Macon6-6-14 by 11th Hour Macon

Playing the Cox Capitol Theatre June 19th

May 23 - June 6, 2014

Pub Notes

by brad evans bradevans11@gmail.com

I’m very proud of our own Katie Powers for her interview with Mr. Flint Dollar in this week’s issue.

15days BEST BETS

I met Katie on the street in front of my house, while some neighbors were roasting oysters, and she has become one of our most read columnists since starting with us almost a year ago. A lot of you may not always land on her side of an argument, but it’s obvious that you still like reading her opinions. I was also very proud of the students at MDS that stood up and protested the firing of Mr. Dollar. It’s always good to see young people standing up for

Halluva Auction Friday, July 13th

what they believe is right, and there hasn’t been a finer example of this in Macon, that I can remem-

Purchase a $100 raffle ticket for a chance at $10,000 and admission for two to the big event!

ber. I’m not proud of the choice MDS made to fire Mr. Dollar. I’m not surprised by it either. I’m not a big church guy, and every time I see some hateful post from a supposed church guy, I become even less of one. I appreciate the lessons the bible can teach us, but I still believe in dinosaurs. And I believe that Jesus was a fine, fine man. I don’t believe that just because he hung out with whores and thieves that he condoned their behavior. And I don’t know what Jesus would have thought about gay marriage, or being gay. I know what a lot of people say he would have believed, but I don’t know. And I don’t really care. When I think about God, or faith, or this divine sense that you are supposed to get when you are saved, I think about my family, and how I feel about them. I’ve never felt destined to be somewhere, like I feel around them. I’ve never understood what selflessness and love means until I had them around me. And if a man can feel the

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Tubman Museum’s Taste of Soul

Sunday, June 22nd

From Africa to Asia, South America and beyond, the Tubman African American Museum plans to take you on a culinary journey- one that will tantalize your taste buds, as well as showcase the multi-cultural aspect of the museum. On Sunday, June 22nd, 2014, several local chefs and “celebrity chefs” will set up tables at the Tubman Museum. The idea is to showcase comfort food, or soul food, from various cultures. Sponsoring this event is BB&T. A wide variety of foods will be available for sample, including foods from Nigeria, Jamaica, Egypt, Spain, Thailand, China, “Southern” American as well as traditional “Soul Food” favorites. Guests can take a culinary journey around the world, as well as view one-of-a-kind pieces of art from the

Tubman’s permanent and changing exhibits. What participants can expect at this event is a wider variety of countries represented, as well as new downtown restaurants getting involved. Staff and volunteers will be available to share their expertise with guests - education and outreach opportunities, special events, and membership options will be available. Cost for the event will be $25 and includes a tour of the museum, food, entertainment, a signature International Taste of Soul drink, door prizes, discount in the gift shop, as well as opportunities to learn more about the Tubman African American Museum. For more information, or to purchase tickets, call 478-743-8544 or visit www.tubmanmuseum.com/

way I feel about my wife and my family, about

back with shame on everything that men went

The Big House Presents: Midnight Ryder Cup

through for love. And I believe we should be

And Backyard Boogie - June 20-21

another man, then I believe that he should follow that feeling. And I believe that our society will continue to be more tolerant of this, and will look

ashamed. Like the man sang, “If loving you is wrong, I don’t want to be right.” Maybe I just belong to the church of Luther Ingram. Congrats to Mr. Flint Dollar on his recent engagement, and we wish him all the happiness in the world.

MAILING: P.O. BOX 14251, Macon, GA 31203 OFFICE PHONE: (478) 508-7096 ADVERTISING: meg@11thHourOnline.com

04 JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

Join us for this weekend full of fun as the Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House presents their first annual night golf tournament and Backyard Boogie concert series. The Midnight Ryder Cup will be a golf tournament with a twist, Nighttime play! The event will be held at Canongate at Healy Point Country Club, Friday, June 20 beginning at 5:00 pm. The fun really sets in once the sun goes down with glow in the dark balls and glow sticks lighting up the course. This will be a four man scramble format with entry fee is $400 per team. Entry fee includes goodie bag, player cook-out, cart and green fees. A limited number of sponsorships are also still available. Registration is $500 after June 13. For more information www.thebighousemuseum.org. All participants in the golf tournament will also earn free admission to the Backyard Boogie at the Big House Saturday, June 21, at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available to the public for $5 to see Electric Codpiece and Freddy’s Finest. Electric Codpiece brings the good time family vibe from Atlanta, Georgia to audiences throughout the southeast. Formed from a family of local musicians in 2007, Electric Codpiece performs songs about life's celebrations and challenges that most anyone can relate to. Vibrant, high energy, eclectic performances remind audiences not to take life too seriously - and to always dance and embrace the freedom of music. Freddy's Finest features front man Hurly on bass and vocals, Ian Newberry from Newberry Jam on guitar, Spencer Pope on keys and Will Groth holding down the skins. FF has a unique sound that combines the groove of classic soul with the energy of modern funk with a heavy blues undertone. Freddy's Finest is an original band with a catalog of songs and grooves with a huge range of styles that makes for a very versatile sound. They also cover a few classics from the likes of the Beatles, Otis Redding, James Brown, etc.

Culture Calendar FRIDAY

6.06 SUMMER KICKOFF FEST FEAT. DJ DARK SHADOW AT FRESH PRODUCE RECORDS Summer Kickoff Fest feat. DJ Dark Shadow, T-Mouse and Malicious. Come choose requests from our inventory and shake your groove thing!! Also, Recess bar & lounge will be having their super official Grand Opening next door!! visit them for drink specials and step back over to Fresh Produce for more music! Free, 9pm - 2am. 451 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd SUMMER ICE SKATING AT THE MACON CENTREPLEX The Macon Centreplex will be offering summer ice skating sessions this summer, beginning May 30 and continuing until July 6. Afternoon and evening sessions will be offered seven days a week from noon until 4:00 pm and from 5:00-7:30. Additional evening sessions will be available on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:30-11:00 pm. Sessions can be purchased at the Macon Centreplex for $10, thirty minutes prior to each session. Skaters can purchase frozen treats and other concessions at an additional cost. Call 478- 751-9232 for reservations.

SATURDAY

6.07 CORKS & CANVAS Presented by The 567 Center for Renewal. Bring a bottle of your favorite wine or other beverage to sip on, bring a friend, and learn to create this, 11 x 14 Leaping Whale painting. No painting experience required. Artist Rebecca Cushing will guide you through the steps. $25 includes all materials for the class (except the wine), and the class lasts 2 and 1/2 hours. Space is limited. To register, call (478) 238-6051 or you can pay online at http://the567.org/art-classes/.

SUNDAY

6.08 SECOND SUNDAY CONCERT FEATURING AJ GHENT BAND Join us from 6-8 p.m. on the second Sunday of the month in the College Hill Corridor's historic Washington Park for a performance by AJ Ghent, an American band that spans the genres of southern rock, blues, soul and funk music– fusing together what front man (lap steel guitarist) AJ Ghent calls “Southern Soul.” All Second Sunday shows remain free and open to the public thanks to our generous sponsors. So bring your friends, blankets and lawn chairs. Pack a picnic or purchase food and drinks on site and enjoy live music and community at its finest. No tents or grills please.

