Hammock Coast Happenings: Catch this rock trio in Georgetown | News | postandcourier.com

Feb 20, 2025

On Feb. 21, catch Crashbox at Buzz’s Roost in Georgetown at 7 p.m.

For two decades, Crashbox has been rocking the Carolinas.

With members living in Rock Hill, Lancaster County and now Murrells Inlet, the band was founded in Charlotte, N.C., by guitarist Michael Waters, drummer Chuck Lee and bassist Rick Pope, who now plays with stalwart Charlotte-based alt-rockers U- Phonik. Stacey Leazer took the bass slot until he departed in 2014 and was replaced by Kelly Bristow.

Before then, Bristow had been subbing on and off for Leazer, who played in multiple bands along the way.

Bristow and Waters first played together in an original Charlotte-based rock outfit called Rezistor.

“I kept up with Mike,” Bristow said. “He’s one of the most talented musicians I have ever known – so if Mike asks me to play a gig with him, my answer is always yes.”

Bristow said Crashbox began with predominately '90s and early 2000s rock covers, citing bands like Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden – but the setlists evolved over time.

“As the band spread out playing a lot more clubs, the repertoire widened a great deal,” he said. “We still do a lot of '90s material and also some classic rock 1970s stuff like Led Zeppelin. We do a few Rush songs.”

He said the band takes requests that run the gamut from Johnny Cash to AC/DC and much more.

Occasionally, you might hear a keyboard part.

“We’re a three-piece rock band, and we’re just not carrying around a keyboard,” Bristow said. “It’s a ‘get in fast and set up’ mode of thinking, so I prerecord that stuff. Every now and then, somebody’s ears will pop and a head turns, like, ‘I hear a keyboard.’ It’s coming from the looper on my pedalboard.”

Bristow recalled the moment when he was growing up in Rock Hill that would set him on his musical path.

“My brother [Scott Bristow] is an extremely talented guitarist. He took two strings off one of his guitars and said, ‘Here. You’re my bass player.”

The first time Bristow played a school gig, he knew that he was on the right path.

“It went well for us – and it sort of changed people’s perception of me,” he said. “I liked that, so I stayed with it.”

On Feb. 21, catch Crashbox at Buzz’s Roost in Georgetown at 7 p.m.

“Buzz’s Roost is a lot of fun,” Bristow said. “We’ve played there many times.”

Expect to see a band playing music that they really enjoy playing.

“That’s really always been the case with Crashbox – and that communicates through to the audience. If we’re having fun, the crowd is having fun,” Bristow said. “Part of the experience of seeing us is about the chemistry of the band.”

For more information about Crashbox, visit www.facebook.com/crashboxcharlotte.

Immerse yourself in Gullah/Geechee culture at Brookgreen Gardens on Feb. 20 as griot and master storyteller Lillian Grant-Baptiste employs the art of storytelling to bring history to life. An informed cultural artist and motivational speaker, Grant-Baptiste will demonstrate how storytelling was used during the most difficult and fiery times of Gullah/ Geechee history and beyond as tools of resistance and resilience – even in the face of insurmountable and unimaginable circumstances.

Gullah Storytelling with Lillian Grant-Baptiste takes place at Brookgreen’s Ron Daise Auditorium from 1-2 p.m. and is free with Gardens admission. To register and for more information, visit www.brookgreen.org.

Thanks to your friends at Litchfield books, you can rub elbows with New York Times bestselling author Pam Jenoff and enjoy an impressive lunch at the same time.

Jenoff, author of "Code Name Sapphire," "The Woman with the Blue Star," "The Lost Girls of Paris" and many more, will present her newest offering, "Last Twilight in Paris" at the DeBordieu Country club on Feb. 21 from 10:45 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Jenoff has also worked at the Pentagon and the State Department, and was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. There, she developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust.

The event is $68 and includes a presentation by Jenoff, a signed hardcover copy of the event book – and lunch and dessert. For more information, visit www.litchfieldbooks.com.

No matter the time of the year, the MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet is a wonderful place to visit. Boasting eight restaurants and a vibrant live music scene in an idyllic setting along a natural saltwater estuary, it’s no surprise that folks come back to visit time and time again.

But things are about to get ramped up for the 11th annual Taste of the Marshwalk event. From Feb. 22-23, sample the chefs’ favorite dishes from each award-winning restaurant and check out local artisans and crafters, jewelry designers and more. Enjoy an array of musicians and bands. The kids will love activities like the petting zoo, games and bounce house.

The event is free to attend. Small Dish Tastings are $5-$8 per sample. For complete details, go to www.facebook.com/MarshWalkMI.