Monday Night at Abe’s on Lincoln
Monday night brings local musicians, regulars, and visitors together at Abe’s on Lincoln. Photography by Charles Maring
Where Savannah’s musicians come to play
On a Monday night in downtown Savannah, it is easy to walk past Abe’s on Lincoln without knowing what is happening inside. The small bar sits at the corner of Lincoln and East Bryan streets, within walking distance of Historic District hotels. Step through the door and you find walls and ceilings covered with drawings of Abraham Lincoln. Each portrait is a little different. Together, they give the room a character all its own.
Abe’s on Lincoln is a short walk from downtown Savannah’s hotels.
There is a back patio, a place to get a drink, and on Monday nights, an open mic hosted by local musician Susanna Dyar Kennedy.
Susanna is part of the reason to go, you can follow her on Spotify. She is a talented performer in her own right, and when she picks up her guitar, the host becomes one of the musicians you came to hear. She also creates the kind of welcome that makes other people willing to step up to the microphone.
Open mic host Susanna Kennedy is also one of the local musicians worth coming to hear.
The list fills quickly. Musicians generally play about three songs each, and the performances can carry on until 1 a.m. If you want to perform, arrive around 8 p.m. to put your name down. If you have come to listen, settle in for a couple of rounds. The next person up might be someone you will want to hear again.
BasikLee and Alvin perform together during Monday night open mic.
Among the local talent on this Monday were Steven, known as BasikLee, and Alvin, performing together. Steven also played a solo set, while Ran Rodgers brought his guitar to the room. Familiar faces from Savannah’s music scene turned out to play and support one another. Vacationers and tour groups drifted in from the street, becoming part of the audience for a song or for the rest of the night.
Steven, known as BasikLee, also takes a solo turn with his guitar.
Local musician Ran Dodgers performs beneath the drawings that cover Abe’s walls.
A room that belongs to the people in it
There is an intimacy to hearing music in a bar this size. A performer begins just a few feet away. Friends listen from nearby tables. Between songs, people talk, look over the Lincoln drawings, or step out to the patio. The evening moves at the pace of the musicians who showed up.
Abe’s feels welcoming because people make use of it. Someone has added another Abe to the wall. Someone has come to cheer on a friend. Someone visiting Savannah has found a local musician they might never have heard otherwise.
Savannah Proper tells stories about the city’s art, architecture, food, and places to stay. A Monday night at Abe’s belongs among them. It offers a glimpse of the people making music here now and the camaraderie that keeps them coming back.
If you find yourself downtown at the start of the week, walk over to Abe’s on Lincoln. Look up at the hundreds of Abes, order a drink, and stay long enough to hear a few names called. There is a good chance someone worth hearing is about to take a turn.
Abe’s on Lincoln
17 Lincoln Street, Savannah, Georgia
Monday night open mic hosted by Susanna Dyar Kennedy
Want to perform? Arrive around 8 p.m. to sign up. The list fills quickly.
Story and photography by Charles Maring