MONDAY

6.09 ART MATTERS SYMPOSIUM: PATTERSON HOOD AND JOSH JACKSON Presented by Macon Arts Alliance at Cox Capitol Theatre. Art Matters: Engaging the Community through Embedded Arts Journalists is pleased to announce the final in its series of six public symposia on the role of criticism and arts journalism in fostering an informed and engaged community. The symposium will be held at Cox Capitol Theatre on June 9 at 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. The symposium will feature a panel discussion on the role of music and music criticism in society, current trends in each field, and how the changing media landscape is affecting music and music criticism. The Arts Matters Symposium Series is free and open to the public, but registration is required for this event. Featured panelists are Patterson Hood and Josh Jackson. This

project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, Art Works. Matching funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. MUSIC AMBASSADORS CONCERT SERIES FEAT. PATTERSON HOOD Music Ambassadors welcomes Patterson Hood, Athens-based singer-songwriter and co-founder of Drive-By Truckers, to Macon on Monday, June 9. Hood will play a rare house concert and, with Paste Magazine Editor Josh Jackson, participate in the final Art Matters symposium. Doors open for the house show begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, and $35 at the door. Space is limited. Macon "Storytellers" will open the show. The concert is at the legendary McCaw-Massee House, courtesy of new owners, Bridget and Michael Wright. http://musicambassadors.org.

FRIDAY

6.13 MACON PARKS & REC PRESENTS SUNDOWN SCREEN SERIES SHOWING “A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN” Each 2nd & 4th Friday we will be showing free movies at dusk in Luther Williams Stadium. Bring blankets & chairs to sit on the green, or take a seat in the stands. Outside food and drink is permitted, but the concessions will be available for purchase. HALLUVA AUCTION Your $100 raffle ticket is your admission (plus a guest) to the event, plus your chance to win $10,000! Proceeds benefit the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Newtown Macon and Museum of Arts & Sciences. Event starts at 6pm with live and silent auction, food, open bar and lots of fun. Macon City Auditorium. Halluvaauction.com

SATURDAY

6.14 SUNRISE YOGA Classes will meet on select Saturdays from 910am at Tattnall Square Park near the pavilion. Classes are free and open to the public., all ages and skill levels are welcome! Please come prepared with a mat and comfortable clothing. In the event of rain, classes will be cancelled. Parking is available at the corner of College & Oglethorpe, for more information please call 478-751-7694.

SUNDAY

6.15 GEOFF ACHISON AT 567 CENTER FOR RENEWAL Celebrate this Father’s Day with Australian born phenomenal guitarist, singer, songwriter….. Geoff Achison. 'Guitar Player' magazine reader’s poll listed Geoff as one of the Top 10 ‘Hot New Guitarists’ on the US scene. Catch Geoff Sunday, June 15th 7pm at The 567 Center for Renewal (next to The Rookery on Cherry St.) this performance is truly one you don’t want to miss. Bring the family and make it a Father’s Day to remember. Admission is $20.00 at the door and there’s water, coffee and soft drinks available at the venue. Feel free to bring a small cooler with the beverage of your choice.

FRIDAY

6.20 MIDNIGHT RYDER CUP Presented by The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House. Midnight Ryder Cup is a night time golf tournament. This will be a four man scramble format with a shot gun start at 5:00 pm! The tournament will be at Canongate at Healy Point. Prizes for top gross and top net teams. 478741-5551.

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JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

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OP-ED BY LARRY SCHLESINGER

{ CITY SCENE }

Macon-Bibb County Commission, District 2

No More Closed Doors According to the legislation passed by the General Assembly in Atlanta, and therefore by law, the Mayor and the Macon-Bibb County Commission must approve a balanced budget as we now move forward as a consolidated community. The $15.7 million budget that Mayor Reichert has presented to the Commission and that, with some changes, will ultimately be approved is actually only a 'guesstimate' of what the anticipated revenues and expenditures of the county will be during the coming fiscal year. On the revenue side and ever since this prolonged recession hit in 2008, our local governments have had to cope with what I would term as a crippling decrease in sales tax revenues in particular, and as a result and short of raising taxes on us all, significant cuts on the expenditure side have been required. As a Macon city councilman at the time, I can attest that I was dismayed by that need to make deep expenditure cuts in order to make our ends meet and prevent the city from financially going into the red. But in what were those rather dire circumstances, we had no choice but to face the music and do what we had to do to keep the city afloat. While the stock market has since recovered and now may be at record highs, the economy as a whole here in Middle Georgia has not, and even though our anticipated $35 million in sales tax revenues during the 2015 Fiscal year may sound like a lot, it still lags significantly behind our local governments' pre-recession revenue stream. I like many among us regard the arts community and its activities here in MaconBibb county as a vital asset to our entire Middle Georgia region. With the loss of the Music Hall of Fame and the Children's Museum of late, we've seen too many doors close already, and if we want to be a thriving community, we just cannot afford to allow any more doors to follow suit. The Tubman Museum, the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the Douglass Theater rely heavily on funding from our county to operate keep their doors open to us all, and this critical funding just cannot be suddenly and without sufficient warning be completely cut off. To me and in particular, it makes absolutely no sense for our community to

approve $2.5 million in SPLOST funding earmarked for the completion of the construction of the Tubman's new building, only to turn right around and deny it the funding necessary for it to operate within those completed walls. But in order to do so, the Mayor and Commission are now going to have to rob Peter to pay Paul so to speak, and by that I mean that in order to keep the budget balanced as required by law, we're going to have to take money from one or more of the essential health, welfare and community service agencies as initially proposed in the Mayor's FY 2015 budget and move it elsewhere. I am very confident that when the budget figures are finalized and approved, the Tubman Museum, the Museum of Arts and Sciences, and the Douglass Theater will receive significant funding at levels that are still to be determined. But with the Macon-Bibb County budget already cut to the bone, the consolidation legislation also mandates that by law that our Macon-Bibb County budget must be cut 5% in each of the next four years. So based on the current budget figure of $15.7 million, our county next year will automatically have $785,000 less to allocate across the board with even further 5% cuts mandated in the years ahead. If it is true that the recovery of the stock market precedes the recovery of the overall economy by some twelve to eighteen months, then moving forward, we can perhaps anticipate an increase in sales tax revenues that will infuse more money into local government coffers increasing its ability to responsibly allocate funds. But until that day comes, and with further budget cuts looming, we all need to begin to think out-of-the-box for ways that will financially empower these and our other important cultural institutions, so that in Macon-Bibb County, there will be no more closed doors.

June 20 Gang Report July 4 Les Mis at the Grand Opera House July 18 Bragg Jam Issue

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"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned." Luke 6:37

An Interview with Flint Dollar by Katie Powers facebook.com/save-flint-dollar

nless you have been hiding under a rock for the last two weeks, you are probably aware of the controversy surrounding the decision to fire Mount de Sales band director, Flint Dollar, by MDS Head of School David Held. For all you rock dwellers, here is a brief summary of the facts: Flint Dollar was hired as the band director for MDS in December of 2010 and, by all accounts, was a top-notch teacher who was dedicated to his students. Mr. Dollar was completely honest with the administration of MDS when being interviewed for his position in 2010 about the fact that he was a homosexual and was involved in a long-term relationship, despite the fact that he was not even questioned about his sexuality. He wanted to be 100% transparent about his lifestyle to ensure that there was no confusion on the part of the administration when they made the decision whether or not to hire him as their band director. Dollar also had very good reason to believe that he would be treated fairly by the school. According to MDS’s own employment handbook, they have a non-discriminatory hiring policy which states that the school prohibits discrimination based on sexuality, among many other categories. Mr. Dollar was an exemplary teacher, by all accounts, who did not bring his personal life into the classroom. He was fired on the final day of classes, despite the fact that he had signed a renewal contract only three weeks earlier for the 2014-15 school year. Mr. Dollar told President Held as well as the entire MDS administration in October of 2013 that he planned to marry his longtime partner. Dollar stated to me that Held’s immediate reaction in October to this news was that he was, “excited - he told me that he believed I was making a moral decision for me, and that it was the right decision to make.” Obviously, there was a complete turnaround of opinion between October 2013 and May 21, 2014. Not only that, but on May 15, two weeks after renewing his contract, Dollar met with Held to advocate for a student who needed financial aid as well as to discuss fundraising efforts for new band uniforms. He was given no indication at that time that he would not be returning as band director in August. Clearly, something happened between May 15th and

JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

21st to cause Dollar’s firing. This is where the hierarchy of the Catholic Church enters in. When Mr. Dollar was called into President David Held’s office on May 21st to be told that he was fired from his position as band director, he was told that the Bishop (Hartmayer, Diocese of Savannah) had called and told Mr. Held that if Mr. Dollar was brought back as band director that it would be in contradiction to Catholic teaching. President Held then stated to Dollar, that, “I make all personnel decisions.” I did reach out to David Held for an interview but was told by him that he could not offer any statements at this time other than the official ones given by the Board of Trustees of MDS and his letter to parents, which was sent out after Mr. Dollar’s firing. Here is a portion of the text of the letter that Held sent to parents: “Although individuals associated with these institutions (Sisters of Mercy and the Diocese of Savannah) have been influential in my decision making, I want to be very clear in stating that it is my responsibility as The President of The Academy to make all personnel decisions and any concerns about those decisions should be directed to me. Personnel decisions are never easy, and we consider many factors when making such decisions. Teaching ability, knowledge of the subject matter, the ability to communicate with constituents, and the willingness to support the teachings of the Catholic Church are just some of factors considered when making these decisions.” Following are some excerpts from an interview I conducted with Mr. Dollar on May 30th: Powers: Have you spoken with David Held since May 21st, the day you were fired? Flint Dollar: I have. I actually had a meeting with him this last week. We were talking about how to help the band continue and help the program grow, and that was a difficult thing to talk about, but, f rom Wednesday (May 21st) on, my stance has been that this needs to be about the students. We need to be focused on the students…how to help them heal. I was willing to meet with him to talk about how to help the students move forward. They’re ultimately the

ones that are going to be affected by this on a bigger scale than I am. I am sure you are aware that Father McDonald, Pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church, has made claims that you were proselytizing the students to your lifestyle. Would you care to address this? I don’t take my personal life into the classroom. I tell my students to do the same thing - ‘when you walk in the door your personal baggage, all of that stays at the door because we come in this room to make music and we move on.’ What I think Father McDonald is talking about is that I told the students that you should stand up for what you believe in. You should stand up for what you believe is right. If you think that something is wrong, the way that you do that is that you stand up and you do it respectfully. You do it calmly. You don’t scream and yell because then people just turn you off. If you state your case and have your proof, stand up for what you believe in, then you can go to bed with a clear conscience. This is what I have been doing (since the firing). Standing up for what I believe is right. There’s a fine line here, too, because the church is standing up for what it believes is right, too. I was raised in the Methodist church. I have been a church musician in virtually every denomination of the Christian faith there is. We, as people, cannot know, truly know, the mind of God and the heart of God. We can have our prayer life and our personal connection with God but we cannot ever truly know the mind and the heart of God. Only God knows that. From what I understand, after working for four years in the Catholic Church, that it is the position of the Church that it is okay to be gay, it’s just not okay to act on it. To me, it’s like saying deny who you are and, if you pray hard enough, you’ll change. Unless a person has been through that process, they can never fully understand what it is like to be gay and to try to pray the gay away. Well, it all boils down to, in my opinion, whether or not you believe that being gay is a choice or something that is God-given. Exactly. When did you choose to be straight? Nobody that I know would

choose to be gay, especially with all the pain involved in the coming-out process. There is no logic in that thinking. I went through a period in my life where I was basically in a cult with people who told me who I could be friends with and what I could do and where I could live because I was trying to change that part (being homosexual) of me. This took place during my four years as an undergraduate student. They told me that if I only prayed hard enough, fasted enough and limited my interactions with certain people that I could change myself into being a heterosexual. I tried so hard to change to the point that my parents had to get me out of the situation I was in with the group that was trying to help me pray the gay away. How did your parents react when you told them that you were gay? Both of my parents are very conservative, Republican, Christian. My father was raised as a Southern Baptist. Both have strong, strong belief systems. It’s been a process for them. They have both been extremely supportive of me during this ordeal. My Dad looked at me on Sunday and told me, “God does not make mistakes. God did not make a mistake with you. He created you the way that you are, and I love you.” They want what’s best for me. I don’t know of a parent who wants a gay child, and it is not because of the homosexual issue. It is because of what you go through when you’re gay and the way that society treats you. No parent wants a child to have to go through that pain.

I think, hopefully, in our lifetime that we are going to continue to see more acceptance on this issue and it’s by virtue of the fact that virtually everyone either has a close family member or knows someone well who is gay- someone whom they love or have great respect for. I think we are seeing now, here in our community, that people aren’t going to stand by quietly and just allow this sort of thing to happen without protest. There has been an outpouring of support from Dollar’s students and their parents. They have stood up for Mr. Dollar in peaceful protest and have started a Facebook page titled “Save Flint Dollar,” which has over 2500 followers. Multiple

Students gather outside of Mount de Sales in protest of Mr. Dollar’s termination. PHOTO CHRIS MOORMAN

stories and opinion pieces, like this one, have appeared in local media. There are strong opinions on both sides of this issue. Some have even chosen to resign from their positions due to disagreement about the firing. Three Mount de Sales board members resigned last week in protest of Dollar’s termination. The director of the nursery at St. Joseph Catholic Church was asked by Father McDonald to remove her posts on Facebook in support of Mr. Dollar, instead of removing her posts she chose to resign from her position at the church. It is truly a lightning rod. If nothing else, dialogue is occurring. Flint Dollar was hired by the administration of Mount de Sales, having full knowledge that he was a gay man involved in a long-term, monogamous relationship with his partner. Mr. Dollar was told when he was hired that his homosexuality would not be an issue for the school unless he brought his personal life into the classroom, which based on his own account and information I have received from some of his students and their parents, he did not do. He was told that there were never any complaints on the part of any parents about his job performance and nothing in his personnel file that would indicate that he did not perform the duties of his job successfully. By many accounts, Dollar performed his job extraordinarily well, and has brought new life into the music department of Mount de Sales. Dollar taught his students how to glorify God through musical expression. The administration of the school has made the decision to fire Mr. Dollar in order to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church, which considers acting on homosexual impulses to be sinful. Marriage between one man and one woman is defined by the Catholic Church

as for the purpose of “the universal help of the spouses and the increase of the people of God.” The church has every right to stand up for what it believes in, of course, but by doing so they are now setting the precedent that anyone on their staff who violates the teachings of the Church, whether they be Catholic or not, could be in danger of being terminated if either the hierarchy of the Church or school administration believes they are not following Catholic doctrine. So, now any of the following could potentially put a staff member at Mount de Sales in danger of losing their job: divorce, use of contraception, adultery, use of in-vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, maternal surrogacy, etc. If one teacher can be fired for not upholding the teachings of the Catholic faith because of his private lifestyle as a homosexual, then other teachers who do any of the things listed before in their private lives are not fired, one can only determine that the school is acting in a highly discriminatory way. Up to this point, Mount de Sales has had a history of tolerance and inclusion, as a school founded by the Sisters of Mercy. Mr. Dollar’s students have had a real-world lesson delivered to them about the ugliness of discrimination. As one student, Mason Clark, told me, “Mr. Dollar was a great teacher because he genuinely cared for every student he had. He worked long hours and organized fund raisers for the band’s new uniforms, which he designed. Mr. Dollar was an example to me and many other students through his dedication for work and the well being of those around him.” As Mr. Dollar told me several times during the interview, “I want the focus to be on the kids. It’s all about the students, for me.” Yes, it is all about the kids and they are getting an unfortunate education. 11thHourOnline.com

