Show Review: Candy Truck, Greta O & the Toxic Shock, Chipper Bones @ Moodright’s, Savannah GA

April 6, 2025April 6, 2025 / jkickbright / Leave a comment

Candy Truck
Greta O and the Toxic Shock
Chipper Bones
Wednesday March 26, 2025.
@ Moodright’s – Savannah, Georgia
Show review and photographs by Jeffrey Howard

A friend of mine recommended Moodright’s to me when I was down in Orlando. It was a place they had visited on vacation and had a really good time there. I was new to Savannah and was always looking for new places to try out. They said it was a bar but also mentioned they had weird bowling. I didn’t know what that meant until I would wander in one evening. They have what they call Duck Bowling, which is like bowling but with small ball, small lane and small pins. Key word — small, obviously.

The bar has three pool tables, a Photo Booth that I would end up making out in several times and a long hallway that turns into a whole different bar called Over Yonder. Now that side is more of a Texas western themed bar with a small stage and a kitchen for food. It’s really such a cool place and vibe. I took to both these places immediately.

Maybe the most important thing to me is they serve Lone Star beer from Texas. I’ve never even seen it outside Texas and definitely nowhere in Florida. I’m sold!

While there are bands regularly playing throughout the week and weekends on the Over Yonder side, it doesn’t happen too often on the Moodright’s side. Though I have seen some and seen pictures from past events. When they do they lay out a stage over the bowling lanes! It’s lifted a little high so you can see even from the back of the room.

Now this show was announced like a day or two before it was to happen. It was billed as a “secret” show for new Savannah band Candy Truck along with a couple of other Savannah bands, Chipper Bones and Greta O and the Toxic Shock. According to both bands Instagram accounts neither haven’t been very active for a few years. It seemed like a rare treat to take in some old “new to me” bands.

I walk over from my house to Moodright’s. I feel good so I wear my favorite all-time corduroys, a multi-colored horizontal stripe by Tilt made in the 1990s. I’ve owned three pairs of them so far in life. Once when I was a size 0 in ladies size. I outgrew them and been chasing that high ever since. I literally have an Ebay alert set up so if anyone ever lists these pants I will know right away! I finally have one that fits me as I am now. I paired it with a 1980s Chuck Berry vintage wax iron on I placed on a modern American Apparel raglan shirt. I love love love iron-ons if you didn’t already know! Sorry I did not take a photo of this outfit [Edit: found one!]. I am an outfit repeater so this one may show up again.

I arrived at the back end at Over Yonder, grabbed a Rolling Rock as they are out of Lone Star, greeted some friends and headed down the hallway to Moodright’s.

I could already hear a band playing walking into the room. There were a lot of people! Maybe the most I’ve ever seen. I zig zagged my way up through the crowd to the front to see Savannah band Chipper Bones for the first time. I recognized the singer/guitarist, Kyle Brown, from booking shows under the name Dog Days Presents.

They are impressive!— they rock and roll with a bit of swagger — part indie rock and part bar rock. A good combination if you’re into both Thee Oh Sees and the Bob Seger Sound System.

A beer or two later Greta O and The Toxic Shock come onstage and start the mosh pit. This band is fast punk, kinda hardcore, led by Greta Odrezin, a powerhouse singer. Their songs are quick, short and to the point. They ruled!

I’ve seen Candy Truck back in September at perhaps an early moment in their band life. I am a big fan of weird shows in weird places and that show was at a seafood restaurant down called Dockside Seafood Bar & Grill on River Street, of all places. I passed this place many times thinking it was a fancy place. Well, it was not!

For those not familiar River Street is the touristy strip along the Savannah River. Some locals may call it a hellscape but I kinda love it — me being from a tourist city myself, even owning a vintage shop on International Drive, one of the world’s most known tourist strips.

Tonight the band was on fire and super fun. They call themselves skate punk which roughly means they have amalgam of influences from pop punk with a little garage rock. It’s Drake on vocals and guitar, Lily on guitar, Audrey on bass and Anthony pounding out on the drums. They get better every time I see them.

