First Music Impressions of the Grand Strand (SNS Week of 9/14/2025)

 IS IT ME, or is time flying?   We moved here to Conway, SC on September  3, and already it's the 20th as I write this.  And except for a couple of excursions, so far the experience has been unpacking, unloading, and putting together new furniture.   My wife and I have eaten at a couple of places in Conway, plus two in Little River (Patio's and Captain Archie's), and one in Murrell's Inlet, that being Fire To Table.

And while the region is basically known for Carolina Beach Music, and the state dance associated with it, the Shag, don't let that fool you at all.  It's not like Nashville, when upon entering, you hear nothing but Country, the music scene down here is all-encompassing.   There is ample rock, country and anything else in the many venues around the  area.

When myself, my wife and sister-in-law went to Fire to Table, the band Rebellium was playing mostly rock and metal.   After we dined, we caught them playing Judas Priest, Grand Funk Railroad, and Twisted Sister.  

Karen Wallo, fronting the band Rendezvous at Patio's in Little River SC, September 17

More importantly, Patio's featured the band Rendezvous, which was fronted by Karen Wallo, who is also from New Jersey, playing in several bands there before moving down here a year ago.   Rendezvous played a wide range of music, from classic rock, to country, to alternative.    Karen also had recorded a solo album in 2009, We're All in This Together, which yielded the song "Rain Away My Sorrow",  that hit my top 10 in 2020.   Although we had been friends on Facebook (I knew her college roommate, and two of her high school friends), I finally got to meet her.  They are a fantastic band, and Karen's  stage presence is  very professional,  and plays to the audience very well. At some point I want to interview her; and hopefully soon, I will.   

But what I couldn't believe were all the venues around the area.  A Facebook page and website, MyrtleLive.com lists all the places that musicians are playing on a given day, time and venue.  Below is a sample of what went on, on Saturday, September 20.   Yes, beach music and artists are included, mostly around Little River and North Myrtle Beach, but rock, country, folk another other styles are present.

This was a comprehensive list of all the artists playing venues in the Grand Strand area of South Carolina on Saturday, September 20.

Naturally, I want to attend as much as I can.   Beach music's "SOS Fall Migration" is coming to an end this weekend, but I'm sure the gigs will definitely continue.   At any rate, it's great to be in an area where music abounds!

HOT 100:  It's a fifth week at the top for HUNTER/X's "Golden", with Alex Warren's "Ordinary" still at #2 and  Sabrina Carpenter's "Manchild" back up a notch to #3.  All three songs are on my chart as well.  As for "Lose Control", the song drops out of the top 10 at #11 in week 108.  That means any new "recurrent" rule (where a long-running song is removed from the chart if it racks up a certain number of week) for moving out of the top ten, will not happen.   If nothing else is in place, the Teddy Swims song would have to drop below #25 to be removed.    Barring a big Taylor Swift-type chart bomb (which could come soon, she has an album ready for release), that may not happen for a while.

SNS 100:  Meanwhile, on my chart, we have another new #1, "My Mama (She Was Right)" by The Jay Vons, advancing 2-1, becoming the band's second blog chart topper.  This follows "Days Undone", still at #54, which topped the chart earlier in the summer.   Last week's #1, Steve Cheek's "Beach Walkin'" drops to #2,  while The Tams' "My True Love" goes from 6-3.  Rhonda McDaniel's "Sad Girl",a former number one, drops to #4, while Anna Lavigne's "Night Dreams" holds at #5.   The lone new top 10 entry is by Arctic Monkeys.   "505", originally released in 2009 and revived a few years back, gets a third life here, moving 12-10.   Two new entries in the second ten, with Role Model's "Sally When the Wine Runs Out", near the top of the alternative lists,  grabs the Impact Honors (30-16), while Chappell Roan's "The Subway", despite dropping to #58 on the Hot 100, moves 35-20 here.

Further down, the Mover of the Week is North Tower's cover of "Pretty Lady", last week's Top Debut, going 51-27.

DEBUTS:  MT Jones has a strong entry with "Why I Cry", entering at #67.   While not getting the beach airplay that "I'd Be Lying" did, this effort is just as good, if not better.  Very soulful, more in the Jalen Ngonda groove here.  Songs like this have done well with me, so this should top the recent "Punching" and put him back in the top ten.    