OP-ED BY BILL KNOWLES

{ SEEING RED }

Luther Williams “Field of Dreams” Back in October, I wrote an article called “Macon Baseball, A Field of Broken Dreams”, which told a very brief history of baseball in Macon as well as how we could get a team back in Macon and playing at Luther Williams Field. I wrote this as a very happy reaction to Mayor Robert Reichert’s pledge in the waning weeks of his campaign, to look at bringing baseball back. To date as far as I know, with the exception of a meeting with the Urban Development Authority, nothing has been done. Not by the Mayor or by anyone else for that matter. What a shame.

was traveling with my family to the land of my roots over the past weekend to attend a family reunion in the ‘thriving’ metropolis of Madisonville, Kentucky, the main center of population up just north of the real land of ancestral roots Nortonville and Morton’s Gap. Now keep in mind that Madisonville has a population of under 20,000 people with a metro area adding Nortonville, Morton’s Gap, Earlington and Hanson all together of under 25,000. Needless to say, it is hardly an economic boom area as coal is the main industry, which thanks to President Obama and his anti-coal policies, is struggling. Like most other towns of Madisonville’s size, the WalMart is the busiest place in town so you can imagine my surprise to see a huge billboard advertising that Madisonville has a baseball team that plays downtown in their city park at an old venue called Elmer Kelley Field, a quaint old place not unlike Luther Williams Field, although probably about the size of some of our little league fields here in Georgia. After doing some research I found out that the team is part of the Ohio Valley Summer Collegiate Baseball League which is comprised of four other teams all within 100 miles of each other from, mainly in Kentucky with one team, the Dubois County Bombers, hailing from Indiana. (To be a player in the league a player must have played at least one year of college ball with one year of college eligibility left. And all the players are unpaid.) The largest city represented city represented is Owensboro with a population just over 58,000 while the smallest town is Fulton, Kentucky with just short of 3000. The last team is the Hopkinsville Hoppers, representing Hopkinsville with population of 33,000. The entire Dubois County population is 42,000. Do the math folks…All of the areas COM-

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BINED are less than Macon-Bibb’s consolidated number of 135,000. Then add Warner Robins for a total of well over 200,000. Why the hell can’t we get ONE team??? And if we do, why the hell can’t we support it? After my first article, I did research some different options and there are leagues out there that are willing to put a team in Macon, in particular the Independent Baseball League that has a very interesting approach to minor league baseball. Believe me when I say that someone with the capital can put together a team for a very low output. The league just opened the season with four teams, all up north in the Ohio area, but league owner Eric Spitaleri is itching to get into Georgia. This morning I spoke to a representative of the Miners who said that they expected their budget to be about $70,000 for 2014. I wish I had the money to do it myself. It is a shame that in an area so rich in baseball history such as ours cannot get a team or an investor to bring a team to our area. There is no question that any sports franchise brings financial benefits to the area as I pointed out back in October. If you want an example, look what Mercer will bring to this community after the most successful football season of ANY NCAA startup team in history followed by the Bears men’s basketball team taking a trip to the big dance and actually knocking off goliath Duke University in the opening round of the opening round. Look at all of the income that is being produced in Mercer merchandise alone not to mention the revenue brought in for home games! That alone should get our local politicians acting together to bring in some more tax money. I just pumped about fifty dollars in to the Madisonville, Kentucky economy when I bout some shirts a few minutes ago. Macon-Bibb loses out again.

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Macon-based band Good Night Alive have commanded the charts in the VH1 "Make A Band Famous" contest. Support the band by Tweeting #MABF & #GoodNightAlive and help them win a shot a a deal with Republic Records.

Go. See. Do.

The Next Two Weeks by Sean Pritchard Those of you who spend a fair amount of time on social media may have noticed a flurry of posts featuring #MABF & #GoodNightAlive. If so, it’s because an upstart Macon band called Good Night Alive has been commanding the charts in a new contest held by VH1 called “Make A Band Famous”. Votes are counted for every Tweet or Retweet that features the bands

JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

tag and the contest name and Good Night Alive has accrued tens of thousands of votes to date. Just a few days ago, the band found out that they have made it to the Round of 24 (out of a starting pool of more than 2500+ bands) and will be heading to New York City to perform this Sunday night. You can continue to show your support for the band by Tweeting #MABF &

#GoodNight Alive (make sure they’re in the same message). Best part for them is you can vote as much as you like, as long as the post features both tags. They wouldn’t be the first Macon band to have a break at stardom thanks to a contest; A lot of you will probably remember when a young band called JuBee & the Morning After topped the charts of a contest promoted by Samsung and were flown out to Seattle to open for Pitbull at a soldout Paramount Theatre, ultimately having the performance shown on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Should Good Night Alive win the contest, they will pen a deal with Republic Records and become a VH1 “You Oughta Know” featured artist. Never before has 140 characters meant so much! First Friday in June is a sweltering and wonderful time. Macon Arts Alliance and other galleries around the city will be hosting art openings and gallery talks too. I’m excited about a live broadcast of the David Dorer Show that will be taking place at Roasted Cafe & Lounge at 6:00pm on Friday. If you’re not familiar, David Dorer prides himself as a “Georgia Litigator and Worldwide Heartbreaker”, but more importantly is the host of a weekly online broadcast where a panel of various professionals discuss trending legal topics in the news. The show occasionally features musical guests but it’s always entertaining to watch people argue in front of microphones. Later than night at Roasted, Widow Pills, a new Macon band, will be making their live debut. Influences include Waylon Jennings, Elmore James, The Clash, Tom Waites, The Band and more… so there’s that! If you’re in the downtown area, expect live music at Fresh Produce, The Hummingbird, The

Crazy Bull, and a number of other spots. Slide-soul virtuoso AJ Ghent roars into Washington Park for the Second Sunday concert on June 8th, bringing with him a six-piece funk & blues machine! The acclaimed, Atlanta-based guitarist has been widely compared to Robert Randolph and currently plays alongside the legendary Col. Bruce Hampton, Ret. when he’s not doing his own thing. AJ has played with the Allman Brothers and Derek Trucks, among many others. As always, the show is free and kicks off around 6:00pm. Ghent and company will actually be featured performers at the 2014 Bragg Jam Concert Crawl, so this is an excellent way to get an idea of what you’ll be missing if you aren’t closing down Bragg Jam at the MidTown Key Club. That following Monday, Music Ambassadors Macon and their partners are thrilled to present the next concert in their series - a house concert featuring the oneand-only, Patterson Hood, lead singer and songwriter for the Drive-By Truckers. Tickets are available at MusicAmbassadors.org. If you can’t make the house concert (6:30pm that evening), Hood and Paste Magazine’s Josh Jackson will be hosting the final Arts Matters symposium at the Cox Capitol Theatre at 2:00pm that day. The event is free to the public, but registration is required at artsmattersmusicsymposium.eventbrite.com. This is definitely one you don’t want to miss! The arts are alive and well in Macon! From the new Little Free Library’s that have been popping up around the Downtown/College Hill area to art openings and free concerts, it’s great to have so many options of ways to explore your creative side. Stay cool!

