When I first arrived at SCAD, I was excited to explore the Punk, Hardcore, and general underground music scenes of the area. Back home, I was a regular at local punk venues and knew other underground bands on a first name basis. But when I got to Savannah and unpacked my things, I couldn’t find anything. No one I talked to had any information, most likely because they were also new to the area. It took me almost an entire quarter to hear anything about the local scene. When I finally did, it was that Savannah’s premiere punk venue, The Lodge of Sorrows, had closed permanently.
The days of shows being purely word of mouth are gone now. Usually, the only way to hear about shows is to find them online. But, if you don’t know where to look, you can feel lost at sea. Below are a few accounts to give you a head start in finding shows and venues.
Savannah Show Fliers is by far the most popular method for finding concerts. And that is for good reason, The account functions as almost a communal message board for bands in the area to send in promotional posters for their upcoming shows and have them spread to the community. It is one of the most consistently updated pages on this list and usually promotes some decent acts. The only downside, however, is that this is not a venue, so actually being able to make each show that is posted is a little tricky. However, if you are willing to go on some adventures, you’ll have a pretty good time.
I should start by clarifying that this is a commercial venue. Tickets with QR codes, a professional website, the works. Typically, this isn’t where a lot of smaller/local bands will play. However, they do host a variety of acts that pass through town. This paired with its proximity to Victory Village makes it an ideal place to keep an eye on for anyone wanting a more structured approach to live music with the intimate feeling of a basement show.
Lodge of Sorrows is coming back! While they aren’t officially up and running quite yet; they have leased a new building and are currently doing renovations to reopen (hopefully) sometime this fall! Before the prior location had to shut it’s doors, it was the premiere location to find a healthy mix of both local and touring acts.
If you’re like me, going to shows is as essential as breathing. I hope this short list will work as a good launch point into finding your spot in Savannah’s underground music scene. I can confidently say it is one of the most unique scene’s in the country. If you miss out, you might end up regretting it.
