The Sentient Bean was pretty much packed for three hours on Friday night for the opening reception of an exhibit celebrating rock and roll history in Savannah.
As most of you probably know from previous coverage in this newspaper, the effort has been spearheaded by Savannah Rocks!, a group with several ambitious goals.
According to the description on its busy Facebook page, Savannah Rocks! “exists to connect local musicians of all ages, learn more about Savannah’s musical heritage and pave the way for an all-inclusive scene to make Savannah a destination for music in the Southeast.”
The exhibit will remain at the Bean for the rest of the month. The general public is encouraged to add rock memorabilia to the 30-foot long, user-generated bulletin board, but it’s worth noting that the board is pretty full right now.
In a huge outpouring of interest, more than 1,500 items have already been submitted to the project.
Largely familiar with the music scene over the last 15 years, I found myself fascinated by the clippings and photos from earlier decades.
Some of the memorabilia chronicles touring acts, like the copy of a small advertisement for a performance by Elvis Presley — the “Nation’s Only Atomic Powered Singer” — at the sports arena on East Gwinnett Street. Advance tickets for the show by “Mr. Dynamite” were $1.50.
But the vast majority of the items are about local bands — acts unknown to most of us today. I especially liked a couple of photos of the Checkmates with their matching checkered pants.
Why don’t bands wear matching trousers anymore? (Skinny black jeans don’t count.)
I’m intrigued by the ways that Savannah Rocks! might connect musicians of different demographic groups, but there are some obvious challenges.
Despite the uniting influence of music, few local events appeal equally to Savannah’s white and black communities.
And it can be hard to bring folks of various ages together too.
On Feb. 7, Savannah Rocks! is producing an ambitious concert in the grand ballroom of the American Legion on Bull Street. That show will feature bands spanning several generations, but anyone under 21 will be barred by our alcohol ordinance.
When 18-year olds can’t go see their grandfathers’ rock bands in friendly venues like the Legion, we definitely have a problem.
While we have some bureaucratic rules that make it hard to produce rock shows that unite generations, the biggest obstacles seem self-imposed. People are simply reluctant to venture outside their comfort zones.
If Savannah Rocks! can break down even a few barriers that artificially separate us, that will be a big achievement.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net. Send mail to 10 East 32nd St., Savannah, Ga. 31401.