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JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

SATURDAY, JULY 26th Over 50 Bands About Bragg Jam Music, Arts and Kids' Festival: Inspired by late musicians and brothers Brax & Tate Bragg and operated as a 501c3 under a volunteer board of directors, Bragg Jam has now given over $150,000 back to local charities in memory of Brax and Tate. Proceeds will continue to benefit the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail and other efforts that promote nature, art and music in the community. Since 1999, Bragg Jam has evolved from an impromptu jam session to citywide music festival to a full-scale arts festival and Macon’s premier music event. For general information, visit www.braggjam.org, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

MOONLIGHT MILES 5K SATURDAY, JULY 19TH Run through College Hill and Downtown Macon. Meet at Tattnall Square Park, 9pm. FRIDAY, JULY 25TH Patron / Sponsor party ARTS & KIDS FEST SATURDAY, JULY 26TH Cherry Street Plaza in front of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Free, family-friendly events. 11-3 CONCERT CRAWL SATURDAY, JULY 26TH $20 in advance, $25 day of. 50+ bands at 14 stages

The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Revivalists and The Whigs to Headline 2014 Bragg Jam Concert Crawl TICKETS ON SALE NOW BRAGGJAM.ORG Bragg Jam has announced the full lineup for the 2014 Concert Crawl. Headliners include five-time Grammy Award-winning gospel legends The Blind Boys of Alabama, New Orleans jammers The Revivalists and Athens’ rockers The Whigs. The full lineup is listed below. "As Bragg Jam prepares to celebrate it's 15th anniversary Concert Crawl, it is difficult to find another charity event in Central Georgia that has been as community powered,” says Jamie Weatherford, President of the Bragg Jam Board of Directors. “From the all volunteer Board of Directors, to the gracious financial sponsors, to the volunteers who help the events run smoothly, to the ticket buying members of the Central Georgia community, Bragg Jam Music, Arts, and Community Festival is created by the community for the community.” Lead funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has helped elevate this year’s line-up and secure The Blind Boys of Alabama and other lead acts, Weatherford said. “Knight Foundation funds in arts and culture for a simple reason - to support the kinds of shared experiences that build a sense of community. Year after year, Bragg Jam does that through a community-driven event that celebrates southern traditions,” said Beverly Blake, Macon program director for Knight Foundation. Advance tickets for the Concert Crawl, Patron Party, and Moonlight Miles are available now at www.braggjam.org. Tickets will be available the day of the event at Margaritas on Bass Road, Twang, The Hanger, and Third Street Park for $25 cash or credit, OR take advantage of our Early Bird ticket sales on our website for $20 and pick them up at any of the above locations the day of! Tickets will also be available for sale, or pick-up if you bought online, at Arts & Kids Fest. This year’s Concert Crawl will see 57 bands performing on 14 stages throughout the city on Saturday, July 26. The 2014 Concert Crawl is going to be a 15th anniversary celebration no one in Georgia will want to miss. Earlier that day the kid-friendly Arts & Kids Fest will be returning, and one week before on Saturday, July 19 runners and walkers alike can take part in Moonlight Miles, Bragg Jam's 5K Fun Run. The Bragg Jam concert crawl is a rain or shine event. Line-up is subject to change. Check out braggjam.org for the latest up to date information. 2014 Lineup: THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA / THE REVIVALISTS / THE WHIGS / THOSE DARLINS / KOPECKY FAMILY BAND / O'BROTHER / ROYAL THUNDER / SAM HUNT / RAZZY BAILEY, A HOMECOMING SHOW / MOON HOOCH / THE APACHE RELAY / AMERICAN AQUARIUM / COL. BRUCE HAMPTON & MADRID EXPRESS / THE BLACK CADILLACS / RANDALL BRAMBLETT BAND / GREENHOUSE LOUNGE / PACKWAY HANDLE BAND / JARED ASHLEY / WESLEY COOK / SEVEN HANDLE CIRCUS / THOMAS WYNN & THE BELIEVERS / LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES / BERRY OAKLEY'S SKYLAB / JUBEE & THE MORNING AFTER / BACK CITY WOODS / THE MANTRAS / CUSSES / TYLER HAMMOND BAND / THIS IS ART + AMERIGO / CRANFORD HOLLOW / DEBROKA / TRAVIS DENNING BAND / GOOD GRAEFF / AJ GHENT BAND / EMPIRE STRIKES BRASS / BOMBADIL / THE VEGABONDS / THE QUAILDOGS / SUNDOLLARS / THA HUGS / BAATIN & TOP SECRET / BIG MIKE & THE BOOTY PAPAS / FAMILY & FRIENDS / MADRE PADRE / SKYMATIC / SAVANNAH ALDAY / MATTHEW HOPE / BOOTZ & KATZ / KR33K3RZ / SQUIRRELLY / ANDY BRUH / LAYLO LOPEZ / OLD SOUL ft. BO PONDER / THE CRESCENT MOON DOGS / BEN CUMMINGS' DEAD MAN'S BLUES BAND / RABBI & FRIENDS / AND A VERY SPECIAL REUNION OF THE BUCKLEYS FEATURING ROB EVANS, MAL JONES, TIM POTTS, JOHN GRAY WALKER & RUSSELL WALKER

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SCENE T H E I N T E R V I E W.

James Trimble of

The Dirty Guv’Nahs

A classic-sounding Southern rock band out on Knoxville, Tennessee, the Dirty Guv'nahs

are lucky, if you have the gift of creating original music, then that’s great. Something unique for us, is that we always wanted to write our own songs, and we wanted to perform live. We weren’t the band that wanted to hide in our garage until we came up with the perfect song. We were very willing to step out and try new songs in front of audiences, even when they weren’t totally hashed out.

create an energized musical blend that recalls the Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, andthe Allman Brothers Band, with a dose of Americana and the Band tossed in for seasoning. The band formed when the members were attending university in Knoxville, and what was initially supposed to be just a couple of occasional gigs really took off, and the band quickly developed a loyal local following. the Dirty Guv'nahs' energetic and inspired live shows e a rned them opening spots for acts like the Zac Brown Band, Wilco, and the Levon Helm Band, among others, and a performance slot at Bonnaroo -- a show that led to a recording session in 2009 at Levon Helm Studios. Two independent releases followed, 2009's The Dirty Guv'nahs and 2010's Youth Is in Our Blood. Their latest release Hearts on fire debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heat Seekers Chart for new artists. They play the Cox Capitol Theatre June 19. We caught up with front man James Trimble at his home in

And Michael Jenkins starts that whole writing process for ya’ll, right? Yeah. Most of our songs start with Michael. He’s also the producer for the band. He just comes up with tons of music, and he’ll have a melody idea that he will bring to me. We’ll just kind of see if anything evolves out of that. Then it turns into a one on one thing. We’ll get together a couple of times a week and go back and forth. Do you have a favorite song that you’ve written? I think one of them is the single that’s playing right now, Morning Light. There is a balance between writing an upbeat, fun, rock song, and something that really means something to you. For me that song is one of the few times, we’ve really done it. It says a lot about where I’m at, but it also portrays the band of music we make. The melding of those two worlds is harder than you may think.