Links:
Candy Truck
Greta O and the Toxic Shock
Chipper Bones
Moodright’s
Dog Days Presents

Extra Photographs

Show Review & Story: Small Talk, Klept @ The Peanut Gallery – Savannah, GA

March 20, 2025March 23, 2025 / jkickbright / Leave a comment

Small Talk, Klept
Friday March 14, 2025
House Show @ The Peanut Gallery – Savannah, Georgia
Review and story by Jeffrey Howard

“Small talk makes me wanna die” — modern proverb.

I think you’re already accustomed that “show reviews” are not, indeed, show reviews. This is the Jeffreyshow and that’s how it goes. I’ve been called Jeffrey, Jeffrey Howard, Jeffrey KickBright, KickBright, Kick, and most recently walking the streets of Savannah, “Mr Bright”. Call me whatever you want. Take heed, only my mother is allowed to call me Jeff. She named me so she gets the only pass.

The address for this house show organized by local DIY purveyors Big Blue Booking seemed familiar. It was on E 38th Street. Now, the first house I moved into in Savannah a year and a half ago was 645 E 38th and this address was just a few numbers away. For me, 645 was a good luck number as it was the first digits of my childhood phone number on Cavendish Road back in Winter Park, Florida. That was in the days right before mandatory area codes. I love a good “sign”. That’s when you know without a doubt things are meant to be.

On my old street for instance: early morning before work there was a car accident that defied gravity. I’m not sure how, but a car was completely turned over. Like, how???? One cannot drive fast enough on 38th to do a flip. The street is narrow and cars line on both sides of the street. They did it!

More neighborhood stories: there’s a man who worked on a red boat. For months it was being restored little by little. The street cleaner comes twice a week in this ‘hood. It must be time consuming to move the boat from one side of the street to the other.

In general, the neighborhood is mixed race with a conglomeration of high rent condos, Airbnbs and gunshots. Don’t go too far down east 38th because you might question where you are. The closer to the west side you’ll find long time residents, young artsy couples, student group houses and late night booty music parties. Of course, the soundtrack is always dogs constantly barking. There’s always THAT neighbor.

This is also nearby an intersection that took me to HER house, just around the corner. I would affectionally call her just that — my “wonder around the corner” because she was literally that. I timed the walk from my front porch to hers. It was delightfully short. Sometimes her cat, Lana Del Rey, would also greet me with a meow and follow us inside.

Our close proximity made it easy for us to be “porch bandits” leaving each other gifts. One time I arrived home to a gift bag of books and other items. I admit I cried on the spot. Never had a woman made me feel this way— ever.

It was so early on in our courtship, too. I was certainly trepidatious about starting something new. I had gotten out of a long term relationship and even the thought of dating anyone ever was not on any To-Do list I had created in my head. I didn’t want anything with anybody. But this….. she was different. I’m sure people say stuff like that all the time but no — this was so ravenous I wouldn’t be ignoring her. She’s the kind you marry and that’s why I altered my direction.

This corner house, The Peanut Gallery, had some issues I remember — It was a typical old Savannah two-story house with its own high up porch. Porches are so high here — is there that much flooding? Is it just a style? I don’t know. I haven’t been here long enough to know the area architecture.

The people living there had been thrown out at some point. There was garbage and belongings all strewn about the street. I stopped, poked through but took nothing. Eventually, there were workers restoring for weeks. Then it seemed to be turned over to actual residents. Interesting art objects would appear in the windows. The still unfinished remodeled porch, with no railings, seemed to invite a weariness. I always wondered what was inside.

I get dressed at home after coming home from work, dolling myself up in my favorite Levi Signature jeans (I have at least three pairs) with my 1984 Prince ‘When Doves Cry’ tour concert t-shirt under a vintage blue denim jean jacket with several buttons decorating it with my favorite snake skins cowboy boots. The ones that are falling apart and got for one dollar from one of my all-time favorite thrift stores in Andrews, North Carolina. The shop when you never knew would ever be open. Maybe only for three hours between 11am and 2pm on a Wednesday or sometime else infuriating. It’s across the street from Dean’s Music — though I can’t tell you if they are still open…..

