starting at 8 p.m., with an online discussion to follow in the comments section of the Facebook page.

There’s no charge, but the PFS hopes that since no “tickets” are required that most folks who take part will make a small, voluntary and secure electronic donation to the PFS to help them weather this difficult time for film presenters and venues.

March 18th’s Psychotronic selection is a “Surprise Irish Cult Film,” a dramedy with a high-profile ensemble cast which won numerous awards at international film fests but is barely known in the states. The title remains a secret until “showtime.”

On March 25, their selection will be the “so-bad-it’s-great” 1965 B&W sci-fi clunker “Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster.”

Looking to nearby Springfield, Ga., their restored, historic Mars Theatre holds around 230 people, and when last I spoke to their administration, they still planned to screen the brand-new Christian-themed biopic “I Still Believe” (based around the life story of well-known modern Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp and his family’s struggle with cancer) on March 19 through 21. Shania Twain stars in this tearjerker for the faithful. Showtime at 7 p.m. on each night.

And finally, were you aware that there are two still-functioning old-fashioned Drive-In movie theaters in our region?

Well, there are, but since they’re at least an hour’s drive away, and they pretty much

exclusively show mainstream fare, we don’t usually include them in our roundup.

However, the truth of the matter is that there has never been a better time to take in a Drive-In movie than now. You can enjoy a film from the comfort of your own vehicle (or just outside of it, by bringing some folding chairs, if you choose), and you can do so without much if any real interaction with other customers or employees.

Heck, at one of these theaters, you can opt to pay an additional few bucks and they’ll allow you to bring in your own food!

Both venues offer two different doublefeatures on the big screen each night they are open for a low ticket price, with one pair of films being geared toward kids and families, while the other being geared toward older teens and adults.

The Highway 21 Drive-in (located in Beaufort, S.C., just 1.5 miles from the Marine Corps Air Station) is about a 55-minute drive from Savannah. March 19-21 they’re showing the new animated action-adventure-comedy “Onward” featuring the voice talents of Chris Pratt and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, followed by Disney’s new live action-meets-CGI retelling of the classic Jack London tale “Call of the Wild,” starring Harrison Ford.

Then, on their second screen, they’re showing the controversial horror-thriller “The Hunt,” followed by the newest reboot of Universal’s classic sci-fi horror tale “The Invisible Man,” starring Elisabeth Moss.

Both double-features start at 8 p.m., with tickets as low as $3 for kids and only $7 for adults (that’s for both movies combined).

Meanwhile, the Jesup Drive-In is about a 65-minute drive from Savannah, and March 19-21, they’re showing the same pairing of “Onward” followed by “Call of the Wild” on one screen, and the slightly different combination of “The Invisible Man” followed by the recently-released big-screen reboot of the kitschy 1970s TV show “Fantasy Island.” As with the Highway 21 Drive-In, both of Jesup’s doublefeatures start at 8 p.m., and their ticket price is a flat $5.

Do yourself a favor. Even if none of the movies showing at these two Drive-Ins really appeal to you, get out of the house, take a leisurely drive, bring a folding chair or two and enjoy a slice of true Americana.

You’ll probably be glad you did.

Just take a nap first, because these shows run late and you’ll still have to drive home safely. And, most importantly: don’t forget to bring a blanket or some cardboard to cover your car’s running lights so they don’t shine on the screen or distract those folks in the car behind you!

Until next week, see you at the movies, be kind to those around you, and don’t forget to turn off that cell phone. CS Jim Reed directs the Psychotronic Film Society of Savannah.

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CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

THE FILM SCENE

19

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FILM SCREENSHOTS

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Betty Gilpin in The Hunt

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THE HUNT

OO In this era of alternative facts and fake news, it’s hardly surprising that the early word on The Hunt couldn’t have been more incorrect.

Originally set for a September 2019 opening, the film got pulled from that date following a rash of mass shootings. But the rumor had already gotten out about the basic premise — rich liberals hunt working-class conservatives for sport — and the right went absolutely bonkers, with FOX “News” devoting a couple dozen segments on attacking the movie.