Knoxville. - BY BRAD EVANS

Who was your favorite singer growing up? Well, I was the kid who listened to top forty radio coming up. Kasey Kasem, whoever he was playing, that’s who I listened to. All the greatest 90’s rock bands. I’d say one of my favorite singers was Adam Duritz from the Counting Crows. It wasn’t until college that I got introduced to the Rolling Stones. I really started getting into their catalogue. So Mick Jagger, and I really like Joe Cocker. Another one too, that became one of my favorites, is Bill Withers. So it wasn’t until College until you started listening to all those guys? Yeah. I didn’t really grow up in a musical household. I really grew up with what was current. I certainly never thought I would become a singer, or a musician. And even when we first got together as a band, I really just became the singer because I was the worst guitar player. But you know, none of us thought we’d actually make a career out of this. Those early years we were just happy when we booked another show. But the more you dig into it, the more you realize that the music you are making is affecting people, the more you enjoy it. Once we had the opportunity to do that full time we did it. In the beginning, I’m assuming you guys were getting together and playing mostly covers right? We were doing a ton of cover songs. Not that much different from anyone else. When you first get started, you want to emulate those that inspired you. And if you

JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

And now “Hearts on Fire” debuted at #1 on the Heat seekers Chart on Billboard. How did that feel? Yes! It was crazy. We had never been on any of the Billboard Charts. For those that don’t know, the heat seekers chart is a new artist chart. We debuted at 102 on the overall chart, and #1 on the heat seeker chart. But yeah, we had just finished a weekend of touring, we were home. There was quite a celebration. I was watching the E Street Band get inducted into the Hall of Fame recently, and I was thinking that it must get easier to make great music when you have that kind of talent in the room. And it must be difficult to keep everyone around for so many years to do it. What do you think is important when it comes to longevity in Music? That’s an awesome question man. I really think its important thing is setting aside some time where you talk about how everyone is feeling in the band. I know that sounds touchy feely, but it’s really important that everybody be heard. One thing, for Michael, and me we are working on music all the time. It’s important for us to share that with everyone else. Everyone wants to be in the know and part of that process. It’s one of those things where you want to all be on the same page There have to be opportunities for conversations. When you are on the road, it’s fun. You play a show, you tear down, and you wake up and do it again. But it’s all about the show then. You have to make time for the philosophy of the band. But ultimately your purpose should be to inspire others as you have been inspired, and I really think we are that kind of band.

OP-ED BY ALEX MORRISON

{ CITY SCENE }

Executive Director, Macon-Bibb Urban Development Authority

The Macon Thing

Patterson Hood minted it. The Bitter Southerner has started an entire blog of profiles about it. Professor David Davis teaches it while Mercer University typifies it. Lee Bains III, who is coming for Bragg Jam, just cut an album forwarding it.

“The Southern Thing” is really getting a big push lately and it could not have come at a better time. What all these guys strive to tell the story of is a place where some of the most refined art, the best music, greatest literature, and the nicest people (so nice that it gave definition to the region and is the one region in this nation wherein kindness is among the top things associated with it) existed in the face of unspeakably tragedy. They speak of the anger that comes with the South being painted with the broad brush of backwardness that was incumbent with the era of Dixiecrats, Jim Crow, and Bull Connor. While these atrocities were being carried out by very loud, very bad men, the sound studios were breaking racial barriers in ways that hadn’t been seen before. And an entire generation grew up listening to sounds coming out of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Macon. By and large this generation cared way more about the words Wilson Pickett than they ever did about the drivel of George Wallace. So this place where you have place that is making

great art, in the progressive way of having a large group of young people sharing experiences--pushing envelopes of sound and thought--where the prevailing narrative of the region is the exact opposite. And now the next generation is fighting that same battle, an area that is filled with progressive individuals, inspiring artists, and a large group of young people who are finished with the fights of the past is constantly painted with that same backward stroke. But Macon is situated to change that narrative in a bold way. Macon, though with its considerable warts, was one of the places--with so many great leaders that it is hard to list them all-- that was breaking down barriers with great art, progressive institutions, and music that would, without exaggeration, change the world. Now, through consolidation which is just now taking shape, a private sector that is leading through unity, an arts scene that is becoming a larger and larger part of our economy, and a burgeoning collective

vision for the urban core of our community, we can begin to define the Macon Thing. The Macon Thing has to be signaled by the thoughts of that next generation, not the angers of the past. The Macon Thing has to be celebrating the things that make Now, this community unique and unite us all as neighbors. through The Macon Thing consolidahas to be that we all accept that there is a commonwealth tion... we in which we all share. can begin to To create the sounds, the ideas, the words, the images, define that the policies and the relationships that elevate this com“Macon munity, this region, and this Thing.” era of the Southern history beyond these all too popular notions of backwardness-that just might be the Macon Thing.

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NATIVE/NEW Carrie Robinson of Robinson Home by Angel Collins

When I think of Carrie Robinson, I think of food. Whether from the variety of dinner parties I’ve attended with her and her husband, or events they’ve hosted in their home, I felt it was perfect when she and her husband opened Robinson Home, a gourmet kitchenware store in downtown Macon. Carrie Robinson grew up in Asheville, NC. From 2003 to 2007 she attended Mercer and fell in love with Macon while in school here. She moved away for graduate school, but when the opportunity came, she and her husband, Will, moved back in 2011 when they both got jobs in Macon. “I started in June of 2011 with Historic Macon. My role with Historic Macon mainly focuses on the development and rehabilitation of properties. I design properties we acquire and work with contractors to bring historic places back to life. It’s great to see a home go from dilapidated to beautiful and be in on the process from the beginning,” said Robinson. “My role allows me to make an amazing impact and changes to neighborhoods and buildings. I hope to continue on this path to improve and impact Macon as a whole for the better.” Robinson’s historic home efforts took a more personal turn when she and her husband decided to renovate their own home. “We spent almost 2 years renovating a home from the 1880’s that needed work top to bottom,” said Robinson. “The home had been vacant for years and realtor Joe Adams took me by the house to check it out one day. I saw immediate potential and after a few days, I convinced Will we should buy the house. While we were renovating the house, we kept throwing around the idea for a store downtown and saw the need specifically for kitchenware. Ever since Everyday Gourmet closed several years ago, there has not been a gourmet kitchenware store in town. As soon as we finished our house, we took the plunge and started work on the store getting it open in time for the Christmas season last year.” Robinson is very devoted to the development of downtown Macon. “If you have been to Asheville, you know that it is very ‘done’. The town is amazing, but I saw a lot of potential and opportunity in Macon that no longer exists in Asheville,” said Robinson. “Will and I are passionate about Downtown and love being store owners.”

JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

11 Things You Don’t Know About Carrie - I studied ballet for 18 years. - Italy is my favorite country I have ever visited. - My Grandmother taught me to sew and it is one of my favorite skills. - I love a glass of French Cotes du Rhone. - I have had a monthly subscription to Vogue Magazine since 6th grade. - I design homes in my spare time with Cameron Robinson Interiors. - I was co-owner of a wedding photography company in graduate school. - My husband and I are high school sweet-hearts. - I have my Masters Degree in Interior Design from Savanna College of Art and Design. - I have to have 3 cups of coffee before I can function in the morning. - My husband and I just finished a 2 year rehabilitation of an 1880’s home in Macon.

