As I’ve learned to do when I travel, I checked the entertainment listings for the dates I’d be in Savannah to see what I might catch. I didn’t really see much that was appealing, with one significant exception – Brandi Carlile would be performing for two nights of my three night stay.
That was a show I was very interested in seeing.
Of the two nights she was playing, the first was my preference. I had already made dinner reservations for Monday and Wednesday and I liked the way some live music would break up my personal food fests. Tuesday would be ideal.
I checked the location of the venue, the Johnny Mercer Theatre, and learned it was 15 minutes on foot from my accommodations. I decided my approach would be to walk up to the theater pre-show to see if I could get a ticket on the street from a human, rather than Ticket Bastard. I was feeling very low key about the entire enterprise. If it worked, it was meant to be.
I was not stressing about this.
I had a glass of pink (Cava) bubbles at a joint aptly called Bar Bubbly. It was a cool spot and I enjoyed the decor, menu and conversations I had with the folks around me. Next, I popped into The Public Kitchen & Bar which, I had been told, served some of the best shrimp and grits in the city.
I’m not an expert, but they would be very hard to beat. The crumbles of sausage floating in the pool of cheesy, tomato-y grits was divine. The shrimp were well prepared and plentiful and the two slices of toasted baguette (+ $1.50) that surfed the rim of the shallow bowl, were exactly the vessel to bring the delectable final spoonfuls to my mouth. Incredible.
After my late lunch, I napped for a bit. When I awoke, I rolled over and grabbed my iPad to take a look for online ticket sales, trying to determine what the market was looking like for Brandi. An ad for some ticket resale market, Vivid Seats, popped up with a claim of $50 tickets.
I was interested.
I verified the deal, downloaded the app and conducted a search for a single ticket. Imagine my surprise when I was offered even lower price in response to my query. The tickets I saw on Ticket Bastard had started at $112. With Vivid Tickets, I paid less than $35 for a very good balcony seat in a smallish venue that felt very intimate.
Ticket secured, I showered and got dressed (going for a sophisticated, earthy vibe) and headed out. I had read about The Crystal Beer Parlor and decided to swing by there for, hopefully, a spritz. The joint was jumping with concert pregamers, as well as regulars and tourists. This place has been operating since 1933 and they know what they’re doing.
I stood near the service bar, next to two women (who were together), to wait for a bartender. I asked the women if they were waiting to order and they said, “no, scouting out these two bar stools” and waiting for the current occupiers to leave. I turned my head down the length of the bar and noticed two vacant seats. I pointed them out to the women and they happily went to claim them.
Two different women joined me at the service bar as my Hugo Spritz (sans mint as they had none available, according to the apologetic bartender) was being prepared. They were considering leaving because of the lack of seating, so I directed their attention to the 2 men who were finally now paying their check and preparing to depart.
90 seconds later the women were in their seats.
So many pleasant interactions. It was lovely. The interactions felt so community spirited, it was just a simple facilitation to direct people to what they want.
45 minutes later, as I waited in line for entry, I saw both pairs of women. The first couple thanked me again for scouting seats for them, a sentiment the second couple echoed. One of the women said she was so glad to see me again because they had looked for me to give me a bracelet.
I love it.
My seat was in the balcony and I had a clear and unobstructed view of Brandi Carlile. The acoustics were terrific. The show was electrifying.
It was Carlile’s first performance in Savannah ever and she was delighted with the audience and the welcome she’s received. Between songs, she told personal stories that provide a genuine insight into her as a human.
I loved the show.
For two hours, Brandi sang her heart (and head) out, as I sat reveling in my good fortunate to be there as a witness. What a memory that show was to add to my mental Savannah scrapbook!
DelSo 