By Jenna Moore
Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers
ON THURSDAY, April 3rd, the Savannah Music Festival did not disappoint. Starting the evening with an intimate show at Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum with Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers, the night ended with Victor Wooten jamming with Marcus King at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts.
As the sun set in the background, the Wooten Brothers put on an engaging experience of storytelling and funky jazz music. The four brothers grew up in a military household and learned how to play music from one another. Now, the brothers share the mic and vocal responsibilities — Victor (bass), Joseph (keys), Roy (percussion) and Regi (guitar) make up this family band.
Their first album, The Wootens, was released in the mid-80s. Spanning across four decades, the Wooten Brothers live performances still hit with a high-energy mix of various genres backed by a funky sound. And their Savannah Music Festival show proved that notion.
It only took the crowd a few notes before a group gathered in the central dance floor, gazing with glee at the band on stage. Not long thereafter the audience rose to their feet to rhythmically dance along with the music.
Toward the end of the performance, we texted a friend working the festival and asked about the odds of slipping into the Marcus King show down the street. Much to our delight, we were admitted through the back door and taken sidestage to enjoy a one-of-a-kind Savannah Music Festival experience.
And what an experience it was! The Savannah Music Festival aims to cultivate unique music experiences for Savannahians to enjoy — and they continue to do just that.
Marcus King
Following an unexpected turn of events, we unknowingly would begin and end our evening with Victor Wooten as he stopped by the Lucas to sit in with Marcus King during his Savannah Music Festival debut.
King’s stunning wife, Briley, also joined him for a few tunes — Delilah and Goodbye Carolina.
A fourth generation, GRAMMY-nominated musician from Greenville, South Carolina, Marcus King has earned a respected reputation in the music industry. Playing alongside the guitar virtuoso, Jack Ryan (drums), Stephen Campbell (bass) and Matt Jennings (keys and organ) make up the Marcus King Band.
Check out his latest album “Mood Swings” and stay tuned for more music and his tour dates.
SETLIST:
The Well
Country Girl
Hero
Beautiful Stranger
Rita is Gone (“R”)
8 A.M.
Inglewood Motel (Halestorm)>Azucar
Homesick
Fuck My LIfe Up Again
Too Much Whiskey
Save Me
Here Today
Bipolar Love
Shake the Frost (Tyler Childers Cover)
Die Alone
Delilah
Goodbye Carolina
Lie Lie Lie
Wildflowers & Wine
Ramblin’ Man (Allman Brothers Band Cover)
Warren Haynes Band
ON FRIDAY, April 5, Warren Haynes Band performed to a sold out crowd. It was an incredible show, to say the very least!
From start to finish, Warren Haynes and his band — Kevin Scott (bass), Terence Higgins (drums) Matt Slocum (keys) and Grey Osby (sax) — rocked the historic stage at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts.
Warren Haynes’ sets included solo music, a few covers and a teaser from the Allman Brothers Band (Desdemona, Soulshine and Blue Sky), a Beatles tease (Eleanor Rigby) and a heavier Gov’t Mule tune (Thorazine Shuffle).
After slaying two sets, Warren ended with an encore of the Allman Brothers Band’s “Soulshine.”
Follow Warren Haynes to keep up with the band and the latest, “Million Voices Whisper”.
SET 1:
Man In Motion
Go Down Swinging
Banks Of The Deep End
Sick Of My Shadow (Blue Sky Tease)
This Life As We Know It
Lies, Lies, Lies>Monkey Dance>Lies, Lies, Lies
Desdemona
Instrumental Illnies (Les Brers in A Minor & It Don’t Mean A Thing Teases)
SET 2:
Power And The Glory
One
Just Another Rider
Thorazine Shuffle
Hattiesburg Hustle
That’s What Love Will Make You Do
Invisible (Eleanor Rigby Tease)
ENCORE:
Soulshine
Photo credit for lead image: jstrausser.visuals