“Starting a retail store is not for the faint of heart,” continued Robinson. “The retail industry is not easy and I think far too many people go into it thinking that it is a fun business. Will and I both grew up in family retail business, so we knew the expectations going in to starting the store. We both have seen firsthand the ups and downs of owning your own business and felt we understood just what we were getting into. While it is hard, it can also be really rewarding! One piece of advice would be to plan, plan, plan. When you think you have everything lined up to start, take one more look. Surprises are your enemy in business.” Robinson is a champion for the direction in which downtown Macon is going. “I am really excited for the new Downtown Master Plan and think that it focuses on the right path that Downtown Macon needs to be on,” said Robinson. “I want to see more retail and restaurants open and the continued effort for Downtown to be a vibrant and exciting place. The best part about being downtown right now is all the excitement. Everyone is talking about all the new things happening and it is a great place to own a store right now.” While she remains a cheerleader for the area, she knows that there are some deficits as well, though they can be corrected. “I have always said that downtown Macon’s largest problem is PR. It will be great to see the new master plan implement with a focus on Macon’s PR and marketing,” said Robinson. “There is a lot to offer downtown that many people just aren’t aware of. Asheville may be great, but I want Macon to give it a run for its money!” Even with PR issues, the Robinsons are still glad to call downtown Macon home and are excited for what it means for the shopper that more businesses are downtown. “For so many years, retail shopping opportunities have been really thin downtown. We have found that people are ready and willing to shop downtown once they are given the opportunity. Macon shoppers are savvy and many have been going to Atlanta to shop for years, so they know what they want in a retail experience.” It is a retail experience at which she knows Robinson Home will excel. “It is our goal at Robinson Home to deliver a great experience and offer not only great shopping but classes, wedding registries, and a place to learn about great new products and techniques. A few months ago we also finished build out on the teaching kitchen. It is so much fun coming up with class ideas because the options are endless,” said Robinson. Just like the opportunities in downtown Macon.

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JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

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JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

FRI 6/6 Mama T 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive Chris Medley AP’s Hidden Hideaway Georgia Flood Billy’s Clubhouse Dam-Fi-No Crazy Bull Stevie Monce The Hummingbird From Within Wild Wing Cafe

SAT 6/7

Bombadil Roasted Cafe & Lounge Loose Skrew s Wild Wing Cafe

SAT 6/14 Tre Hombre APs Hidden Hideaway Lance Daniel Band Billy’s Clubhouse A2Z Band The Crazy Bull Atlas Road Crew The Hummingbird Sunset Love Affair Wild Wing Cafe

Boothill AP’s Hidden Hideaway

SUN 6/15

Far From Over Billy’s Clubhouse

John Stanley Jam Session Backporch Lounge 4-7:30pm

Johnny T Crazy Bull

Geoff Achison 567 Center for Renewall

Tokyo Spa The Hummingbird

Joey Recker on Pian o 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive

Matt Pippin Ban d Wild Wing Cafe

THURS 6/19

SAT 6/21

Boothill AP’s Hidden Hideaway The Ride The Crazy Bull Fre e l ance Ru c kus Billy’s Clubhouse Freddy’s Finest The Hummingbird Scott Brantley Wild Wing Cafe

SUN 6/22 Big Mike & Booty Papas APs Hidden Hideaway, 3-8pm John Stanley Jam Session Backporch Lounge 4-7:30pm

DRINK SPECIALS/ SPECIAL EVENTS

2-4-1 Drinks every Wednesday The Hummingbird

MONDAYS

2-4-1 Wells, Open Mic Night Billys Clubhouse

Happy hour til 9pm, jam & rehearse 7-10pm, 20’s Pub $1 Wells, Balloon Pop Karaoke Billy’s Clubhouse Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos $1 Wells all night, The Bird Happy Hour 4p-7p Beer of the month: $2 PBR & Miller Highlfe Bottles Wild Wing Caf e 25% off all appetizers, Happy Hour 3-6 and 9-Cl Macon Mellow

TUESDAYS Service Industry Night at The Rookery. $1 PBRs, $2 Wells, Half Price Drafts. For all - Half Price draft beers 10pm - 12am

Margarita Thursdays! $8 Bottomless Mugs at The Hummingbird College Night - $5 Jager bombs, DJ The Crazy Bull Ladie night featuring 1/2 price bottles of wine - Dovetail

Build your own martini night at Dovetail

Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos

Battle of the Bands The Crazy Bull

Big Mike & Booty Pap a s APs Hidden Hideaway, 3-8pm

Dirty Guv’Nahs Cox Capitol Theatre

Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos

John Stanley Jam Session Backporch Lounge 4-7:30pm

Copious Jones The Hummingbird

THURS 6/12

Matt Moncrief Wild Wing Cafe

2fer Wing Night 5p-10p Buy 10 wings get 10 fre e. Happy Hour 4p7p Beer of the month: $2 PBR & Highlfe Bottles Wild Wing $4 You Call It! Darty Tourney 7pm Billy’s Clubhouse

WEDNESDAYS

Battle of the Bands The Crazy Bull

Mystery Road 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive

FRI 6/13

The Skeeterz AP’s Hidden Hideaway

$4 bombs/ $4 Baby Guinness shots, Happy Hour 4p-7p Wild Wing

B Keith Williams 20’s Pub, Riverside Drive

Copious Jones Billy’s Clubhouse

1/2 price whiskey flights every Wednesday at Dovetail

Jason Hobbs APs Hidden Hideaway

Brian Davis Crazy Bull

$1 wells, $2 domestics all night for the ladies The Crazy Bull

Matt Pippin Ban d Billy’s Clubhouse

A d am Fears The Hummingbird

Half Price draft beers 10pm 12am at The Rookery

Ray Stephenson The Crazy Bull

Matt Rogers Band Wild Wing Cafe

Ladies Night 7pm-CL: $2 House W i n e, $5 Martinis Macon Mellow

Crane Hummingbird

1/2 price martinis, Poker 7pm Billys Clubhouse

TUES/WED/THUR:All you can eat wings and chicken fingers $9.99, CJ’s Sports Bar

SUN 6/8

FRI 6/20

THURSDAYS

Taco & Rita Night- $2 tacos/$3 margaritas/$6 MEGAritas 5p-close $4 bombs/ $4 Baby Guinness shots, Happy Hour 4p-7p Wild Wing

COLLEGE NIGHT: 3-4-1 Drinks every Tuesday, Mai Tai Specials! The Hummingbird

Travis Bryant Wild Wing Cafe

Ladies - 2 for 1 Everything, Gentlemen:Tie-One-On 2 for 1 when wearing a tie! Free pool and d a rts BJs Downtown

Everyday 4-7pm: $1.50 beers and $6 domestic, Locos

FRIDAYS

Happy Hour 4p-7p Beer of the month: $2 PBR & Miller Highlfe Bottles Wild Wing Caf e $4 select premium liquor Mellow Mushroom Buy 1/Get 1 wells 8-until, Giveaways! AP’s Hideaway

SATURDAYS College students get 15% entire bill! Spirit Day at Locos $10 Beer Buckets, 20’s Pub Game Day Specials: 2 for 1 bombs and $1 domesic drafts Billy’s Clubhouse

SUNDAYS $10 beer buckets, 20’s Pub 12-3pm:1/2 price Bloody Mary, Mimosa, Mint Julep, Sangria or Mojito Mellow Mushroom 412 Bottomless Mimosas 12:304pm, Happy Hour 4p-7p: $2 PBR & Highlfe Bottles Wild Wing S e rvice Industry - $2 Wells & Domestics BJ’s Downtown

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JUNE 6 - 20, 2014

SCENE GO HEAR.