Now that it’s finally opened, those who bother to step out of the echo chambers can clearly see that The Hunt is not a bloody call-to-arms against the right.

Instead, it’s meant as a satire skewering folks on both sides of the political divide.

With only one exception (an anti-immigrant hate-radio host), the conservatives are never defined by their politics and seem like decent people. The liberals, on the other hand, are all painted as extremist nitwits, grotesque caricatures that largely only exist in the monologues of Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. (When one of their number is seen wearing a kimono, another shrieks, “Cultural appropriation!”) Perhaps scripters Damon Lindelof (an acknowledged liberal) and Nick Cuse (not acknowledged but likely) took this approach in order to persuade conservatives to check out the film, but that clearly ain’t gonna happen.

At any rate, the worth of The Hunt as satire is rather limited. When the head elite (Hillary Swank) explains why she and her friends are slaughtering “rednecks” for sport, the reason is inspired (if unlikely).

However, the political digs leading up to this reveal are too often obvious and heavy-handed.

No, it’s in other areas where The Hunt excels. As an action-adventure yarn, it’s exciting stuff — that’s mainly because Lindelof and Cuse repeatedly set up characters to be heroes, only to have them shot or

blown up a few minutes later. Imagine if The Hunger Games had opened with Katniss Everdeen being instantly offed, and you’ll have an idea of this picture’s modus operandi.

The other selling point is the terrific performance by Betty Gilpin. Her character of Crystal is the most apolitical among the hunted, and she’s also the one with the best survival skills. The approach Gilpin and director Craig Zobel take with Crystal is delicious: While most of those around her flail and fail, she remains calm and collected, opting to turn the tables on her pursuers. What makes her unique is her droll approach to every situation. She’s sarcastic toward ally and enemy alike, and whenever she’s faced with a difficult or unpleasant situation, she often responds with a simple expression of “Huh.” More than any other element, Gilpin’s characterization is what provides The Hunt with a sporting chance of appealing to diverse audiences.

WENDY

OO The strain of “magical realism” that informed writer-director-composer Benh Zeitlin’s debut feature, 2012’s lyrical Beasts of the Southern Wild, never fully takes hold in Wendy, a retelling of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan from the POV of its leading lady.

Accidentally but interestingly, Zeitlin’s sophomore effort shares basic story strokes with a recent critical and commercial underachiever. Both are set on an island powered by a living orb of light which grants visitors their wishes before turning them sour. Yes, it’s Fantasy Island, too.

Wendy gets off to an intriguing start as the title character (Devin France) and her twin brothers (Gage and Gavin Naquin), living in a small Louisiana town with their hard-working single mom (Shay Walker), spot a mysterious boy named Peter (Yashua Mack) riding atop a passing freight train and elect to join him. After

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an interesting travel trajectory, the siblings find themselves on a volcanic island already populated by other small children.

It’s now that the movie’s magic can really flourish.

Instead, what follows is a rambling, muddled and occasionally dry story that spends an awful long time on the kids’ carefree cavorting before switching gears to focus on the tension between these youths and the adults — former lost boys (and girls) who grew up against their will — relegated to the other side of the island.

Zeitlin (co-scripting with his sister Eliza Zeitlin) himself gets lost trying to find something new to add to the tale’s conflict of never growing up versus the need to accept adult responsibilities — consequently, his conclusion is a jumble of mismatched ideals and emotions.

The character of Peter Pan is particularly problematic. In most interpretations, the lad has always been something of a brat, but that quality is tempered by his wide-eyed innocence and a pitiable misunderstanding of how the world works. This Peter seems less an enchanted innocent and more a bad seed with a nasty streak — one doesn’t want to see him fly as much as one wants to see him locked in a bedroom for a lengthy time-out.

