Savannah, Georgia: One of the oldest cities in the nation, hub of history, art, and for the last five years, the home of a class act music festival five years in the running.
Savannah Stopover Festival (so named because bands "stopover" before heading to the Austin megafest, SXSW) kicks off it's 5th year this Thursday. In previous years, the fest has hosted names like Grimes, Future Islands, Mac Demarco, even an Of Montreal set, held in scenic Forsyth Park. Set in the historic downtown of the city, Stopover Festival embodies everything that makes the city great: ingenuity, quirkiness, and most importantly, diversity.
That being said, Stopover assuredly has whatever you're looking for in a live act. A fan of avant-garde electronica? Try Heavenly Beat, and Computer Magic. More of a lo-fi surf rocker? Beach Day and Axxa/Abraxas are your best bet. What about fuzzy garage and psychedelic rock? There's that too, in Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires, and Cobalt Cranes (respectively). Throw in some Americana (Christopher Paul Stelling), indie pop (ELEL), and experimental R&B (Matthew E. White) and you've got the makings of a spectacular festival experience.
Even the venues have their own unique character, whether it be the intimacy of the dive bar Hang Fire, the disco ball-festooned dance floor of Club One, or the storied rock bar that is, The Jinx. Some acts will even grace the stage of a historic chapel, Trinity United Church.
All in all, Savannah Stopover isn't a poor man's SXSW; it's an entirely more wholesome experience.