Pepper Creek just missed the top spot last time out with "Salty Southern Saturday Night", which peaked at #2, returns with "Carolina Tans".   Sort of the same theme with the same emotions and fun sound.   The band originally recorded this a few years ago, but demand had them re-record it.   Has the same soul and gutsy way, and should put the band right back to the top.   It mentions the "Deckerz" bar (where much of SOS is taking place),  and North Myrtle Beach. With me now in the area, I can now relate.   Should make it three in a row for this band.

It's been a while since we heard from Florence + the Machine, with its four #1's on my blog.   But Ms. Welch returns  with "Everybody Scream".  Starting off with some sort of Gregorian-like chant, the tune soon gets going.   The jumpy rhythm suits Florence's voice just fine.  The beat just never gives up, and this should put her in the machine back towards  the top of the chart.

ONE MORE NOTE:  This past week, we lost another key figure from the past.   Bobby Hart may not have been a household name, nor was his writing and performing partner Tommy Boyce.   Their two hits from 1968, "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight", and "Alice Long (You're Still My Favorite Girlfriend)" may have been forgotten, but here's a few that people remember:  "Last Train To Clarksville", "I'm Not You're Stepping Stone", and "Valleri".   These were all hits for The Monkees written by Boyce and Hart.  Oh, and the theme song to their TV show was written by them too!  A  Another memorable song they wrote was "Hurt So Bad", originally made famous by Little Anthony and the Imperials, and covered by the likes of The Lettermen and Linda Ronstadt.   He thus joins his partner Tommy Boyce in heaven.   

