There are a few aspects of Savannah that outsiders hold in reverential, oft-bewildered wonder.
Our open container laws. How we manage to sleep at night knowing grisly murders occurred right in our neighborhoods, victims’ spirits still haunting our doors.
Our ability to withstand a 110-degree heat index and 95 percent humidity in the summer. And the fact that a swampy, cobblestoned town of 140,000 teetering on the Atlantic consistently unleashes the hottest metal bands.
And though we’re mighty proud of bands like Black Tusk and Baroness topping the charts and touring the globe, the best thing about our Hostess City heroes is that they always find their way home to the folks who heard them first.
Before they embark on a 37-city tour promoting their much-anticipated LP, “Ultraviolet,” psych-sludge monarchs Kylesa will return to their roots April 19 to play a free show at Dollhouse Productions for fans of all ages.
“I think it’s a shame to have the law suggest that rock music can only be seen by people aged 21 and up,” says Kylesa guitarist and vocalist Laura Pleasants. “Especially with all the art students. It’s high time we did another all-ages show here.”
Founding members Pleasants and Phillip Cope have pushed the boundaries of the metal genre since they started playing together in 2001. While the tracks they’ve pre-released from “Ultraviolet” contain the simultaneously atmospheric, churning and dense elements that have set Kylesa apart in the past, it’s the shoegaze influence and Smashing Pumpkins-esque hooks that establish Ultraviolet as a significant shift for the band.
Pleasants’ viscerally clear voice dominates “Vulture’s Landing,” “Quicksand,” and “Unspoken,” finding middle ground between her raw screams and hazy lulls of the past.
“There are some songs that are much heavier than the ones released so far and even one that is more mellow Cope says. “I do lead vocals on a couple. Laura and I share the vocal duties on some, as well. It is difficult releasing a single song for us because of the fact they do have different identities, and even though they each have their own vibe, they are placed in specific order for flow.”
Cope promises “there are some surprises left for people to hear, as well as some songs that any longtime fans will be able relate to.”
The locals-only Dollhouse lineup, handpicked by Pleasants, is notably representative of the scope of Savannah bands’ talent and their growth potential: Kylesa, who have toured the world with the likes of GWAR and Mastodon and are widely considered one of the best metal bands playing today; Wet Socks, Triathalon member Hunter Jayne’s relatively young garage rock project; and BEAR FIGHT!, who are working on a second record and have become the go-to local band to bill with hard-hitting giants like Torche and The Sword.
As a testament to the limitations of barring underage people from downtown venues, Friday marks BEAR FIGHT!’s first all-ages show ever.
“(This show) will give us a chance to play in front of people who haven’t seen or probably haven’t even heard us yet,” says guitarist and vocalist Matt Collett. “Kylesa doesn’t play around here very often anymore, and some of the younger fans may not even realize how much Savannah music history that band represents. Opening for them is going to be an awesome experience.”
As one of the few places in town where the under-21 crowd can catch a live show, Dollhouse’s multi-purpose events space is the ideal setting for every Kylesa fan to get their fix.
Though it’s primarily a recording studio (operator Peter Mavrogeorgis has tracked Whaleboat, Triathalon and the Savannah Stopover Sessions since opening in February), the beautifully renovated factory has quickly grown into Savannah’s premiere all-ages venue — and Mavrogeorgis and wife/business partner Blake Olmstead intend to keep it that way.
“We don’t want to be a nightclub,” she says. “The second this place becomes 21 and up, we lose all our clients in the studio. It’s about the music more than anything.”
“The Dollhouse has a great vibe and is offering something cool that this city has not seen in a long time. People need to take notice of that,” Pleasants says.
“It should be fun,” adds Cope. “We are excited about our new album and playing shows again. We want anyone that would like to come out to be able to, regardless of their age or financial situation.”
IF YOU GO
What: Kylesa, BEAR FIGHT!, Wet Socks
When: 9 p.m. April 19
Where: Dollhouse Productions, 980 Industry Drive
Info: Free, all ages