The manner in which this film adds Captain Hook to the narrative is clever, but those looking for Tinker Bell will be disappointed that she’s a no-show (ditto Tiger Lily, Nana and that ticking crocodile). No matter: In the original text, Tinker Bell is brought back from a near-death experience by the enthusiastic clapping of children. Alas, not even a standing ovation from Neverland devotees could pump life into this torpid undertaking.

I STILL BELIEVE

OO The problem with faith-based films isn’t just the sledgehammer proselytizing and the insulated us-against-them condescension but also the shoddy production values.

The spoken-to choir may not mind, but others understandably have trouble with movies that feel no more professional than a skit performed by a third-grade class.

After churning out a few films of this nature, Andrew and Jon Erwin (billed as The Erwin Brothers) found their footing with 2018’s I Can Only Imagine. With an excellent central performance by J. Michael Finley, a “name” supporting player in Dennis Quaid, and a general air of competence, this biopic of MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard walked and talked like a bona fide motion picture rather than a GOP campaign pledge — no wonder it became a breakout hit ($83 million stateside) that played beyond its target audience.

The siblings’ latest picture, I Still Believe, follows suit: Like I Can Only

Imagine, it’s a compilation of well-worn cinematic clichés and melodramatic story beats, but it’s offered in a slick manner that never interferes with what’s being presented.

This one is also a musical biopic — in this case, the story of Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp (played by Riverdale’s KJ Apa) and the love of his life, Melissa Henning (Tomorrowland’s Britt Robertson). Meeting in college, the two almost immediately fall in love, but their romance is interrupted by the fact that Melissa’s body is riddled with cancer. Remaining by her side, Jeremy proposes to her, even though he knows their marriage will be short-lived.

The unique angle of this picture is about remaining faithful to God not when miracles occur (which is easy) but even when terrible things transpire. The movie doesn’t shy away from examining this conflict, although the answers it provides may not always satisfy. Jeremy’s dad (Gary Sinise) states that his life is full not despite the tragedies but because of them. So his life is full because his son’s wife died?

That’s a sentiment that smacks of “There but for the grace of God go I” or “Better her than me.” Jeremy nods understandingly; I think a more appropriate response would be a punch in the nose.

Nevertheless, I Still Believe has its sincerity in the right place, and its polished skill makes it easier to have faith in similar upcoming projects.

Whereas Days of Wine and Roses’ Jack Lemmon and Leaving Las Vegas’s Nicolas Cage were more outsized in playing drunks, Affleck keeps his emotions largely in check, with his character so tightly wound that he seems like he might physically implode.

To raise the dramatic stakes, there’s a mid-movie revelation that brings to mind brother Casey’s Oscar-winning Manchester by the Sea — it’s an unfortunate reminder, given the superiority of that picture, but it doesn’t detract from Ben’s personal achievement here.

The sports stuff is far less compelling, as director Gavin O’Connor and scripter Brad Ingelsby make sure that every plotline concerning the players is given a happy ending. There’s virtually no element of surprise in either the on- or off-court activities, and the wrap-up to at least one of these vignettes is groan-worthy. Life is messy, but you wouldn’t know it from watching this sobering yet occasionally shallow picture.

ONWARD

OOO Given the fact that four of the last five Pixar pictures have been sequels — the one exception was Coco, not coincidentally the best of that quintet — it now seems

like a godsend whenever the studio actually releases something original. But that excitement is tempered with the realization that everything the outfit touches is no longer guaranteed to turn into gold.

Following one of the most remarkable winning streaks in cinema history, Pixar has had its ups and downs over the past decade, with only one instant masterpiece (Inside Out) and a handful of middling efforts (worst of all was The Good Dinosaur, so bereft of wit and wonder that it might as well have been made by one of those cheapjack outfits responsible for the likes of Delgo and Norm of the North).

Based on the trailer that only trafficked in hyperactivity, it was entirely reasonable to suspect that Onward might not possess enough of merit to crawl into the Win column. Happily, that’s not the case: While it certainly doesn’t rank in the upper echelons of the studio’s output, it’s an entertaining film that also manages to add a little tenderness to the treatment.