SUNDAY 6/15 GEOFF ACHISON @ 567 CENTER FOR RENEWAL 7-9PM Geoff began playing music professionally in his father's dance band at the age of 13. He switched to bass at 15 playing mostly jazz. In his early 20s he moved to Melbourne and was hired as lead guitarist with bluesman 'Dutch' Tilders. He formed his own band in 1995 and began travelling internationally. He has since toured the USA, UK & Australia many times releasing over a dozen albums. Along the way he has won several awards including the 'Albert King Award' in Memphis and Australia's 'Chain' blues award for Best Band. In 2011 Geoff made Truefire's "100+ Gifted Guitarists You Should Know" list and was named 'Official Patron' of the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society. He lives in Melbourne, Australia and continues to record & tour regularly. $30 per couple, $20 single admission. BYOB

FRIDAY, 6/13 Matt Pippin Band @ Billy’s Clubhouse One of Macon’s greatest pickers and singers, Matt has played alongside Faith Hill, Jason Aldean and Many more. See him in Macon while you still can.

Ray Stephenson @ Crazy Bull Maybe it’s the influences – Willie Nelson, Vern Gosdin, Guy Clark, John Prine … Maybe it’s the fact that somebody has to say something… Maybe it’s just the fact that some people are born to play, sing, and tell stories …But for whatever reason, ten years into a recording career, Ray Stephenson shows no signs of having arrived at his creative apex. Each album expands on his already razor sharp lyrical style and his sweet soulful voice. Wildly literate, utterly art i stic, impossibly ambitious, absolutely a slave to his music and painting, the 37year old south Georgian is completely committed to the truth and unafraid to skewer pomposity, hypocrisy and smallminded thinking. He is a world class songwriter, recording artist, an intensely captivating live singer, guitar player, record producer, and virtuoso painter.

Crane @ The Hummingbird Best described as crossover music, Crane has a sound that is all their own. Their musical influences range across the board. Critics and fans use genres such as Southern Rock, Soul, Hip Hop, Funk, and Blues to describe their sound. However, it’s impossible to pigeon hole these boys into one category. They’re often compared to acts such as Cage The Elephant, Maroon 5, Lenny Kravitz, and The Black Crowes. The foursome create a highly energetic and entertaining live show that displays versatility, showmanship, and raw talent. In the words of front man Anthony Crane, “We get nasty.”

Their energy is contagious, and you can’t help but move to all of their music.

SATURDAY, 6/14 Lance Daniel Band @ Billy’s Lance has always had a love for music, but at the age of 15 when he began learning to play guitar, music became his passion. When he heard Keith Urban playing Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me, Lance knew exactly what he wanted to strive for. Although Keith Urban and Brad Paisley are just some of his influences on his music

Atlas Road Crew @ The Hummingbird It seems as if Atlas Road Crew has arrived from another decade as their old-school sound oozes vintage 70s rock dripping with influences ranging from the Rolling Stones to The Band to the Allmans but with modern influences like The Black Keys and Kings of Leon. With an extensive catalog of covers and a rapidly growing list of indemand originals, Atlas Road Crew has been the rarest of Columbia, SC area bands able to sell out Columbia's premiere music hall (400 capacity) at every p e rf o rmance and even on multiple night runs. Their time on the fraternity circuit over the past 18 months has brought their name to thousands of new faces, quickly establishing them in multiple markets and earning a legion of new fans.

Sunset Love Affair @ Wild Wing Cafe Sunset Love Affair is comprised of vocalist Chris Reece, guitarist Matt Graff, percussionist/guitarist Matt Bannister, and bassist Jeremy Bostwick. Sunset Love Affair is an offshoot of the alternative-rock band, The Red Tide Saga. RTS was formed by Reece, Graff, and Bostwick (along with drummer Alan Powell) in the summer of 2006. Matt Bannister joined RTS on guitar in early 2008. Reece,

Graff, and Bannister formed Sunset Love Affair in the Spring of 2009 as an attempt to broaden their musical endeavors and enter the acoustic world. Sunset Love Affair, in it's short existence, has seen amazing response from fans and the band has been fortunate to open for such acts as State Of Man, and multiplatinum recording artist, Tonic.

THURSDAY, 6/19 Dirty Guv’Nahs @ the Cox Capitol Theatre A classic-sounding Southern rock band out on Knoxville, Tennessee, the Dirt y Guv'nahs (frontman James Trimble, Hammond organist Chris Doody, pianistMichael Jenkins, guitarists Michael Jenkins and Cozmo Holloway, and brothers Justin and Aaron Hoskins on bass and drums, respectively) create an energized musical blend that recalls the Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, andthe Allman Brothers Band, with a dose of Americana and the Band tossed in for seasoning.

Copious Jones @ The Bird Consisting of 3 friends from music school who joined creative forces with 3 respected veterans from the local jazz/Latin scene, the band draws from a wide- variety of styles (including progressive-rock, funk, jazz, Latin, classical, African, blues, folk, jam, electronic) to create an ever-evolving, unique musical experience based around inspiring singer/songwriter, Mikhail Peterse

Matt Moncrief @ Wild Wing Matt delivers a tight catalogue of original songs using influence from rock, jazz, bluegrass and funk with rhythmic lyrics and powerful vocals to captivate, entertain and move his audience. In 2009 he founded "STOOPGRASS", his full band outlet for original music. Matt is also a member of "TEDO STONE"(a psychedelic country band out of Atlanta. 11thHourOnline.com

DANCE PARTY / DJ

Macon’s newest dance club, Element open Wed-Sat! DJ Legal Deal every Saturday night, CJ’s Sports Bar Live music and live DJ on the 1s and 2s at Midtown Key Club every Thursday Saturday night! DJ Dance Party eve ry Thursday night, Backporch Lounge

KARAOKE

Tuesdays at 9pm,Wed/Thursdays 8pm, Saturdays 8p, 20’s Pub Every Friday and Sunday 9pm - until at AP’s Hidden Hideaway Monday Balloon Pop Karaoke at Billy’s Wednesday nights from 10pm - 1am at Sticky Fingers Enjoy $2 dom. pints and house shots, $1 jello shots and Happy Hour prices all night! Fridays and Sundays at CJ’s Sports Bar Saturday nights at Roasted Cafe & Lounge with the Captain! Thursdays 8pm, Sundays 8:30pm The Backporch Lounge

BAR BINGO

Every Tuesday night, come play with friends, great prizes! 7-9pm 20’s Pub

TRIVIA

Team Trivia Thursdays, CJ’s Sports Bar Trivia every Thursday 7pm (compete for $200 cash!) Sticky Fingers Every Wednesday at 7:30 with Jason Hawk at M argaritas Mercer Vi l l age location All-Star Trivia eve ry Monday 7-9pm, 20’s Pub Wednesdays at Roasted Cafe Tuesday Night Trivia (8pm) with Outspoken Entertainment., Wild Wing Cafe Mellow Trivia, every Tuesday at 8:30, Mellow Mushroom Trivia with Tyler at Loco’s every Wednesday, 8:30pm! Every Wednesday at The Rookery, compete for $5,000 grand prize! 8pm Every Wednesday at The Bird, 7pm.

POKER

Nightly Poker 9p, BJ Billiards Thursdays 7p, Billy’s Clubhouse Monday nights at Sticky Fingers! 7pm No buy in! Cash prizes. Texas Hold ‘Em Tues & Wed 7:30pm, CJ’s Sports Bar Tues,Wed & Thurs 7pm - until at AP’s Hidden Hideaway

JUNE 6 - 20, 2014