Things are heating up for the Savannah Folk Music Society, starting with the July 6 "First Friday for Folk Music" concert at First Presbyterian Church.
This week's event features the Effingham County bluegrass band Wayne Alday and the Ridge Runners, with Bucky Jones on Bass, Roy Young on mandolin, Kevin Williams on banjo, and Tommy Hall and Wayne Alday on rhythm guitar and vocals.
Also performing at the 7:30 p.m. show are Julian Pace, the 2009 Youth Songwriting Competition winner, with his brother Ethan.
Submissions are now being accepted for the 2012 competition, "to encourage young people from the Greater Savannah Area, Tri-County and Jasper /Beaufort County SC to develop their skills in musical and lyrical expression, promote the time-honored method of storytelling by song, and recognize outstanding achievement in these efforts."
Got a tune? Send it in!
Deadline is Aug. 15. There are cash prizes; the first place winner receives a $500 gift certificate from Portman's Music Store, and the opportunity to perform the winning song Oct. 14 at Grayson Stadium. This is the big concert finale of the Savannah Folk Festival, with headliners Deidre McCalla, Curley Maple, Al Petteway & Amy White and Doug MacLeod.
See savannahfolk.org.
Drawing the line
The 2012 Guild of Natural Science Illustrators conference, "Scientific Illustration: Frontiers Past and Future," is coming to SCAD July 8-14. Although there are fees for both day and event passes, the public is invited to check out a concurrent exhibit of work by GNSI members at Pei Ling Chan Gallery. It's already up, and runs through July 21.
What's cool about the conference is the participation of Terryl Whitlatch, principal creature designer for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Whitlatch designed a bunch of the alien characters, including the immortal beloved Jar-Jar Binx.
Then there's Jodie Holt, botanical science consultant on Avatar, and Chuck Carter, a team member on the original video game Myst.
For details, see gnsi.science-art.com/2012GA.
Some other stuff
@ Emmy-winning comedian and actor Louis C.K. (TV's Louie) will perform Oct. 17 in the Johnny Mercer Theatre. Tickets, $45, are available now at louieck.com
@ Closing out this year's Beaufort Water Festival, with a concert in Waterfront Park, is country singer James Otto, who's best known for the No. 1 single "Just Got Started Lovin' You," Billboard's top country single of 2008. He's also the co-writer of "No Hurry" by the Zac Brown Band. Tickets are $20. Go to bftwaterfestival.com.
@ The incredible North Mississippi Allstars have been announced as headliners for Savannah’s 2012 Craft Brew Fest, which runs Aug. 26-Sept. 2. The blues/rockers will headline a day-long concert Sept. 2 on the grounds of the Westin Harbor Resort. Also on the bill: Florida’s Sister Hazel, the Heavy Pets, Stokeswood and Jason D. Williams. Advance tickets are $40 at savannahcraftbrewfest.com. They’ll be $50 at the door.