Onward is set in an enchanted land in which its citizens long ago gave up magic for such conveniences as light bulbs and automobiles. This means that their world looks just like ours, with a few notable exceptions — household pets are dragons instead of dogs, and trash cans are

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THE WAY BACK

OO The Way Back is two-thirds alkie drama, one-third sports flick. It’s designed to make audiences cheer while rooting for an underdog team and jeer when witnessing the cruelties that life has dumped upon its tortured protagonist.

Ben Affleck, in a role that he confessed offered him catharsis given his real-life woes, stars as Jack Cunningham, a former high school basketball star whose alcoholism has dominated his life for quite some time. Long separated from his wife (Janina Gavankar), Jack works construction by day and works the bottle by night, but he’s offered a shot at breaking out of his stupor when he’s asked to coach the basketball team at his alma mater. He reluctantly agrees, only to find himself saddled with an outfit that rarely wins any games.

Under his tough tutelage, the team flourishes, finding itself with a shot at the playoffs for the first time in decades. His success in coaching allows Jack to feel some semblance of accomplishment and largely take control of his drinking, but his dormant alcoholism requires only one more hard-luck happenstance to break free once again.

Affleck delivers an excellent performance as the perpetually boozy Jack.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

SCREENSHOTS

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JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

BY MATT JONES ©2020 Answers on this page

“DANGEROUS CURVES” --EVERY CAPITAL LETTER IN THE THEME HAS CURVES.

CONNECT SAVANNAH | MAR 18 - 24, 2020

ACROSS

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1 School that won 10 NCAA basketball championships in 12 years 5 Planetarium projections 10 Section of music that’s repeated 14 Thing on stage 15 Banned practice?

16 Earth Day subj.

17 *Bowlful on the specials list 19 “Trapped in the Drive-___” (Weird Al song) 20 Beaker’s spot 21 Goose formations 23 Nursery schooler 24 “Grown-up” cereal ingredient 27 *Italian veal dish 29 “Deep Space Nine” constable 30 Tap takeover unit 33 Hypnotic state 34 Mess up 36 Aragon-born artist 39 “So help me!”

40 *”I Am the Walrus” refrain 43 Even so 45 24-karat, gold-wise 46 Tabby tooth 49 Believer of sorts 51 It takes night deposits 53 Arthur of “Maude” and “The Golden Girls” 54 *Department of Labor training program 57 Seemingly bottomless pit

59 Gold, to Cortez 60 Christmastime 61 Addr. on a business card 62 Accumulation 64 *Bands like AKB48 and Babymetal (but not BTS-that’s a different letter) 69 Cop on a bust 70 “... to fetch ___ of water” 71 1952 Winter Olympics city 72 Laundromat lather 73 Mary Poppins, for example 74 Late infomercial pitchman Billy

DOWN

1 “What can Brown do for you?” company 2 ___-Magnon man 3 Actor Diamond Phillips 4 iPad Pro maker 5 Ticket souvenir 6 Blues guitarist ___ Mahal 7 From the beginning, in Latin 8 Rakish sorts 9 Most in need of a massage 10 Terrier treater 11 1991 U2 album featuring the song “One” 12 Fez’s country 13 Demoted (like a former planet) 18 Nightfall 22 Kevin who played Hercules on TV

24 Driving visibility problem 25 “___ believe ...”

26 Wave rider’s accessory 28 ___ Pigs Invasion (1961 event) 31 Quail ___ omelet 32 Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand 35 B vitamin acid 37 TTYL part 38 “Slumdog Millionaire” city 41 Kaitlin of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” 42 Hot tub nozzle 43 Capital of Newfoundland and Labrador 44 “Walden” writer 47 “Duck Hunt” platform 48 Oxygen, for one 50 One fooled by a wooden horse 52 Ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny 55 Pig blamed for causing American kids to affect British accents 56 Alfred P. ___ Foundation (NPR benefactor) 58 Result in flowers 61 Unpleasant, as a situation 63 Laptops or desktops, e.g.