I decide to walk over instead of biking. It’s not far from where I live now and I’m trying to stay on foot, taking in details of the city. I pass a gate entrance on 37th Street with a huge “J” marking the property. I take a picture and continue on. I still find it funny I live between Jefferson and Howard Streets.

I arrive. The show is in the back yard. A gate with an above sign decreeing it “The Peanut Gallery” hovers inviting. It’s cute. Bands are setting up. The third band that was on the flier cancelled, Chris Casey, whom I really wanted to see. It’s this dude and he just released a song called “Cow Killers” that is an instant Southern Rap/Rock banger. Have you heard it? You gotta hear it!

There are a decent amount of people there. I scan the crowd. I am looking for anyone I know and also, HER. At first glance I don’t see anyone. SHE is not speaking to me since the incident at the previous First Friday when I was vending outside the vintage store next to her tattoo shop. It was the first time she walked past me like I didn’t exist.

HER house is nearby she’s liable to meander along any second. She knows everyone — or at least everyone knows her. As they should. My eyes keep darting over to the entrance wishing I could just relax and just enjoy this first band.

The first band is called Klept and are interesting in several ways. Immediately they remind me of Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, the great New York art rock whatever band from the 1990s on Matador Records. Klepts songs are complex, sometimes skipping a beat or two with fine tuned precision and then blasting into a freak nit whirlwind. Thrown in some screamo parts and they’ve landed something totally unique and interesting.

They have a new release out — it’s out just in time for this show. I enjoy them immensely.

I mix in the crowd. I meet the bass player from Small Talk. His name is Bryce and is super nice. I am introduced to them by a new co-worker of mine who I would find spot looking around more closely at the crowd. I can’t remember her name in the moment so I am afraid to say what I think it is out loud. My work desk is too far away from her spatially to exchange any meaningful connection and I feel quite a bit stupid for not knowing. I should ask but I don’t. I do get to know her a little better and I feel good about that.

Another friend shows up but they’re looking for ANOTHER house show nearby. There’s cool stuff happening all over town — even on the same Friday night.

Evidently this was the last breakup show for Small Talk. The flier called it a “funeral” — I like that idea. Close friends and fans did dress up all in black! Some band members were moving away from Savannah for the reason of the occasion. This town is a college town (SCAD) so creative people of all ages come and so do their bands, music and other creative endeavors.

They’ve been around for a few years going back to 2017, according to their Bandcamp releases. I listened to them briefly beforehand enough to know that yes, I would indeed love a slow and loud dream pop shoegaze band. Oh yes sir!

I recognize the drummer from being in the one-person drum band Nosebleed. Now that project blew me away when I saw them a few weeks ago at El Rocko for Cougar Fest. I am finding a lot the same musicians are in a million different bands around town — just like everywhere else in the country.

Small Talk are fantastic and hit all the sweet spots of quiet drones with loud delays and feedbacks and those hard dancing breaks. The crowd dances and screams between songs. It’s sad because they will be no more and more people won’t get to experience them. I may be coming in late but I’m a fan.

Walking home, I’m searching the sidewalks for ghosts. Halloween decorations are long gone in the countries most haunted cities but I’m sure skulls are half buried silently screaming. I can feel them at least. A Lone Star beer at Over Yonder/Moodrights makes the walk back home less lonely. I also stop at Starland Yard for a photo booth picture. I’m a slut for a photo booth so I do not resist! Looking down at the cracks in the concrete I see graffiti. It reads “mirth”. The strong association I have with that one word hits hard. The ghosts may catch me yet or is it another sign?

Links:
Small Talk — Bandcamp
Klept — YouTube
Big Blue Booking — Instagram
The Peanut Gallery — Instagram
Chris Casey — YouTube of Cow Killers

Daikaiju, Measurement, Pink Peugeot, Doof @ Southbound Brewing. Savannah, Georgia

January 31, 2025January 31, 2025 / jkickbright / 1 Comment

Story and photography by Jeffrey Howard.
Friday January 17, 2025.

This is a love letter.

Is it really true all good things must come to an end?

