12/14/2001

     When thinking of a stone to compare to the style of The Regime, Leopardskin Jasper immediately grabs my attention, just like the band. It’s a bold stone with splotches of blacks, beiges and browns swirling into irregular shapes.  Three great talents meld in Thomas, Bradley and Patrick. They have the whole rock star persona down to a tee. Picture a bassist, in this case it would be Patrick, his eyes are half-closed and he is wearing bedroom slippers of an undefined animal print. Bradley’s hair is bleached shocking white, and usually his roots are showing; a lot of times this guitarist sports a disco era suit. Thomas is on the drums and sings lead, sometimes in black leather, with dark lenses blocking his line of vision from the audience.  The Regime is playing Mully’s tonight and Tapped Out Saturday, but every Wednesday they host the open mic jam at Alley Cats, and it’s a great scene. Musicians of every description come out of the woodwork to play with them. Check them out, they know hundreds of covers on top of some great original work. Personal fav? Pretty in Pink, it’s a must for a Regime show.  Maybe they aren’t quite your style, if so, then you should head on out to Tapped Out tonight, where Sawgrass will be playing.  Lapis Lazuli is the only possible choice as a description of these boys’ Newgrass style.  Lapis is a deep blue, flecked with golden iron pyrite. As a self-proclaimed Newgrass band, the stone fits. Newgrass is a newer style of bluegrass, it incorporates electric instruments and isn’t quite as focused on gospel as its ancestor. Hence the blue stone, as true and deep as Sawgrass’ bluegrass roots, shining with flashes of brilliant gold, an accent to an already beautiful stone.
I missed the party at Bert’s in Sullivan’s Island last weekend, when Sawgrass played. They performed Friday and Saturday nights. It seems that on Saturday night, Mark Bryan, of Hootie and the Blowfish fame, showed up and jammed on the guitar and mandolin.  He plays with a bluegrass band in his spare time and as lead guitarist for Hootie.  Rob Steuer, mandolinist for Sawgrass, said it was a blast and they’ll be back at Bert’s in January. 

  Let’s move on to venues.  

     We’ll start with the Big Tuna because it’s closest to my home and my friend Lins works there now.  It’s a diamond in the rough. BT is serving up great music twice a week: Thursday nights with the Sons of Blues and again on Friday with Smokehouse Brown Blues Band.  Next would be the Pawleys Island Tavern, affectionately dubbed the P.I.T. It’s the pearl of Pawleys Island musical entertainment with the Sons of Blues on Fridays, Smokehouse on Saturdays and John Lammonds on Sunday nights.
We’ll go to Tapped Out next, my favorite new place. In case you’re just skimming this piece, Sawgrass is there tonight and the Regime jams tomorrow.  Anyway, Tapped Out is owned by three young and dashing men, Shawn Doyle, David Wilson and Rob Somes.  They have one of the largest draft selections in the county and a revolving cast of musicians every weekend.  Unakite is the only choice. First, I think all of them are native to our great state, I know at least two of them are, and Unakite was first discovered in South Carolina. It’s a blending of reds, greens and browns, symbolizing the blending of three different backgrounds to form ownership over one kick-butt venue.  Can’t talk about a Murrells Inlet venue without mentioning the Hot Fish Club. Tonight’s entertainment is Rein, who are, so I’ve heard, phenomenal. The HFC was once the beloved Creek House, and is still referred to that name by old-school locals. Because of that connection to the past, HFC gets to claim amber as the chosen stone. Oftentimes, it’s a beautiful, rich golden color, if you didn’t know, and is made of fossilized sap. Many times you’ll find pre-historic bugs of different descriptions entombed in its depths.  Then we come to the media, the people who put a face to the name for the grand populace to read, view or hear. We claim the cameo, as the ones who take on the responsibility of publicizing someone else’s face. Mine would be pretty and delicate, made of mother of pearl and coral. Ricky Poppell of Beach Nights fame would sport a mosaic of different stones crafted to form the image, for some reason I see him with onyx and turquoise. I don’t know Kent Kimes, the new Sun News Entertainment guy, but was very close to Steve Wildsmith, formerly of the Scum News. Steve’s would be crafted of the finest metals because he’s golden and I miss him.  And finally, where do you, the fans, come in? You are the cord that connects us and the clasp that binds us. Without music fans, there would be no musicians, hence no venues and no media. You are everything.