65 Alley figure 66 Home of Rome and Moscow 67 What the P in TP doesn’t stand for 68 Oceanic distress signal

SCREENSHOTS

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

knocked over by unicorns rather than raccoons.

The story centers on a teenage elf named Ian Lightfoot (voiced by Tom Holland) and his older brother Barley (Chris Pratt), who love their supportive mom (Julia LouisDreyfus) but fiercely miss their dearly departed dad. Pop died of an illness around the time Ian was born, so the boy is naturally excited when, on his 16th birthday, he and Barley learn that their father has left them a magical staff that will allow him to return for exactly 24 hours. But the incantation goes awry and all that is conjured is the bottom half of his body. And thus begins the odyssey that will allow Ian and Barley to locate the stone required to see more than their dad’s pants and shoes.

Onward is the sort of quest tale that has powered many an animated effort, but writer-director Dan Scanlon and co-scripters Jason Headley and Keith Bunin find new ways to make the journey seem fresh. The dissimilarity between the siblings is expected (Ian is timid and responsible while Barley is boisterous and reckless), but what’s less anticipated is the level of commitment each displays toward the other, and how their symmetry ultimately defines the actions they undertake while on the road.

The widowed parent has been part of a moldy tradition in animated features for decades (Disney especially loved killing off a parental unit, usually the mother), but whereas that character has generally been relegated to the background, this one refuses to get left behind. Once the boys’ mom realizes that they’re gone, she hits the road in pursuit, ultimately teaming up with a manticore (Octavia Spencer) who herself is on a mission to reclaim her former glory.

And the film’s climax doesn’t unfold quite like viewers might expect. Instead, it provides a different sort of self-sacrifice than the type we usually receive in adventure yarns.

Certainly, the movie can’t completely break away from a sense of déjà vu, as there are many moments that can’t help but stir

CROSSWORD ANSWERS

memories of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Harry Potter saga, and even Raiders of the Lost Ark. But the poignancy of the family drama — between the brothers even more than between the parents and their children — rings true, signaling that Pixar still retains the ability to conjure up genuine emotions when the muse strikes.

THE INVISIBLE MAN

OOO The Mummy might be the best thing that ever could have happened to The Invisible Man. Those who have managed to block out the aborted aberration that was the Dark Universe will be forgiven for not recalling all the details, but that was Universal’s attempt to create a franchise whose films all took place within the same universe (yes, the ample riches generated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe led to this brainstorm). Universal, of course, is the studio behind the greatest compilation of horror films in cinema history, starting with the silent classics starring Lon Chaney, moving through the ‘30s and ‘40s gems featuring Karloff, Lugosi and Chaney Jr., and ending in the ‘50s with The Creature from the Black Lagoon trilogy. (After this, the studio focused on science fiction rather than horror.)

Amusingly, those films were often part of a shared universe, with the monsters crossing over in such efforts as Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House of Dracula and Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. Back then, though, studio employees spent more time on entertainment than advertising, so no one wasted valuable hours devising cute nicknames like the Dark Universe.

Although most of Universal’s one-shot horror flicks in the 21st century have proven to be dreadful (Van Helsing, The Wolfman, Dracula Untold), that didn’t stop the studio from plundering its priceless past by launching a new interconnected franchise with the release of 2017’s The Mummy. Unfortunately for the studio — but fortunate for those of us who had the film leading our 10 Worst of 2017 lists — the movie was such a monumental bomb that the whole Dark Universe idea was scrapped. That in turn led to the cancellation of a version of The Invisible Man starring Johnny Depp.

Since the Depp flick doubtless would have been patterned after the beats of The Mummy, we dodged a bullet there.

Instead, we’ve been given an Invisible Man that’s meant to stand on its own. And that it does, admirably. Writer-director Leigh Whannell, whose previous picture was the intriguing Upgrade, has opted to keep H.G. Wells’ title and basic premise and … that’s it. The rest is his own fanciful and captivating take on the tale. CS

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