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

September 14, 2025

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	2	NUMBER ONE: THE JAY VONS "My Mama (She Was Right)" Album: The Word	6
2	1	Steve Cheek - Beach Walkin'	13
3	6	The Tams - My True Love	9
4	3	Rhonda McDaniel - Sad Girl	12
5	5	Anna Lavigne - Night Dreams	10
6	7	The Black Keys - No Rain, No Flowers●	12
7	8	Rivermist - Lady of the Island	12
8	9	Barry Walsh - Suddenly June	13
9	4	Thee Sacred Souls - We Don't Have To Be Alone	11
10	12	Arctic Monkeys - 505	6
11	10	Jalen Ngonda - Just As Long As We're Together	10
12	18	Real Estate - Pink Sky	7
13	20	Bradley Denniston - HER	5
14	15	The Tonez and Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Ladies Man	14
15	13	Fitz and the Tantrums - Man on the Moon	13
16	30	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: ROLE MODEL "Sally When the Wine Runs Out" Album: Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye)	6
17	14	Juliet Callahan - Running Lights	9
18	19	Nadia Shutkofski - Slow It Down	11
19	11	Suki Waterhouse - Dream Woman	14
20	35	Chappell Roan - The Subway	4
21	17	My Morning Jacket - Everyday Magic	10
22	22	Alex Warren - Ordinary	17
23	25	Too Much Sylvia - A Jukebox Playin' 45's	14
24	27	The Pozers - Ease Off My Heart	8
25	16	The Streetwalkin' Cheetahs - Long Haul	15
26	26	Sabrina Carpenter - Manchild	10
27	52	MOVER OF THE WEEK: NORTH TOWER "Pretty Lady" (Single Release)	2
28	34	Balu Brigada - What Do We Ever Really Know	5
29	23	Jerry Powell - Dance With Me●	18
30	21	Pepper Creek - Salty Southern Saturday Night	16
31	39	The Tonez - This Love Is Real	8
32	40	SOMBR - Back to Friends	8
33	24	Starbuck - Ocean Drive Nights	10
34	38	Wednesday  - Elderberry Wine	9
35	31	Chappell Roan - Pink Pony Club	14
36	50	Angela Resignalo - Carolina Kiss	4
37	42	Orbis Max and Tim Izzard - Further Down the Line	6
38	33	Lola Young - One Thing	9
39	48	Turnstile - Never Enough	5
40	44	Royel Otis - Moody	13
41	54	Say She She - Under the Sun	4
42	49	Whiskey-Chitto Ramblers - Truth Is	7
43	57	Starbuck - Jim's Café	4
44	32	Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson - All Because Of You●	17
45	63	Ruth Morayniss - All I Need	3
46	28	Jade Bird - Dreams	15
47	41	Ruth Morayniss - Easy Does It	9
48	59	Moon Soul - Call	6
49	60	Sonny Russell and Cannonball Joe - Carolina Sunshine Is Calling Me	7
50	68	The Cynz -Can't Help Thinking About Me	3
51	29	Orbis Max-  Nowhereland	10
52	37	The Mac Daddy's Band - Seaside in the Sand●	20
53	58	Lord Huron - Nothing I Need	11
54	46	The Jay Vons - Days Undone●	22
55	45	Deb Browning - Does Your Baby Got Your Back●	18
56	47	Michael Nau - No Quit▲	23
57	64	Kathleen Turner Overdrive - Love At the End of the Line	5
58	70	Los Staitjackets - Spinout	3
59	36	Lainey Wilson - Somewhere Over Laredo	11
60	69	Tame Impala - End of Summer	4
61	51	Tennis - At the Wedding	7
62	43	Morgan Wallen ft Tate McRae - What I Want	11
63	76	HUNTER/X - Golden	3
64	56	The Tonez - Flip Flops	22
65	73	Wayne Free - I Love Kissin' You	5
66	53	The Black Keys - Babygirl	12
67	---	TOP  DEBUT: MT JONES "Why I Cry" (Single Release)	1
68	84	Barry Duke and Sharon Woodruff - Sometimes Love Is Not Enough	2
69	55	KALEO -Bloodline	9
70	67	Deb Browning and Michael Fite - I Never Wanted To	25
71	72	Djo - Basic Being Basic	6
72	66	Polyanna - Gravedigger	8
73	81	Craig Woodlard - Pretty Women Everywhere	3
74	61	The Cure- A Fragile Thing●	28
75	71	Kelly Clarkson - Where Have You Been	15
76	88	David F. Porfirio - The Things I See	2
77	94	St. Paul and the Broken Bones - Sushi and Coca-Cola	2
78	65	Ashley Clark and Matthew Simon Clark - Liberty●	23
79	77	Portugal. The Man and Lucius - Silver Spoons	4
80	---	Pepper Creek - Carolina Tans	1
81	62	Hannah Jadagu - My Love	7
82	83	pMad - Celestial	4
83	82	Northern Tracks - Moving Towards	6
84	92	Margo Price - Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down	2
85	---	Florence + the Machine - Everybody Scream	1
86	87	Wolf Alice - Bloom Baby Bloom	3
87	91	Dropkick Murphys - Who'll Stand With Us	3
88	---	Carla Geneve - Better Believe It	1
89	96	Yellowcard - Better Days	2
90	---	Orbis Max - Use To Be	1
91	93	Ariel Pink - With You Every Night	3
92	74	Moon Soul - Don't Change	15
93	---	Alabama Shakes - Another Life	1
94	75	Starbuck - Who's Gonna' Love You	17
95	---	All Time Low - The Weather	1
96	90	Wilder Woods ft. Nick Waterhouse - Time On My Hands	19
97	78	Lana Del Rey - Bluebird	11
98	79	Claire Davis - Thrive	17
99	80	Psychic Air - Phase Disintegrate	9
100	99	Jackie Gore and Terri Gore - Unforgettable	18

 

Murmurs:

 Orbis Max - If I Still Believe In Love At All

Flock of Dimes - Long After Midnight

Monica D. Murphy - Thank You

Neko Case - Winchester Mansion of Sound

Lissie - America

Rhonda McDaniel - I Can't Wait For the Weekend

Murmurs: Songs which are in the queue for future adds onto the Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist.

 

Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week

 

●Songs garnering 25 plays on Spotify (“Scrobbles”) according to Last.Fm (effective October 2024)  ▲ Songs garnering 50 plays.

 

 

Songs on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists

 

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40:  Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS 100

Scenes Up and Coming:  Songs From 41-100 that are moving up the chart that have not reached the top 40

Scenes Down and Going:  Song formerly in the top 40 that are descending but still on the SNS 100.

Scenes Recurrents: Songs which had been in the top 20 and/or songs on the chart 25 weeks or more, that have dropped off the SNS 100.