See You There

So many venues, so little time. Tonight, who knows where the streets will take me. I’ll probably venture out to the Sawgrass show at Tapped Out and then to The Hot Fish Club for Rein.  Tonight, Jaynie Trudell, at the Side Porch, enough said. She’s the diamond of the local entertainment scene, hands down.  Tomorrow, I’m going to see The Regime at Tapped Out.  Also, I want to put a mention in for my buddy Greg Bowman who is playing tonight and tomorrow at the Hook in Pawleys Island. Greg, formerly of Smokehouse Brown, has been doing sets from 6:30 to 10 p.m. for some time.  His new project is the Bowman Harrison Band, and I am ashamed to say that I haven’t seen them yet. Go check them out and enjoy dinner in the restaurant.  Sunday, who knows what the future holds?  Have a great weekend, don’t drink and drive and be safe, these holiday roads are dangerous.

Friday music

n The Big Tuna: Georgetown, 520-1819, The Smokehouse Brown Blues Band, 8 p.m. until, no cover.
n Hagley Landing Bar and Grill: Pawleys Island, Karaoke, 7-ish, no cover.
n Pawleys Island Tavern: 237-8465, The Sons of Blues, 9 p.m.-until, no cover.
n Tapped Out: Murrells inlet, 651-5191, Sawgrass, 10-ish p.m., no cover.
n The Hot Fish Club: Murrells Inlet, 357-9175, Rein, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., no cover.
n The Side Porch (Inlet House Café): Murrells Inlet, 651-0622, Jaynie Trudell as well as a Free Oyster Roast, 8 p.m. until, no cover.
n The Winner’s Circle: Murrells Inlet, 651-1677, Mark Taylor, 9 p.m. until, no cover.
n Mully’s: Garden City, 651-5188, The Regime, 7-11 p.m., no cover charge.
n Maggie’s: Garden City, 651-5490, The Chrome Natz, 11 p.m. until, no cover.
n Blue Marlin: Garden City, 651-1114, The Playboy Band, 9 p.m.-until, no cover.
n Surfside Night Life: Surfside, 238-9754, Echo 7, 10 p.m. until, $5 over 21, or $8 18 and up cover charge.
n Scotty’s Beach Bar: Surfside, 238-9363, Finz Zup, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., no cover charge.
n John O’s: Surfside, 828-4299, Elvis’s Garage, 9 p.m. until, no cover charge.
n The House of Blues: Myrtle Beach, 272-3000, Sears presents an evening with Bryan McKnight and special guest Tyrese, doors 7:30 p.m., tickets are $42.50. 
Saturday music

n Hagley Landing Bar and Grill: Pawleys Island, Live Music and an Oyster Roast, 7-ish, no cover.
n Pawleys Island Tavern: 237-8465, The Smokehouse Brown Blues Band, 9 p.m.-until, no cover.
n Tapped Out: Murrells inlet, 651-5191, The Regime, 10-ish p.m., no cover.
n The Hot Fish Club: Murrells Inlet, 357-9175, The Dave Gillease Trio, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., no cover.
n The Winner’s Circle: Murrells Inlet, 651-1677, Karaoke, 9 p.m. until, no cover.
n The Sandy Monkey: Garden City, 357-0208, Charlie Floyd, 9 p.m. until, no cover.
n Maggie’s: Garden City, 651-5490, The Chrome Natz, 11 p.m. until, no cover.
n Blue Marlin: Garden City, 651-1114, The Playboy Band, 9 p.m.-until, no cover.
n Scotty’s Beach Bar: Surfside, 238-9363, Sea Cruz, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., no cover charge.
n John O’s: Surfside, 828-4299, Elvis’s Garage, 9 p.m. until, no cover charge.
n The House of Blues: Myrtle Beach, 272-3000, Teen Night, doors 7 p.m., tickets are $10.

Sunday music

n Pawleys Island Tavern: 237-8465, John Lammonds, 9 p.m.-until, no cover.
n The Hot Fish Club: Murrells Inlet, 357-9175, Live Music, 8 p.m.-12 a.m., no cover.
n The Winner’s Circle: Murrells Inlet, 651-1677, Horse Shoe Tournament, 1 p.m. until, no cover.
n The Sandy Monkey: Garden City, 357-0208, Shamrock Karaoke, 9 p.m. until, no cover.
n Maggie’s: Garden City, 651-5490, Karaoke, 11 p.m. until, no cover.