While Stopover has always been about the bands, this year there’s an added little bonus for those who may not be too familiar with local music scene. The fact that Savannah is home to some stellar record labels as well as awesome artists may not be widely known, but this year’s Stopover festivities will certainly be changing that. New to this year’s event, local labels will be hosting showcases of artists, both local and national, from their respective rosters. While this exposure will be great for the artists themselves, the labels will undoubtedly benefit as well from getting their own names out there to potential local artists who may be looking for a home. Here’s a quick rundown of the labels and what to expect as far as their sets go:
Retro Futurist Records: March 6th, 10pm – 2am @ The Jinx
Artists: Irata – 10pm
Darkentries – 11pm
Burnt Books – 12am
Kylesa – 1am
The Rundown: Helmed by some of the core members of Savannah’s own Kylesa, Retro Futurist Records has begun to make a name for themselves since starting up in early 2014. While the label doesn’t restrict their roster to artists of any one genre in particular, the showcase on Thursday will certainly be one for fans of heavier music. Darkentries and showcase headliner Kylesa will be ripping sludge metal to The Jinx, while Irata will join in with a more groove focused take on metal. Rounding out the show will be Burnt Books who’ll deliver a bit of experimental hardcore for those looking for something a little grounded in punk roots.
Soft Science Records: March 7th, 4pm – 8pm @ Congress Street Social Club (All Ages)
Artists: Sauna Heat – 4pm
Triathalon – 5pm
Cretin Girls – 6pm
J. Zagers – 7pm
The Rundown: Formed in 2013 by Skip Terpstra and Gus Mueller of Safe//Sound promotions, Soft Science hosts a strong stable of primarily local artists across a variety of genres. From J. Zagers’ ambient, synth heavy, bedroom pop project to the local surf-punk kings Triathalon, Soft Science is focused more on promoting local artists than any one genre in particular. In addition to J. Zagers and Triathalon, the midday showcase will feature label mates Sauna Heat, who’ll bring some old school, lo-fi, garage punk to the table, as well as Cretin Girls and their unique, distortion heavy, oscillating take on post punk. For a more in depth rundown on some of the bands, check out our review of the Soft Science Record Release show at Hang Fire from a few months back here.
Furious Hooves Records: March 8th, 2pm – 7pm
Artists: mumbledust – 2pm
Anteo – 3pm
Blackrune – 4pm
Bedroom – 5pm
Hallucinex – 6pm
The Rundown: The final showcase features one of the more longstanding labels, Furious Hooves. Founded in 2011 by TJ Hatcher and Ryan McCardle, the label is more of a split venture based both here in Savannah as well as in Virginia. The rosters of artists reflects this as well with the showcase featuring Savannah locals mumbledust and Blackrune as well as a slew of touring acts including Virginia natives Anteo and Hallucinex, in addition to Bedroom out of Tennessee. The showcase will feature a little bit of something for everyone, from the bedroom/dream pop of the aptly named Bedroom to the thrashy, post punk seen in Anteo. Keep an eye out for the merch table at this one as well as Furious Hooves is known not only for their musicians, but also for their limited and handmade pressings, which will be sure to attract collectors of all varieties.