Roadkill Ghost Choir

The Jinx is one of my favorite venues in Savannah, so despite not knowing much about either band I had high hopes and was not disappointed.

Roadkill Ghost Choir started things off. They are based out of DeLand, Florida and formed as a full band in 2010. For being a fairly young band with only one five-song EP and having a name that brings connotations of solemn doom, they have a fantastic sound. They were not at all what I expected, but in a good way. I prepared myself for a band that would more likely play heavy metal instead of the banjo and pedal steel guitar. Part of their great sound came from the number of different instruments– playing a guitar or banjo in between playing the steel pedal guitar, or playing the keyboard with one hand and a trumpet with the other – many of which seemingly appeared of nowhere. They definitely exhibit an Americana sound, finding a way to mesh the rock aspect with the indie/folk of their self-described sound. You can actually download one of their tracks as part of TheBlueIndian.com’s FREE digital compilation.

Roadkill Ghost Choir

I’ve heard many good things about Dead Confederate since my time in Athens, but I never got the chance to see them live. I liked what I heard when I listened to their albums, but I had the feeling that not only was it going to be a little heavier, but it also was going to be better, live. It was, and it was great. They’re currently touring in support of their third full-length album, In the Marrow, released April 16^th. They opened with a tribute song of George Jones’ who had passed away that day. Most of the songs from their set were off Marrow, with three others each off of an earlier record, and one cover (“Smoking a Minor”). Filing them into a Southern grunge category is a more apt description than the alt-rock category I would have placed them into prior.  Where the record gives a chance to hear frontman Hardy Morris’ vocals, at this show – and it may have had to do with the sound – it felt more as though singing was a side note, drowned out by the music and encouraging people to feel it and get lost in it, rather than to just be present.  There were plenty of people who did this, including the two people attempting to create a mosh pit (they failed) and the girl who made her way on stage to take the place of Hardy Morris when he was playing on the floor and when he got back on stage asked her (I assume) to hop down, she actually did without any fuss.

All in all, I was left with fun stories to share with friends and discovered two bands that I can’t wait to hear more from. Roadkill Ghost Choir and Dead Confederate are on tour together until June 1. – Sarah Weitman

Dead Confederate