Thursday, Aug. 06, 2009
Feast or Famine?
OK, a show of hands out there: How many of you have ever attended a South by Southeast Music Feast concert at the Myrtle Beach Train Depot?
How many of you know what I’m talking about?
I posed the same question to my colleagues, and I’m sad to report that although we have written about SXSE many times and covered its concerts, my survey resulted in a big fat goose egg.
I feel like a lone wolf howling in the night.
I was first introduced to the South by Southeast Music Feast back in late 2003 when it was still an underground thing, and I had to be invited to the organization’s sixth show as it wasn’t open to the public.
So, not knowing what to expect, I rolled up to the New South Brewing Co. building on Campbell Street in an industrial section of Myrtle Beach and found the warehouse-like setting outfitted like a concert hall (plus the huge caldrons of brewing grog in the background). That night I saw an unbelievably funny and entertaining performance by the Rev. Billy C Wirtz, sampled some of New South’s offerings, chatted with some familiar faces, and was really blown away by the whole scene. But, I found it difficult to describe as it was one of things where you just had to be there.
SXSE has gone public and shifted to the Myrtle Beach Train Depot – including Saturday’s Music Feast featuring Verlon Thompson – and it’s still one of the coolest things going along the Grand Strand.
I love this town and live here for a reason, but one of the things that irks me about it is its collective lack of intellectual curiosity and basic Wal-Mart mentality.
It seems whenever there’s something really cool, and dare I say progressive, going on it goes the way of the dodo.
Then everybody complains about it when something could have been done to preserve it.
Now is your chance to help save one such venture from extinction.
SXSE, which is a registered charitable organization, is in danger of becoming a footnote if folks don’t step up to the plate and start attending the Music Feasts and supporting its various initiatives to provide instruments and funding for area music education programs.
SXSE, like many of us, is enduring tough economic times and is beating the bushes for its first-ever membership drive, so we dispatched correspondent/columnist Paul Grimshaw to delve into the state of this organization and find out what the future holds.
In addition, we help you understand what Americana is, the genre that SXSE supports and promotes and we’ve got a primer on the remaining Music Feast calendar for 2009.
A few weeks ago I donated a clarinet to the organization during one of its instruments drives at Mellow Mushroom.
But I’m going to finally join SXSE by purchasing an annual membership ($25) and I challenge you to do the same.
Now’s your chance to step up and ensure the future of a true Myrtle Beach treasure.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
I was standing near the bar at Island Bar and Grill in Surfside Beach on July 30 and talking to off-duty bartender Joe Kennedy, when suddenly I noticed Psych Ward guitarist Matt Parker had left the stage and was right next to us playing a cordless Fender.
I was in mid-beer sip when he handed me the axe and told me to join his bandmates who were in the middle of Tom Petty’s “Last Dance with Mary Jane’’ – so what could I do?
I had to comply.
Anyway, the occasion was Psych Ward’s last and 300th gig at the Southside watering hole.
Before you start crying, Parker and crew aren’t going anywhere, the band has merely changed its name, which was revealed on this momentous evening.
The new name is eight:fourteen, which I must admit will take a little bit of getting used to after seeing these guys so many nights hosting Open Mike jams at the Island.
I asked Parker about the name switcheroo, and this is what he said, via e-mail.
“Well one reason we changed it was because a band up north just got signed with the name Psych Ward. Another is that there are some important music industry people who did not think that name represented the music [original stuff] we are writing and have written.”
I also was told that the band name sounded too loud and crazy for potential bookers who shied away from signing Psych Ward to lucrative gigs.
What remains is the band’s blend of blues and funk, hard rock, grunge, sense of humor and cache of quality original tunes.
Delete Pysch Ward, add eight: fourteen . . .