Some say yes. Some say no. Some say what is meant to be is meant to be. I think I know an answer or two. I may be confident but also know all can crumble faster than an English rusk biscuit.

One of the first places I saw a show at where I wasn’t performing at in Savannah, Georgia was at Southbound Brewing September 2023. I remember when I was actively trying to relocate from Orlando to Savannah I would drive up, take care of business and afterwards try to grab a taste of this new city.

One miserable, heartbreaking trip I found myself sitting in a parking lot with a van load of items I wanted to drop off at a storage unit until I had a place to live lined up. I had been talking to some people online about a room and was to meet up with them but they ghosted when I arrived. Brutal. I was questioning everything.

Am I doing the right thing? Is this a sign I should not do this? Why am I opening myself up to the universe? What is it trying to tell me right now?

I had no answers, just growing doubt creeping into a rage. Rather than tuck my tail between my legs I wanted to reach out to the city. I don’t go down in a fight. I was recommended a show from a new friend who was giving advice about moving there, since they had done the same and they thought I was interesting enough to help. The kindness of strangers.

It was an all day show fundraiser for a local DIY startup, Big Blue, that was raising money to open an all ages event club. I had run an all-ages club back in Orlando way back so could totally relate and know that I would feel welcomed. Step one, find your people, right?

I remember driving and parking, noticing there was a police station directly across the street on one side and the other a sketchy looking field with run down, abandoned houses. Attached to the building was one of those axe throwing places. Sure let’s mix alcohol with handling dangerous tools. Let’s do it!

So, that day I saw a bunch of bands. I almost can’t remember who all I saw. I looked up the flyer and don’t even recognize the names but I did see them as I was just taking everything in. I did feel like this was all going to work out even if it looks really, really hard. I’m taking such a chance,

The next time I attended a show at Southbound was about a month later and it would be quite an evening for a number of reasons. It was The Maxines record release show with Bastardane, Girlfriend From Hell and several other bands. I really really really liked Bastardane. One cool thing this show was I met some new friends in person I had only talked to online before. More importantly, this was the night I put my arm around HER and left it there. I admit feeling both bold and dizzying in that moment.

Fast forward to right now. This nights show was going to be a doozy! Instrumental surf rock band Daikaiju, based in Houston Texas, was going to come in hot. It’s what they do! They literally light things on fire. I did not want to miss it. Three local Savannah bands were opening. Also, SHE was going to be there but without that bold arm holding replaced with only a brief hello before parting into the loudness of the music.

First was Savannah two piece experimental doom metal band Doof and switch up between total camp and real passionate true metal. They are having fun and if you aren’t having fun then you’re just not getting it. They were quite fun.

Next was prog rock spazzout outfit Pink Peugeot. Members Robert Melton and Joe Kapcin play between synths, drums and electric guitar. It’s pretty groovy and when the two really dial in to each other they make magic.

Next was a band called Measurement, also hailing from Savannah. They’re a four piece band riding the line between post punk and artcore. Vocalist Jenn Carroll really holds it down behind their bandmates tight interwork. It is an understatement to say they are blistering through every song. Very cool!

Daikaiju closed out the night in style. I’ve seen them several times so I know what to expect. They play raging surf punk while riding the interplay between themselves and the full audience. Concert goers are just as likely to be in the band by the time the show ends. Their music demands closeness. People descended upon the band from all sides. Glorious!

Yes, they did set fire to their drums. Yes, they did set their guitars ablaze. Yes, a ladder appeared out of nowhere while the drummer played their drums high in the hair, held up piece by piece by the audience.

Sure enough, audience members were passed instruments and something new happened. A new collective of like minds melding from flames to ash and back to sparks until the walls are covered in soot. Instruments changed hands again around back to the band where they ended the show. Amazing!

So now, Southbound Brewing is closing two weeks after this show. What will become of it? The original space will be gone. They will continue on doing what they do, brewing beer. Just someplace else perhaps. Without bands or events. They’ll sell off equipment and move to a smaller location to regroup. Will they keep it going? Will they, by strange windfall, find a new opportunity? Someplace new? Will they come back even stronger than before?

I like the last option.

More Photos: