The 11th Hour: Dec. 16 - Jan. 5, 2017 by 11th Hour Macon

The Creek Media Family DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017 ISSUE #351

THE SCENE

FEATURE

HOLIDAY SURVIVAL GUIDE

MERRY

PINSTRIKES KID STUFF LIVE MUSIC

CHRISTMAS

NEW YEAR’S EVE

HISTORIC MACON FOR A NEW MACON AN INSPIRING VISION FOR 2017

Happy New Year

Go See Do

H A P P E N I N G S, LO C A L S & R E G I O N A L I N S I G H T S

COMEDIAN KATHY MADIGAN AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE; FRIDAY, JAN. 6

Laugh in the new year with one of America’s funniest stand-up comedians. Or as Ron White says, “Easily one of the best comics alive.” Madigan’s won the American Comedy Award for “Best Female Comedian” and the Phyllis Diller award for “Best Female Comedian.” It’s been a 25 year career of 300 nights a year on the road. “We don’t get time off like a band. Our tours never end. That’s why it makes me laugh when people say ‘how long is your tour?’ Well so far, 25 years.” She’s gone from one nighters, to club gigs, to theaters, to headlining the Mirage in Las Vegas. TheGrandMacon.com

Friday, Dec 16

WORK BY SUZANNE LAWLER

Opening reception Dec. 1. On display all month

John Berry Christmas Concert - An annual tradition at The Grand Opera House for 19 years! And it continues to sell out thanks to Berry’s stage performance and wide appeal. Show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets $38. TheGrandMacon.com A Christmas Cabaret at Theatre Macon - A Christmas Cabaret featuring the vocal talents of Bryson Holloway, Kimberly Lochner, Tiffany McCall, Charles Davis, and the musical talents of Jim Penndorf, David Lintz, Athens Carter and Rob Sumowski at Theatre Macon. 8 p.m. Dec. 16-17; 2:30 p.m. Dec. 18. $20 general admission. 438 Cherry Street “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka” at Macon Little Theatre thru Dec. 18. 8 p.m. with 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee. Children under 5 not admitted. $20 adults, $15 seniors (60+), $10 students (up to 23). 4220 Forsyth Rd.

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Beer & Hymns at Bearfoot Tavern Presented by Highland Hills Baptist Church, 6 p.m. Free and all are welcome. Come sing classic Christmas carols and hymns while enjoying a beer and dinner outside in the beer garden. Heaters provided; covered patio.

Wed., Dec 21

Santa Visits the Big House Presented by The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House, free 11 am - 3 pm. 2321 Vineville Avenue

Screening of “The Grinch” at The Beer Garden of Bearfoot Tavern Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and heat lamps to keep everyone warm. Free movie screening, bring the kids and enjoy some great food and drinks. 6-8 p.m.

Sunday, Dec 18

Saturday, Dec 24

National Theatre Live’s: “No Man’s Land” Presented by Douglass Theatre 3-5 p.m. Two aging writers, meet in a Hampstead pub. As the pair continued to drink, their stories become more unbelievable. Soon the conversation turns into a power game. Admission Info: $20 and $15 for seniors/students. 355 MLK Jr. Blvd.

Front Porch Bluegrass Jam at Juliette Opry House 7 p.m., open mic stage show; 8 p.m., headliner stage show. Admission $17. Every Saturday thru January! 342 McCracken Street. 478-335-3895

Saturday, Dec 17

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be the backdrop for a range of activities for young ladies: Holiday readings in the Music Room by some of our city’s best storytellers, an elaborate demonstration in the dining room on holiday entertaining, Christmas crafts in the old kitchen, and a visit with Santa. Children are asked to bring a book to benefit Book ‘Em, a Macon/Bibb County based non-profit that puts new and gently-used books in the homes of at-risk children of all ages in our community. $25 per young lady (12 and under) and 1 accompanying adult. Reservations required. 742-8155

Christmas Children’s Tea at The Hay House - 4-6 p.m. The decorated main rooms of the Palace of the South will

Saturday, Dec 31 New Year’s Eve Masquerade The Mill in downtown Macon’s hosts a masquerade ball to ring in the new

year. Solo performances with some of the region’s best drag queens, champagne toast, masks and party favors, cash balloon drop, and Macon’s biggest dance party! $5 cover. 425 Cherry Street New Year’s Eve with Jared Ashley at The Crazy Bull - Ring in the new on Second Street with country star Jared Ashley! 8pm-1am. 473 2nd Street.

Tuesday, Jan 3 Polar Bear Den at Museum of Arts & Sciences - Art and story time for your creative little munchkin. $5 per child(ages 2-5) plus one free adult per child attending. 10:30 a.m. Register in advance 478.477.3232.

Feb. 1-4 Macon Civic Club Musical Revue Tickets on sale now! This year, the Macon Civic Club invites you to ‘forget all your troubles, forget all your cares’ and come to their annual musical revue “Downtown!” Macon boasts a vital downtown. This year’s show will be filled with singing, dancing, and laughter that echoes the energy of downtown Macon. The show will entertain you with a little country, a little rock ‘n’ roll, some Broadway, some pop, and of course some good ole southern rock…. all performed by very brave local professionals who put it all out on the stage for you! This is all to benefit local charities right here in central Georgia! You won’t want to miss “Downtown” playing February 1-4 at the Grand Opera House in Macon! Reserve your seats at the Grand Box Office or visit Macon Civic Club.com

City Picks

H A P P E N I N G S, LO C A L S & R E G I O N A L I N S I G H T S

Holiday Helpers

A listing of family-friendly events thru the holidays

What is Type II Diabetes?

Diabetes Support Group Mondays 7 PM

Resistance to Blood Glucose, to Insulin, to Leptin. Why? St. Francis, 432 Forest Hill Rd. Body cells become "stuffed" making it difﬁcult for both (478) 477-4616 Glucose and Insulin to enter for cell energy funtions. The rise in Blood Sugar signals the Pancreas to send out even more Insulin to the body. When symptoms appear, one begins on oral meds. When those no longer work because the Pancreas becomes too fatigued, one begins on Insulin injections. Type II can take up to 20 years of life-style to develop. Many times the 1st symptom is elevated Blood Pressure. Chronic elevated blood sugar is toxic to the body. Changes in blood vessels cause retina damage, kidney damage,cause pain in the extremities [neuropathy], plaque damages blood vessels [heart attack, stroke].

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SANTA’S SECRET SHOP AT MUSEUM OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Santa’s Secret Shop is an annual favorite that offers one-stop holiday shopping for kids who want to purchase something special for their family members. Kids enter thru a decorated tunnel, and are able to shop for items with assistance from a Museum staff member. The gifts are then wrapped so that curious parents aren’t able to peek at their child’s gift choices. A fun time for the entire family! Included with Museum admission. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am-5pm and Sunday 1-5 pm. While there, view the annual exhibit of stunning holiday trees, decorated by regional designers and artists.

CHRISTMAS ON FIRST STREET SATURDAY, DEC. 17

4-10 p.m. Join the merchants on First Street as Rosa Parks Square transforms into a winter wonderland with Christmas on First Street featuring a magical night of sleigh rides, holiday shopping, FREE pictures with Santa, hot chocolate, crafts, and so much more! Be sure to stick around for Elf 3 screen under the stars! on the big Guests can expect to see the following performances: 4:30 - Theatre Macon sneak peek of Christmas Caberet 5:30 - St. Joseph’s Elementary School Choir 6:30 - First Union Baptist Church 7:30 - Chip Holton Christmas Rock Happy Holidays in Downtown Macon!

KOOL-AID AND CANVAS SATURDAY, DEC. 17

At Kool-Aid & Canvas, an artist takes children step-by-step through the process of creating a fun painting with acrylic paints on a real canvas. The workshop starts at 10 am and lasts an hour and a half. $20 includes all materials for the class and a snack. To reserve your child’s spot, call (478) 238-6051. Or, you can register online at http://www.the567center.org

CHRISTMAS CHILDREN’S TEA AT THE HAY HOUSE - DEC. 18

The decorated main rooms of the Palace of the South will be the backdrop for a range of activities for young ladies: Holiday readings in the Music Room by some of our city’s best storytellers, an elaborate demonstration in the dining room on holiday entertaining, Christmas crafts in the old kitchen, and a visit with Santa. Children are asked to bring a book or a dollar donation to benefit Book ‘Em, a Macon/ Bibb County based non-profit. 4-6 p.m. $25 per young lady (12 and under) and 1 accompanying adult. Reservations required. 742-8155

FREE FAMILY MOVIE AT THE GEORGIA SPORTS HALL OF FAME ZOOTOPIA SCREENING DEC. 21 Free Family Movie Series- Zootopia! at 10 AM - 301 Cherry St, Macon

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NATIVE/NEW HAPPENINGS, LOCALS & REGIONAL INSIGHTS

Meet Glenn Heald aka Santa Claus Native Thomasville, GA Occupation Retired RAFB; Macon’s Real Santa

by Traci Burns

When I talked to Santa Claus on the phone this morning, he was cheerfully zooming up I-75, heading towards one of several retail-store appearances scheduled on his busy December calendar. Instead of a famous rednosed reindeer guiding his sleigh, a robotic GPS voice gave instructions in the background to help him navigate highways and traffic. Even still, Santa – or Glenn Heald, as he’s occasionally known – embodied the spirit of Christmas, gracious and sweet even in interstate traffic, punctuating his commentary with robust “Ho, ho, ho”s and speaking with warmth and enthusiasm about his later-life second career as the most famous and beloved bearded guy around. Mr. Heald was born and raised in Thomasville, Georgia, just north of the Florida border; he had a long and storied career in the United States Air force, spending time stationed in Italy, Korea, and the middle east before landing back in middle Georgia and putting in 17 years at Robins Air Force Base. One afternoon while walking around the Macon Mall helping his then-wife recover from hip surgery, he was approached by a photographer from JC Penney’s portrait studio. “I was still on active duty, but had started my retirement final leave,” says Mr. Heald. “I’d stopped shaving, and my beard was coming in white. The photographer saw that I had blue eyes and high cheekbones, and she said to me, ‘You’re gonna make a great Santa! Let me take your picture!’” That JC Penney’s photographer sent the picture to her boss, who agreed that Mr. Heald had the perfect Santa look and hired him to work for them, which he did for the next three years. His career portraying the famed holiday character took off even more when he was contacted by Bass Pro Shop to fill in last-minute for an unavailable Santa; he brought his son, a photographer, with him, and his successful initial appearance turned into a seven year stretch working with Bass Pro Shop making families happy and spreading Christmas cheer. These days, Santa Glenn keeps an amazingly busy holiday schedule doing both public appearances all over the South and bookings for private interactive photography sessions and parties. Santa Glenn has also spent a solid amount of his time and energy in the pursuit of being the most authentic, sincere, well-rounded Santa around – he’s traveled to several different Santa Claus schools around the USA, among them St. Nicholas Institute in Michigan, a faith-based program whose aim is to promote deeper spiritual education and insight amongst the Santas of the world. He’s even been ordained as a Bishop of the Church of St. Nicholas, and was knighted into the Order of the Knights of St. Nicholas – “In New York, we had this gigantic Santa event,” Heald says. “They called me up onstage out of the audience to my surprise, and the next thing you know, I’m kneeling and being knighted with a big sword that came all the way from Italy. Some of the manna that came out of St. Nicholas’ actual tomb was used to anoint me.” Pretty impressive stuff for a career that all started at a JC Penney’s. His Christian faith is tremendously important to Santa Glenn – “My biggest textbook these days is the Holy Bible,” he says – and he’s even written a book that narrates and explains the life of the original St. Nicholas in a Christian context. Santa Talks! by Glenn Heald is available on Amazon and can be ordered through Barnes & Noble, and in addition to the life story of St. Nicholas, the book also contains sections answering all the questions that kids have asked Santa Glenn throughout the years. With his long white hair and beard, stately physique, rosy cheeks, and twinkling eyes, it’s hard for Santa Glenn to be out of character when it’s not the Christmas season, but that’s okay, because for him, Christmas is less about a date on the calendar and more about a belief system he carries with him all year long. He works hard to preserve the magic and mystery of Santa in the eyes of children whenever he can, though. “Sometimes kids will come up to me in the grocery store and ask why I’m not at the North Pole,” Heald says with a chuckle, “but I just explain to them that it’s cold up there, and I’m down here on vacation in middle Georgia where it’s nice.” You can find Santa Glenn on the web at www.santaclauslives.com, on Facebook by searching The Santa Experience Macon, and on Christmas Eve at your house leaving some toys if you’ve been good. 06 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

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SATURDAY JANUARY 7

An Evening of Storytelling with

GARRISON KEILLOR CREATOR OF A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION

MACON CITY A U D I T O R I U M

Tickets available at

maconcentreplex.org or 478.803.1593

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So you think you can sing.

10 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

TidBits

D I N I N G N E W S A N D N OT E S by H A N N A H J E T T M O O R E

IN GOOD SPIRITS

PAJAMA BRUNCH

The Bearfoot Tavern is hosting a pajama brunch on Dec. 18 from 11-3 p.m. Rouse the family from their holiday slumber and come enjoy a great brunch, and a fun, family event. All kids who come dressed in their PJs will receive a complimentary t-shirt!

THAI & THAI AGAIN

Downtown Macon will be adding a new Thai restaurant with an expected opening date of early January. Sangs Thai Isaan Restaurant will be located in the former location of Barefoot Tavern on the corner of Cherry and MLK. Ladda Thai recently opened its doors on Cherry next to Theatre Macon. Thai food galore!

Although the holidays can be strenuous with a busy schedule, it truly is the most wonderful time of year! Many downtown bars and restaurants are getting in the holiday spirit with their holiday spirits. Just Tap’d will have their version of 12 Days of Christmas featuring festive beers and winter ales through December 25th. Also, Dovetail recently announced they are pre-selling tickets to their exclusive, instructional Cocktail classes. Sign up now for Mixology 101: The Fundamentals of Cocktail Creation. The classes start in March, but tickets are expected to sell out soon and would make a great stocking stuffer. Eat, drink and be merry, y’all! Also, don’t forget to book your New Year’s Eve dinner reservations at one of the many wonderful downtown restaurants.

GOOD GOLLY, MISS MOLLY

If you’ve driven down Cherry and Molly’s Café, you’ve seen the big yellow and black signs covering the glass windows. Closed for Construction! Word is the restaurant is reformatting and will reopen as a country-style buffet. The best things are worth waiting for, right? It will be open Monday-Friday for breakfast and lunch and Sunday brunch, according to the window signs.

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Historic Macon for a New Macon

In May of 2015, the Historic Macon Foundation announced a new vision statement during their annual meeting. On the surface, the change was slight, just one word adjusted – the earlier version stated that Historic Macon aimed to be “the premier preservation organization in the region,” whereas the new statement showcased loftier goals – that Historic Macon would strive to be the premier preservation organization in the nation. It’s no small feat that this organization, which has been working tirelessly since 1964 to revitalize Macon by preserving our architecture and sharing our rich history, has been able to meet so many of its current goals and set its future goals so high. With the leadership, passion, and enthusiasm of executive director Ethiel Garlington and the staff he’s assembled, Historic Macon is poised to make 2017 another year full of innovative success. Garlington, a native of Knoxville, Tennessee, had been to Macon exactly once in his life before he accepted the job with Historic Macon – he was earning his Master of Historic Preservation degree at UGA at the time, and Macon was a stop on a road trip/field trip he took with his class. “I can remember thinking, ‘Wow, this relatively small town has a hell of a lot of cool buildings,” Garlington says, recalling his amazement at visiting the Bennett House on Georgia Avenue with its subterranean spring that used to be one of two sources of drinking water for the city. Fast forward a few years: Garlington, who was currently working as Director of Preservation Field Services at Knox Heritage in his hometown, got a telephone 12 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

call from Historic Macon. “I always joke that in nonprofits, you don’t really get headhunted,” says Garlington, who was intrigued by the proposition but also happy with his current position. “The last thing the woman who called said to me was ‘Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained,’” he laughs. “That resonated!” He and his wife did some research online, initially impressed by middle Georgia’s highly competitive real estate pricing, but further drawn in by the reports of Macon’s rapid downtown expansion. Garlington drove down for an interview on a weekend that had started off cold and dreary in Knoxville but “it was like the clouds parted when we got to Macon – it was spring already, and everything was just gorgeous! And all the buildings and the architecture were as amazing as we remembered, and the people were so genuine and excited.” After a weekend spent absorbing the best of what Macon has to offer, including brunch at Dovetail during which Garlington and his wife were ‘strategically’ seated with Jessica Walden and Jamie Weatherford, co-owners of Rock Candy Tours – “No one can sell Macon better than them!” Garlington says - his mind was made up and he accepted the job “The opportunity to be a part of something so vibrant, and to lead this organization which has such a rich history – it was daunting, but I felt up for the challenge.” The transition wasn’t an easy one – shortly after Garlington accepted the position, for varying reasons, he found himself needing to hire what amounted to a whole new staff. “It was a full changing of the guard,” he says.

Garlington’s hires have been wonderful for the organization – among the new staffers is Emily Hopkins, Special Events and Marketing Coordinator, a native of South Carolina who took the job straight out of grad school in Cooperstown, New York and moved to Macon sight unseen. “I was excited to be back in the South,” she says, “and I knew this organization had been doing incredible things.” She’d had the chance to see Historic Macon’s former director Josh Rogers deliver a lecture at Cooperstown; as a Museum Studies major, she’d been impressed by the organization’s work with the Sidney Lanier Cottage. Garlington was also able to hire several other full-time employees, among them a loan fund manager and a preservation carpenter, and he was also able to expand the business manager position from part-time to full-time. Now that they’re fully staffed with eight full-timers and one part-timer, the old office space is becoming cramped; 2017 will bring a change of scenery for the Historic Macon offices, which will be moving to a new location on Poplar Street near the old Capricorn Studios sometime mid-year. After the intensity of the 2014 changes, Historic Macon has coalesced again into an incredibly dynamic organization doing amazing and varied work all around the mid-state – that’s been the case for the nearly half-century the organization has been around, though, and Garlington and his staff acknowledge and appreciate that ingrained longstanding work ethic and commitment to preservation and community. According to Garlington,

Opposite Page: The staff of Historic Macon (Director Ethiel Garlington center); Industrial Heritage Bike Tour; Macon’s Fading Five (The Porter House after its move); Macon’s Music Registry location marker at Grant’s Lounge

many preservation societies are only able to complete one single-family home rehabilitation per year (or even every other year) – this does help neighborhoods, and ideally creates a ripple effect, but Historic Macon’s track record of rehabbing fifteen or so homes per year every year is unheard of. “The way we work is different from most organizations,” Garlington says. “We focus on one neighborhood at a time and really invest resources and laser-focus human capital and financial capital into that neighborhood, because we’ve learned over the past 30 years that’s what works best.” Just drive through Beall’s Hill, the historic neighborhood adjacent to Mercer University in downtown Macon that has been Historic Macon’s focus for the past few years, and you can see the hard work in action. The historic homes and lower-income housing that once sat blighted and neglected are now vibrant and lovely; the diverse neighborhood allows residents to walk to nearby schools, colleges, parks, and restaurants, and the changes have been implemented carefully and sustainably. Design, Wine & Dine, Historic Macon’s week-long signature fundraiser and lifestyle festival, was centered around a ‘show house’ in Beall’s Hill this past year; after the house was renovated, local designers were invited to exhibit their talents within, with a focus on upcycling and mixing flea-market finds with showroom pieces. The fundraiser also holds several other events that showcase local food and drink – “The cool thing is that every year we do it, there are more new restaurants, new bars, more new things happening that we can help promote,” says Garlington. This past year’s fundraiser featured a Piedmont Brewery-hosted dinner with beer pairings, which was a fun way for locals to get a taste of the soon-to-be-open restaurant’s fares, and useful for Piedmont in that they got to experiment with their food, drinks, and pairings on a happily captive audience. “Another thing we like to do is get people into really cool houses and private residences that they may not have an opportunity to see inside unless they know that person,” says Emily Hopkins, speaking of the Design, Wine & Dine dinner held in Shannon Fickling’s home this past year. 2017 will see a continuing expansion of this signature fundraiser, with many more opportunities for locals to explore historic properties and enjoy delicious food and drinks, all for a fantastic cause. Historic Macon’s Flea Market, the longest-running tradition in the organization’s history, will have its 40th anniversary in 2017 – with its successful move this past year to a permanent location on Oglethorpe Street next door to Macon Beer Company, plans are already in the works to make this year’s market a memorable one. The Music Registry, a documentation project in partnership with Rock Candy Tours, NewTown Macon, and GABBA that celebrates and commemorates Macon’s rich music history via plaques placed at significant music-related locales around town, unveiled its first round of markers in September of 2016; the next round will be installing soon, and Historic Macon is on the lookout for individuals or businesses who might be interested in purchasing or sponsoring a plaque. Another Historic Macon program that continues to be important is the Fading Five – this is a tool that preservation organizations across the country use to create awareness about historic properties threatened by neglect or possible demolition. Each year, five properties are chosen to be included on the list, and those properties remain on the list until they are considered ‘saved’ by the preservation committee. The inaugural list for Macon was published in 2015, and four out of those five properties have left the list so far. “This gets us working in a lot of different neighborhoods,” Hopkins says. “It’s also attracted more funding, because people want to donate to buildings in their neighborhood, so it helps us do more grassroots fundraising.” The list of projects and events Historic Macon has its hands in could go on and on – it’s a testament to the vibrant, impassioned leadership of Garlington and his team that the organization continues to grow, spread, and diversify, with no slowing down in sight. Programs like the low-interest loans and the tax credit program (impressively, Historic Macon has done more tax credit projects than anyone in the state for four years in a row) give homeowners incentives to preserve, restore, and rehabilitate their historic properties, while projects like the Neighborhood Incubator, funded by a Knight Cities Challenge Grant, work to help historic neighborhoods organize and staff neighborhood associations and preserve the integrity of their infrastructure. Macon is doubly fortunate – first, we get to live amongst so much beautiful, rare, striking history, and second, we have an organization like Historic Macon in place to help us preserve that history with the care and respect it deserves. For information on Historic Macon’s programs, projects, advocacy, how to volunteer, or anything else you might want to know, please visit them on the web at www.historicmacon.org - BY TRACI BURNS

Community Foundation of Central Georgia Announces 22 New Projects Awarded from Downtown Challenge Fund The Community Foundation of Central Georgia today announced the second round of funded projects from the Downtown Challenge, a three-year, $3 million grant program funding community-driven ideas to transform Downtown Macon, also known as the city’s urban core that stretches from the central business district to surrounding historic neighborhoods. The Downtown Challenge is administered by the Community Foundation of Central Georgia and was made possible by the Peyton Anderson Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; each provided $1.5 million in support. Sixty-six applications were reviewed and scored according to the funding priorities of the Macon Action Plan (MAP), a five-year strategic plan designed to improve Macon’s urban core and respond to four community needs and opportunities detailed in the plan. We’ve compiled some of the winning projects below. There are four more grant cycles, with the next deadline for applications on March 15, 2017. Public information sessions offering tips on applying to the Downtown Challenge will be announced in the weeks leading up to the March 2017 deadline. To apply, visit downtownchallengemacon.org. “Economic Development”: 1. Health Care Incubator, $40,000: Mercer University’s Innovation Center will be able to support two early stage medical device and health IT start-ups with equity investments of up to $20,000 in exchange for intellectual property with this grant. The idea meets a need in 1.1 (a) of MAP to promote an Urban Core Health District. 2.MMacon Bike Biz, $9,500: Bike Walk Macon will take the initiative to accommodate customers who travel by bicycle to various businesses in the Urban Core by adding new bike racks. Businesses who participate in the program will provide incentives to patrons who arrive on bike. The idea meets a need in 1.2 (e) of MAP to promote customer attraction. “Experience”: 3. Removal of Abandoned and Blighted Signs, $10,000: The Main Street Macon Design Committee will work with the County, businesses and a private contractor to remove abandoned, out-of-date and blighted signs. The idea meets a need in 2.1 (a) of MAP to enhance the comfort and appeal of the urban core’s public realm with expanded streetscaping efforts. 4. Installation of recycling and trash receptacles in Downtown Macon, $45,000: Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful will install 30 recycling stations and 30 trash receptacles in downtown. The idea meets a need in 2.1 (b) of MAP to introduce additional trash, recycling, and maintenance efforts. 5. Cotton Avenue Plaza, $20,000: NewTown Macon will host a two-day, pop-up pedestrian plaza on Cotton Avenue. The space will be activated by temporarily closing part of Cotton Avenue and adding outdoor seating, landscaping and yard games. The idea meets a need in 2.2 (b) of MAP to improve and expand open spaces in the urban core to create a central gathering space. 6. Riverside Drive Scoping Study, $85,000: The Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Department will work with a design firm to develop a streetscape improvement plan for Riverside Drive from MLK Jr. Blvd. to Madison Street. This plan will include a greenway and intersection safety improvements for cyclists and pedestrians. The idea meets a need in 2.2 (c) of MAP to integrate the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail as a key downtown amenity. 7. Macon’s Haunted History, $2,500: Historic Macon will collect ghost stories from Macon’s urban core and curate them into a guided walking tour, which will speak of Macon’s mysterious, compelling past. The idea meets a need in 2.3

(a) of MAP to maintain support for existing events and add new events. 8. Macon’s Industrial Heritage Bike Tour Brochure and Unveiling, $4,000: Historic Macon will host a free trolley tour event of Macon’s industrial district to unveil the self-guided bike tour brochure. The idea meets a need in 2.3 (a) of MAP to maintain support for existing events and add new events. 9. Reviving the Cotton Avenue Revival Festival, $10,000: Historic Macon Foundation has connected with elected officials, church leaders, and business owners in the neighborhood to revitalize the unique Cotton Avenue Revival Festival, along one of Macon’s most historic streets. The idea meets a need in 2.3 (a) of MAP to maintain support for existing events and add new events. 10. Tubman African Drum Circle, $11,000: The Tubman African American Museum will purchase drums and begin hosting the Tubman Drum Circle every second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. in front of the Tubman Museum on Cherry Street. Two Master African drummers will teach musical drum classes. The idea meets a need in 2.3 (a) of MAP to maintain support for existing events and add new events. 11. Downtown Gateway Signage Plan, $ 10,000: NewTown Macon will facilitate the creation of strategic gateway signage design plans for Downtown Macon. The idea meets a need in 2.5 (a) of MAP to brand Macon’s Urban Core. “Living” funding priority are: 12. Maconites: The Stories of Our People, $5,700: Lead by Susannah Maddux, Maconites will tell the story of our city through the people who live here. In a similar format to Humans of New York, special highlighted stories of Maconites will be posted on a website, Instagram and Facebook. The idea meets a need in 3.1 (c) of MAP to welcome new residents as members of a close-knit community. 13. Downtown Housing for Mercer Innovation Center Fellows, $24,000: As the Mercer Innovation Center (MIC) creates a culture of entrepreneurship on campus and fuels start-up activity in Macon, this project will provide housing for two MIC fellows within the boundaries of downtown as defined in the Macon Action Plan. The idea meets a need in 3.1 (c) of MAP to welcome new residents as members of a closeknit community. 14. Bike Repairs Stations, $2,200: NewTown Macon will purchase and install two Dero Fixit bike repair stations in public areas of Downtown Macon. The idea meets a need in 4.3 (b) of MAP to improve bicycle infrastructure. 11thHourOnline.com 13

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What Pinstrikes Where 4318 Sheraton Drive Open Nov. 29 - Dec. 23

Holiday Survival Tips:

here’s something thrilling about the specific combination of sensory input that hits you when you first walk into an arcade – between the chorus of video-game noises, the bright blinking lights, and the familiar retro graphics of the games themselves, you can’t help feeling like an excited little kid again. Head into Pin Strikes, the new family bowling entertainment center on Sheraton Drive in Macon, if you’re craving a taste of that kind of escapism – in addition to the arcade, they also offer bowling, bumper cars, laser tag, pool, and so much more. It’s a great destination for anyone, adult or kid, who could use a little more interactive, vibrant fun in their day. “When my kids first walked in the door here, their eyes got so wide and they said ‘Oh my gosh, we LOVE Mommy’s new job!’” says Molly McWilliams Wilkins, Pin Strikes’ Director of Sales and Marketing. “And it really is nice to have a place where you can have fun and cut up and be a kid again.” It’s true that the giant Pac-Man will send most adults of a certain age right into childhood Atari nostalgia, and the oversized Connect Four game will get competition going on a grand scale. When you’ve had your fill of shooting at targets on screens in the arcade, you can head into the Balladium, a black-lit arena where you can shoot neon foam balls into targets above your opponent’s head (and, ok, maybe AT your opponent every now and then). Bumper cars, laser tag, and a rock climbing wall are also available for full-body immersive entertainment. Then, of course, there’s the bowling – 28 lanes of family-friendly fun for competitors of all skill levels. In its first month of being open, local response to Pin Strikes has been so enthusiastic that Wilkins highly recommends calling to reserve lanes ahead of time.

14 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

1. Get out of the house for family fun 2. Knock down pins, not your sibling 3. Nerf never hurts, or a little alcohol

There’s also a VIP room available, with eight lanes of bowling in a space that’s completely separate from the main room. This VIP area is available for rent as part of several different packages, and is adjacent to the full-service bar and billiards area of the complex. If all that ball-rolling gets you hungry, Splitz Bar & Grill is available to take care of you – they have everything from baskets of fries and other appetizers to kids’ meals to pizzas, salads, and sandwiches. Pin Strikes is also available for birthday parties and corporate get-togethers – the wide variety of entertainment makes it an ideal celebration destination for kids of any age, and it’s also a great way for business owners and managers to treat their employees to a night of stress-relieving fun. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, give them a call and ask for Molly – she’s willing and available to help you work out the deal that best suits your group and your budget. Fundraising events are an important aspect of Pin Strikes’ operation, and Molly is also available to help coordinate them – whether you’d like to host a charity event at the venue, or sell Pin Strikes game cards via your organization, she can help figure out the ideal way to meet your needs and have fun in the process. The cathartic good times available at this kind of multifaceted entertainment complex bring a new and much-needed social option to middle Georgia; keep your eyes peeled for Pin Strikes’ upcoming specials, deals, and events. “I’m excited to see everybody,” says Wilkins, “And please, don’t hesitate to call with any questions.” With that kind of enthusiastic, personalized customer service, you can’t go wrong booking Pin Strikes for your next party, event, or night out. For more information visit PinStrikes2.com.

PAJAMA BRUNCH SUNDAY, DEC 18 Join us in your favorite PJ's for brunch from 11-3 PM on Dec. 18. All kids will receive a t-shirt as well.

BRUNCH

Saturday & Sunday 11-3 Housemade Specialties, Full Bar Open 7 days a week at 11am

(478) 305-7703 468 Second Street

11thHourOnline.com 15

Travis Jean

Jack & Darcy Karats & Keepsakes

Plethora of Cuffs at Karats & Keepsakes

THE 11TH HOUR

LOCAL

HOLIDAY

GIFT GUIDE

Help your loved one quit smoking this Christmas with vapor products from Stormy’s Vapor Cellar.

20% off storewide Dec. 16-18! Karats & Keepsakes

Travis Jean

The Shaolin Warriors at The Grand Opera House March 26

Locally Made! Valor Candles

Masculine scented candles like the Fairway, Leather, Humidor and the popular and award-winning Oak & Boubon. $15. Available at Travis Jean and Amanda Jane Salon & Spa

Santa's Artisan & Edible Gift Baskets

Created at Travis Jean featuring Georgia made products from pickles to olive oil. Event Space for Holiday Parties also available! Travisjean.com 478-508-3382

Tiffany (& More) Designer Glasses

Nothing says Merry Christmas AND I love you like that little blue box! Available now at DePoe Eye Center 5451 Bowman Rd. Open Mon-Fri 9am-5:30

The Downtown Grill

Give the gift of a good meal! Gift certiﬁcates available to Macon’s favorite- alley dining experience. So much more than a ﬁne steakhouse! 562 Mulberry Street Ln

Boutique Clothing, Local Owners

Browse our local storefronts this holiday season including Jack & Darcy and Daimarrii’s in Ingleside Village and Karat’s & Keepsakes and Rumor on Forsyth. Find everything from hot chokers and stackable bangles, ﬂoppy hats and designer clothing and accessories.

Holiday Shopping in the Village

Find everything from antiques and treasures, to boutique clothing, ﬁne art, hand-painted

Downtown Grill

ornaments, pottery, art classes and so much more! Historic Ingleside Village. Shop local artisans at the Middle Georgia Art Association.

For your karate kid

Tickets make great stock stuffers, and a ticket to The Grand’s March 2017 presentation of the legendary Shaolin Warriors is a perfect gift for your hard-to-shop-for tween. Print tickets at home via their website TheGrandMacon.com or visit the box ofﬁce at 651 Mulberry.

ARTIST MARKETS Holiday Artists' Market at Middle GA Art Association Thru December 23

Give the gift of local art! Come shop with us at our annual Holiday Artists' Market. Twelve local artists will have handmade items for sale. Choose from paintings, photography, stained glass, ceramics, jewelry, and much more.

16 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

Handmade Holiday Gift Shop at The Gallery at Macon Arts Alliance

Thru December 28, Join us for the Handmade Holiday Gift Shop at the Macon Arts Alliance! We will be featuring ornaments, cards, scarves, gloves, turned wood pens, pottery, glass, paintings, photography, furniture, jewlery, and more!

JACK & DARCY BOUTIQUE

T H E S H O P S AT H I S T O R I C

- IN THE SPOTLIGHT -

The Village welcomes GEORGIA MARKET HOUSE!

F R O M A N T I Q U E S TO B O U T I Q U E S , T H E V I L L A G E W E L C O M E S YO U TO S H O P, E X P L O R E & L I V E W E L L I N M AC O N ’ S M I D TOW N V I L L AG E ANTIQUES

BOUTIQUES

Antiques at Ingleside The Antique Centre

Daemarii's Unique Boutique

SHOP

LIVE WELL

William’s Fun Smart Toys The Frame Shop & Gallery If It’s Paper - Lamps by Ingleside Middle GA Art Association

Sparrow Hair Salon Trained by Cain Your Doctor’s Immediate Care The Village Marketplace The Naturlista Make-Up Bar

HOME IMPROVEMENT

DINE

Malone’s Fabrics Warno-Cam Paints

Chefspring Joe D’s 11thHourOnline.com 17

18 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

OpEd

Respect Our Police 2016 can’t come to an end fast enough for Georgia police officers as they have had the worst year in recent memory as there have been to date as eight officers, most of which were from Middle Georgia, were killed in the line of duty. Nationally, there have been 64 total so quick math will tell you that we have 1/8th of the national total and ranks 4th in the nation in officer fatalities only behind Texas, California and Louisiana. These statistics are mind blowing and prompts the question: What the hell is going on in our country and especially in our state and how can we stop the insanity? My more liberal friends at this point would probably say that gun control would be a step in the right direction. As a conservative I am as anti-gun control as it gets and certainly am in favor of everyone’s right to bear arms as given to us by our Founding Fathers in the Second Amendment, but I break from some of my ultra-right wing friends who say that everyone should have access to any type of gun they want including assault weapons such as AR-15’s and the like. The framers of our Constitution gave us the rights to bear arms but they had no idea that something as deadly as an assault weapon would be invented. The average citizen does not need this type of weapon to protect themselves or their families and also does not need one to hunt with. Thomas Paine, one of our Founding Fathers, said it best: “The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand arms, like laws, discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as property. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside … Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them.” Unfortunately, “horrid mischief ” has already ensued right here in Byron, Georgia, a place where I spend over half of my life as Byron is where my office is located. To say that it these shootings has hit close to home is an understatement. In the last month two Peach County Sheriffs have been killed while two Byron Police Officers were shot and by the grace of God, not killed. The two Sheriffs who were killed, Deputy Sheriffs Daryl Smallwood and Patrick Michael Sondron, were killed by a lunatic who shot at them over 50 times in a matter of minutes. I hope the son of a bitch who did it dies a horrible death for what he did to not only these brave officers and their families but what he did to our community, which is still flying blue striped flags up and down Georgia Highway 49 in their support. A few days ago two Byron Police Officers, James Wynn and Will Patterson, were shot but thankfully have recovered. The selfish bastard who resisted arrest wasn’t as lucky as he didn’t make it out alive, although very luckily, his girlfriend and baby did. Thank God this guy wasn’t armed with an assault rifle or the outcome might not have been the same. Our society has become violent in al-

Deputy Sheriff Daryl Smallwood

most every aspect. The movies that we watch that are rated PG or PG-13 today would have been R rated when I was a child merely because of the brutal nature they have and most certainly because of the barbarity they depict. The video games of my era were either sport natured or shooting up a space ship. Now they are so lifelike you can almost feel guys’ guts you’re shooting up. Is it any wonder our children are growing up with so little respect for life? And don’t get me started on the “music”… I refuse to reprint any of the lyrics, but Google some of Kanye West’s garbage. If you really want a chill to run up your spine, Google the most violent rap lines. You probably won’t leave your house again. How in the world can our police officers do their job and protect us while they are worried that every traffic stop or every knock on a door could provoke someone into a deadly altercation? How in the world can our police protect us when they’re worried that they could get fired for shooting someone who is holding a knife, a gun or any other deadly weapon or at the very least cause a whole city to explode with protests against their actions? Things cannot continue like they are or we won’t have people who want to get into law enforcement and those who are already protecting us will start bailing out. Who could blame them? Is every law enforcement officer a saint? Of course not and there are certainly examples of police brutality that is not warranted as well as officers who abuse their authority in various manners including using deadly force when it is not necessary. Every police officer in the United States is governed by some type of oversight. It is their job to make certain that these officers are dealt with. They don’t need the additional burden of a city rioting and protesting to get them to look into matters. Are there any easy answers to this epidemic of fatal police shootings that we are faced with in growing numbers? I sincerely doubt it. But the next time you see a law enforcement officer standing in line in the store or out in public, take the time to thank them. Think about their children and their families and what they could be sacrificing at home if they don’t make it back that day while they are protecting you and your family.

FOR SALE 113 Rivoli Oaks Circle - 3BR/2BA - $142,900

FEATURED PROPERTY: 120 Ocmulgee Springs

Brick Beauty!

$299,900

3684 Ridge Ave - 4BR/2BA - $159,900

Ocmulgee Riverfront Home! Two person kayak included. Huge backyard & a beautiful updated kitchen. Live the easy life on the river!

Call Mindy for all your real estate needs.

New Listing!

943 Boulevard - 3BR/2BA - $89,900

MINDY ATTAWAY Cell (478) 501-7474 | Office 420-0023 Mindy@thebrokery.net

Bill Knowles is a Macon native and member of the Republican Party. More of his thoughts on local and national news can be read on his blog at WeArePolitics.com 11thHourOnline.com 19

SANDWICHES • SALADS • SOUPS

Catering!

EASY TO ORDER. EASY TO SERVE.

Thursday

LOBSTER NIGHT 624 New St (One block from Navicent) 478. 745.7659 • Mon-Fri 10a-6p and Sat 11a-3p

OrderRolyPoly.com

WIN 2016 A

CHEVY CRUZ OR MALIBU!

6TH ANNUAL

2242 Ingleside Ave

Backburnermacon.com

Reservations are not required but are recommended. 478-746-3336

PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

MoyoFoundation.com Drawing held Dec. 23! RAFFLE TICKETS

JUST $25!

OR $10,000 CASH OPTION!

CAR RAFFLE to benefit the

Motivating Youth Foundation Scholarship Fund and Omega Psi Phi Scholarship Fund

OTHER GREAT PRIZES: 2nd: $1000 gift card 3rd: $500 gift card

FOR MORE INFORMATION

CALL ROGER JACKSON: 478-320-4756 20 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

Our after-school program provides opportunities for youth to excel in school through hands-on tutoring, online tutoring, motivation, rap sessions, character building, and one-on-one group mentoring through social and athletic field trips. As a former NFL professional football player, Roger Jackson is committed to using his resources to positively influence the lives of youth in Macon, GA.

Ticket Locations:

Habersham Records All branches MidSouth Credit Union Ken’s Stereo / WR & Macon Elite Fitness / Gray Youman’s Chevrolet Overtyme Bar & Grill

Happy Hour Everyday 4-7pm $1.75 Beers & $6 Domestic Pitchers

Tuesdays

Kids eat free with adult meal purchase!

Wednesdays Trivia at 8pm

Drink specials & prizes

Thursdays Live Music

Saturdays College Night

Show your student ID and receive 15% off your check

Sundays

Bloody Mary Bar

$3 Bloody Marys and Mimosas from 12:30-5pm

2440 RIVERSIDE DR, MACON

478-745-8980 - WE DELIVER! New menu online: Locosgrill.com

11thHourOnline.com 21

the creek spin report 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

by Jamie Saunders

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Jamestown Revival - Poor Man’s Gold Whitey Morgan - Waitin’ Round to Die Jesse Dayton - Daddy Was a Badass Marcus King Band - Ain‘t Nothin’ Wrong with That Brent Cobb - South of Atlanta Hiss Golden Messenger - Biloxi Tami Neilson- So Far Away Mavis Staples - Will the Circle be Unbroken

John Prine - I’m Telling You Ryan Bingham - Back By the River Chuck Leavell - Traveling Mood (Live) Dwight Yoakam - What I Don’t Know The Record Company - Rita Mae Young Mandolin Orange - Wildﬁre Justin Wells - So Far Away Paul Cauthen - Still Drivin Shovels & Rope - Mourning Song

Now Playing On The Creek

JESSE DAYTON

Jesse Dayton’s The Revealer kicks into high gear immediately with “Daddy Was A Badass” and never slows down as his Beaumont roots make up a fun, rough and tumble album for the rockabilly enthusiast. “We went into this legendary old studio where George Jones, Doug Sahm, Freddy Fender and Jerry Lee Lewis all cut hits,” Dayton told The 11th Hour. Dayton has come a long way from his days of sitting in the background playing guitar for the likes of Johnny, Waylon and Willie and with The Revealer, the born storyteller spins tales that stretch from the hysterical “Possum Ran Over My Grave” to the straight-up absurd “3 Pecker Goat.” “The songs are about all the crazy characters, some strangers, friends and yes, even family, I grew up with in East Texas. This record is a real look into my soul. I kind of have survivor’s guilt because I made it out of where I was raised and so many didn't,” Dayton explains. The Revealer came out in September and is a must-have for any punk rock- country enthusiast. “We're on the longest national tour right now that I've ever done. Working our way thru the snowy Rust Belt. The last three shows were sold out.” Dayton also just played a show with Blackberry Smoke at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

TAMI NEILSON

Tami Neilson’s voice echoes out of the speakers on “Don’t Be Afriad,” the first track on her album of the same name, like a Blues legend from an era we’ve yet to be blessed with, sending chills down your spine while simultaneously warming you up inside like a tray of brownies baking in the oven. “This was the last song that my Dad ever wrote. While in the hospital, he would show the lyrics he’d had Mom type out for him to everyone and tell them excitedly about this blues song he was working on. He couldn’t breathe without an oxygen mask and could barely speak, let alone sing…this vibrant man with the most powerful voice I’ve ever heard,” explains Neilson. Her own soulful pipes continue to fill up a room as Neilson bellows out her feelings of grief and joy over the last years of her life, starting with the loss of her beloved father and the birth of her two sons in back-to-back years. One notable song of loss on the album, “Heavy Hearts,” especially hits home for Neilson, written in the time when the singer knew the loss of her father was eminent. “This song was the 20-hour plane ride to Canada, flying with my 6-month old baby in my arms, filled with worry and returning a month later, filled with grief. I remember thinking that if grief was counted as weight, I wouldn’t have been allowed on the flight.”

EXCLUSIVE SHOWS ONLY HEARD ON THE CREEK

LOVE CHILD CK OF RO Show Sp o or ns

JESSICA WALDEN Honky Tonk Hell, TUESDAYS AT 7PM Honky Tonk Hell is home to the pioneers and architects of Americana. Here, you’ll ﬁnd atomic hillbillies, buckets of blues, and the restless rebels of early rock n’ roll. Hop the mystery train as it rolls out of the Golden Age of old time radio. Host Aaron Irons is a Virginia native; but now calls Macon, Georgia home.

Autoholics Anonymous, SATURDAYS AT 8AM Hosted by the Average Squad, this is a show dedicated to all things automotive. On the hour-long program the guys will tackle current topics of the automotive industry, car buying debates and recommendations, listener-submitted questions, interviews, auto maintenance tips and tricks, and local car related events.

LIVEATLOFTS.COM

THECREEKFM.COM

Love Child of Rock, THURSDAYS AT 7PM You can’t pick your parents, but you can select your soundtrack. Host Jessica Walden is the co-owner of Rock Candy Tours, a Macon music history tour company that formed from her own family tales and celebrated southern music heritage. Find out just how far the apple can fall when music shakes up the family tree.

STREAM ONLINE anytime at TheCreekFM.com 22 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

Gospel Gothic, SUNDAYS AT 9:30AM Gospel Gothic explores faith through the themes of Americana music. Listen is as we talk about sin, grace, and redemption as we intertwine religion and Americana. The culture of Macon has been inspired by preachers, writers, and musicians that have shaped the Southern lexicon and imagination.

Photos LUKE USRY

REBOOT RETRO CADE

CRAZY BULL

11thHourOnline.com 23

24 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

HOMEMADE DOUGH, FRESH TOPPINGS!

TUES-SAT LUNCH & DINNER SUN DINNER

LARGE CRAFT BEER SELECTION!

Dine In or Call Ahead for Carry-Out

750-8488 - 2395 Ingleside Ave This isn’t a dream...

Now Serving Dinner Friday & Saturday Evenings! Come see us!

It’s Downtown Grill.

562 Mulberry St. Lane Downtown Macon Weekdays 5-9:30pm Sat 5-10:30pm

Perfect Pairings

LIVE MUSIC FIRST FRIDAY!

DINNER

FRIDAY & SATURDAY

1/2 off select bottles WE DELIVER! of wine on Wednesdays

Hours

Mon-Fri 11-3, Fri 5-9, Sat 11:30-9

New Menu Items! JAMBALAYA HUSHPUPPIES - BUFFALO SHRIMP

CRAWFISH BOUDIN - JEZEBEL SAUSAGE

SALMON BURGER - SOFT SHELL CRAB 470 THIRD STREET • (478) 292.2085

11thHourOnline.com 25

NOW OPEN!

THE ULTIMATE BOWLING & ENTERTAINMENT

DESTINATION IN MACON!

• 28-Lane Bowling Alley • 2-Story Laser Tag Arena

LARGEST IN THE SOUTHEAST! • 60-Game Arcade • Rock Climbing Wall • Bumper Cars • Balladium Black Light Arena! • Outdoor Patio

ONE-OF-A-KIND

VIP ROOM

WITH 4D TECHNOLOGY!

BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY OR EVENT TODAY!

SPLITZVILLE BAR & GRILL

LANE SIDE DINING! FULL SERVICE BAR Hand-tossed pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, wings & more!

& RESTAURANT

4318 Sheraton Dr, Macon

(478) 812-8655 • PinStrikes2.com 26 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

SUN-THUR: 10a - 11p FRI & SAT: 10a - 1a

I N T E RV I E W b y J A M I E S A U N D E R S

THE REVEREND HORTON HEAT T

his Saturday, December 17, the Cox Capitol Theatre will be hosting the Godfather of Rockabilly, The Reverend Horton Heat. Come join The Creek and The 11th Hour for this truly unique show with a legend and his incredible band as they put their spin on Outlaw Country for the city of Macon.

You’re on tour right now with Unknown Hinson, Nashville P*ssy and Lucky Tubb- how’s everything going out there? It’s going real well. We’ve been having good ticket sales, playing a lot of good rooms, we just missed a lot of bad weather up in the Northeast and so it’s been good.

What do you feel initially drew you to Rockabilly music or influenced you to put this punk/ hard rock spin on Outlaw Country music? I liked Outlaw Country back before it was really called that, back in the 70’s with Willie Nelson, Asleep At The Wheel, Waylon Jennings, Jerry Jeff Walker but a lot of that wasn’t really my style. I started focusing on Rockabilly… I guess it was a transition. I really discovered the Blues when I was a kid, trying to learn how to play Blues and I ended up being a lead guitar player in a Rock N’ Roll band. I was just always drawn to the mid-century American stuff, and not just music, but the style, and the cars and all that. When I really started evaluating, high energy Rock N’ Roll is what it’s all about. Listen man, Little Richard pounding straight eights on the piano, Jerry Lee Lewis pounding straight eights on the piano, man, that’s Rock N’ Roll. To me, that kind of energy got lost eventually. In the 50’s, Blues and Rock N’ Roll, that led me to Rockabilly. Of course, growing up, I knew about Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and that kind of music, there’s just something about it man, that’s kind of hard to describe. Then at some point I decided it was better to try and use Rockabilly as a platform rather than as the be all, end all. That helped Reverend Horton Heat have an open mind. If I come up with some lick that doesn’t sound Rockabilly at all, then if the guys like it, well then great, it’s fun to play, but it still falls into the Reverend Horton Heat Rockabilly thing. Y’all have been rocking for a little over thirty years now, take me through what this journey has been like for you. Well, it’s been really long. I’ve actually been doing it for lon-

ger than thirty years. My first band tour of the region of the United States was, I hate to admit this, but it was 1978. I’ve done a lot of years with a band, and I’ve done a lot of years on the tour bus, but it’s been a dream career man. You have a very high-energy sound and that gets coupled with a very passionate and rambunctious fan base, tell me about the craziest show you have ever played. A lot of them are crazy. One good story that really defines our career is, you know, once I got Jimbo [Wallace] in the band, my bass player who’s probably been with me about 27 years, but once I got him he was real gung-ho about doing gigs; he didn’t ask questions, he didn’t try to micromanage the gigs, he didn’t say, “Well, how much are we getting paid,” or, “Is it worth it,” and blah blah blah. Our first tour of the west coast we got some gigs in Southern California, and we made it over there and there was some guy who was going to get us gigs in Seattle. Well, on our way to California, we found out the guy probably didn’t have any gigs for us, or was still working on the gigs for Seattle. We had time blocked out to drive up there, and long story short, all of those gigs fell through. We went to Seattle anyway. Jimbo was all gung-ho, “Let’s go to Seattle!” Okay, let’s go to Seattle, let’s go anyway. It was a happening scene coming online. We got up there, and we didn’t have any gigs, we were running out of money quick, and some people let us stay on their floor. The really nice people that we were staying with, one of these guy’s apartment, had a couple of Rock N’ Roll connections. He got us added on to a show that we weren’t going to get paid for but at least we got to play. Well, on that show the band quit early and they came to us like, “You guys gotta go on now, come on!” We went on and played like four or five songs, and about the fifth song, Jimbo busted a bass string. He tried to just rip it off with his hand and it just- I didn’t see all this happen- but it just made a giant gash on his hand. I look over there and he’s playing with the three strings he has left and blood is just

Listen man, Little Richard pounding straight eights on the piano, Jerry Lee Lewis pounding straight eights on the piano, man, that’s Rock N’ Roll. To me, that kind of energy got lost eventually. In the 50’s, Blues and Rock N’ Roll, that led me to Rockabilly. spurting everywhere. The look on the crowd’s face, they were shocked. The song had this break where we stopped, and I yelled “It’s a psychabilly freakout!” and we started playing the song again. I stopped and looked over at him and he walked right up to the center of the stage and took all the blood from his hand and he made a big cross down his nose and across his eyes with blood. He looked at me and he said, “Go!” I said, “It’s a psychabilly freakout!” and we kept playing and we won the crowd over. The guys from Sub Pop Records were there and we got signed. I’m sure you never had a problem finding a gig in Seattle after that. Yeah, we always did well in Seattle. Seattle, they love music there. Do you feel pressure to change what you’ve been doing and keep up with the times in any way with the Americana genre growing so fast? Well, no. No, because we’ve outlasted so many scenes, so many scenes have come and gone while we just continue to do what we do. We’re lucky. I was able to find a certain, specific style, a framework that is Reverend Horton Heat. I don’t need to toy with that at all. I just keep to that, and I find fresh stuff within that genre because for me, it’s not really that hard to do. Like any artist, I see what other people are doing and think “that’s pretty cool,” but I don’t go there. A lot of that is driven by jealousy, bands get jealous of other bands because they get big and so they start doing that. I don’t really worry about that too much. When I was really getting into Rockabilly, I moved into this warehouse, art gallery type of place and I lived there and I got exposed to a lot of different types of artists and I noticed that artists, really good ones, I mean these people had degrees and were art teachers and whatever, but they would come up with their own style and you would see the same types of things in all of their artwork, because they were trying to find their own voice, you know? It made me realize like, if you’re a painter, then you do a portrait somewhat like a Rembrandt, and on the next project you do a landscape like a Monet, and the next one is abstract, you have to find your voice. When I started living there I realized, you know what, Rockabilly, that’s my voice. And it wasn’t just Rockabilly, it was the blues too. What’s ahead for you in 2017? We’re doing all sorts of crazy stuff. I’m doing a solo tour with Dale Watson, he’s a really great country guy. I’ve been doing stuff in my little studio with other artists. We got a bunch of festivals coming in this next year, but the recording of a new Reverend Horton Heat album is getting really weird and hard because we’ve been doing a lot of these shows where we have guests come sit in with us and we’re having to learn all these people’s material. And that’s fun, like on this particular trip in Macon and Atlanta, we have Unknown Hinson, well he’s been with us the whole trip. Unknown is great and we already know all of his songs, we’re just doing a lot of stuff where we back-up people. Man, I tell you, we’re just spending some much time touring I just don’t know when this next album is going to get the work it needs to get. It’s a lot of work making an album [laughing]. 11thHourOnline.com 27

28 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

RAISING THE BAR Featuring

Fine wine, craft beer, locally-sourced cocktails, live music, great food, creative people and much more

HEATHER ETHRIDGE

Wild Wing Cafe

Meet Your Bartender I like to make all types of mixed drinks. It’s fun to experiment with all of the different types of liquors and mixes!

My least favorite drink to make would be any type of frozen drink. When I started working at Wild Wing, I was so excited to learn that they didn’t own a blender. It takes up too much time when you’re busy and most people complain about not being able to taste the alcohol. It’s annoying. The best way to get a busy bartenders attention is to definitely wait your turn- I promise we see you!! Do not shake your glass or scream “hey!” across the bar. That’s going to make us wait on someone else before you. You are not the only customer in there! My husband and I love to eat at the Rookery. I always get the Big-O burger! It’s by far my favorite. When I’m not at work, all of my time is devoted to my 5 year old son. He is definitely my priority. I would like to see more “mom and pop” restaurants come to Macon. I love going to non-chain restaurants and experiencing different types of foods.

11thHourOnline.com 29

L I V E & L O C A L by A N D R E A M A R LOW E

MEET THE WIDOW PILLS

Nathan Garrett, Chris Nylund, Daniel Strickland, Denny Hanson, Jared Wright Widow Pills could scarcely be deemed as an alternative country band. Although lap steel solos are teeming in quite a few of their songs, and lead singer and acoustic guitarist, Nathan Garrett’s voice has a boisterous southern charm that can’t be denied, the group has wrangled in elements from punk, garage rock, and even psychedelic undertones that show off their diverse music backgrounds. Many of their songs seem to be a hazy dark dream of the South, walking through misty Georgia pines, each tree topped with an ominous crow eyeing your every move. While other songs are brandished with the right amount of unruly raucous. Widow Pills, who also includes Chris Nylund (electric guitar/lap steel), Daniel Strickland (bass), Denny Hanson (drums) and Jared Wright (electric guitar), took a backseat to the stage life but has been working on some new tunes. They announced their comeback to the stage, opening for Aaron Lee Tasjan this Friday at The Hummingbird Stage and Taproom. I talked with the band about what they’ve been working on, hashtags, and city dumps. Tell me how Widow Pills started. Nathan: That’s a tough one. It’s a drunken blur. We had a vision that danger was coming and it just all panned out that way. It’s just the way it went down. Chris: Well weren’t you and Daniel working out some songs that you’d been playing for a while? Then I remember running into you at The Hummingbird. I remember approaching you about doing a Misfits all acoustics cover band. And that never happened. Then I ended up coming over and hanging out with you and Daniel and we started working on some stuff and we eventually found a drummer and then that whole saga started. Did y’all have a vision as far as the sound? Nathan: I know initially we wanted to go for tried and true honky tonk. But none of the songs that were written ever sounded honky tonk. Chris: We just kind of fell into the sound. I mean there was not much logic behind it. This isn’t honky tonk but this is actually pretty alright.

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Southern rock kind of way. Can you talk to me about that? Nathan: I mean I didn’t intend it. I mean it all seemed to come out. That’s the way I felt. Chris: We didn’t have a diagram or a pie chart or anything like that. But I think because of where we’re all from and what we listen to and what we like there is a distinctive southerness to it. Denny: I feel the term Southern Gothic is overused but a lot of the songs give me imagery of Flannery O’Connor, moss trees, birds picking at carcasses and shit. Chris: Right. I mean none of us celebrated the presidential election. So that part of the Southern experience didn’t really happen with this.

What new music have you been working on and do you think your style has changed at all? Chris: I think it’s evolved certainly since we first started. And you know I’m pretty sure we’ve tried out almost every drummer in the middle Georgia area. But once we once we brought Denny into it a lot of it was just kind of going over the songs that were already written. But we have some new stuff. There’s a couple in particular that are still Widow Pills but it’s definitely moving forward and going in a different direction. What do you think that direction is? Chris: We don’t have anything figured out we’re just playing stuff that we like. Denny: I definitely think there’s a garage aspect to it. It’s like if you took a Detroit [band], like MC5, and just dropped them off in the middle of Mississippi, and like figured it out. There’s something about your music that takes a slight nod to Southern music/culture but not in your typical

The intro to your EP is called “Shooting Rats at the Bibb County Dump,” also a poem by David Bottoms. Why did you choose that title for the song and how do you think the poem relates to the song? Chris: That was totally my fault because I was an English major and an English teacher. Just GRANT’S listening to that song, we just called it like the intro and was like, no, no. In my head when I read that poem I think about that sound if that makes any sense whatsoever. It’s Southern. It’s menacing. Denny: You know those days in July where it gets so hot you feel like you could just kill someone and feel good about it? It’s kind of what this makes me feel [laughter]. Just this like instinctual anger, like you’ve got to be angry about something. What can we expect Friday? Nathan: Full blown nudity.[laughter] Chris: We haven’t played in a long time. We’ve got some shit to air out. I’m excited about it. There’s a hashtag you guys like to use, #georgiafacts. Can you tell me about that? Chris: I think that was Dan’s idea wasn’t it? Maybe John Cable the first drummer. He was also involved with the georgia facts. All of us are really fascinated with history because we’re all dorks. There’s lots of just weird not even necessarily music specific facts to Georgia.

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live music 12/23: B. Keith Williams 12/30: Karaoke 1/6: The Skeeterz

34 DECEMBER 16 - JANUARY 5, 2017

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Live Music w/Big Daddy & Co Party Favors Champagne Toast Breakfast Buffet

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JJ Grey & Mofro Cox Capitol Theatre

Friday 12/16 B Keith Williams 20’S PUB JP & Lewis BEARFOOT TAVERN Classic Rock Party w/ Yesterdaze Rock BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE Buddy Green’s Hometown Christmas COX CAPITOL THEATRE The Cox Capitol Theatre is proud to welcome Buddy Greene, Macon native and composer of the modern-day Christmas classic, Mary, Did You Know, back to Macon for a hometown Christmas concert! His early musical influences included Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Motown rhythm & blues artists of the late 60’s, and the Allman Brothers Band, which later led him to explore many of the pioneers of bluegrass, blues, folk, and country music. At age 20 he began playing harmonica, and is currently regarded as one of Nashville’s finest. Buddy co-wrote “Mary, Did You Know?” with friend Mark Lowry, which has become a Christmas season standard recorded by well-known performers such as country greats Kathy Mattea, Kenny Rogers & Wynonna Judd, Reba McEntire, and Glen Campbell, and pop stars Clay Aiken, Mary J Blige, CeeLo Green.

envelope-pushing sleaze n’ tease arena rock band Semi Precious Weapons, the Neil Young-signed alt-country act Everest, British roots rock band Alberta Cross, Southern rock stalwarts Drivin’ N’ Cryin’ or even as frontman of the devilishly cleverly-named Heartbreakers meets Replacements rockers Madison Square Gardeners, East Nashville-based musician Aaron Lee Tasjan has always considered himself a songwriter first and foremost, writing his own off-kilter folk-inflected songs since he picked up his first acoustic as a teen guitar prodigy. While Tasjan’s masterful, eclectic songwriting is on full display throughout his new album, his spirited guitar playing never takes a backseat. Instead, the acclaimed guitarist, who was named Distinguished Guitarist at the prestigious Ellington Competition at Carnegie Hall as a teenager and who was awarded a jazz-guitar scholarship to the esteemed Berklee College of Music but who fled to Brooklyn after he decided he wanted to do things on his own, tastefully delivers exactly what each song calls for, from hard-strumming acoustics to psychedelic flourishes to feedback-filled freakouts and twangy licks. Big Daddy & Co. WILD WING CAFE

Saturday 12/17

Thomas Tillman THE CRAZY BULL

The Skeeterz AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY

Aaron Lee Tasjan THE HUMMINGBIRD Whether playing guitar in the late incarnation of riotous glam-rock innovators the New York Dolls, the gender-bending,

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and big skies. Welcome to the lethal, littered landscape of Jim Heath’s imagination. True to his high evangelical calling, Jim is a Revelator, both revealing and reinterpreting the country-bluesrock roots of American music. He’s a time-travelling space-cowboy on an endless interstellar musical tour, and we are all the richer and “psychobillier” for getting to tag along. REVEREND HORTON HEAT have been the outlet of this creative mind for 29 years, leading to 10 full-length albums, 3 “bestof” collections, 2 DVD releases and thousands of memorable live performances. He’s toured with legendary acts such as Johnny Cash, Marilyn Manson, The Ramones, and many more.

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Live Music 12/16: Yesterdaze Rock 12/17: Southbound Mojo 12/23: The Skeeterz 12/24: Funkadelic Thrillogy 12/30: Southern Outlaws 12/31: Big Hairy Monster

JB Crocket THE CRAZY BULL Mighty, The Gills, Behold The Brave, African Americana THE HUMMINGBIRD Mighty is a proclamation from a small, unlikely voice that demands to be heard. He’ll still be skateboarding in his driveway, either way. African Americana doesn’t simply want to reclaim the white colonial ‘Americana’ in the same oxymoronic terms as the nebulous “Native American” tradition from which it draws. As an aesthetic that appropriates the continent’s indigenous tradition, add the ‘African’ to the ‘Americana’ and you not only have another antithetical term but a subversion of said appropriation while applying, hip hop, anime, cyberpunk and tech noir themes to create a electronic rock soundtrack for a post apocalyptic Great Gatsby. The Gills will be bringing their energetic and trashy live show out on the The Bird stage. Interesting fact for

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Spend New Year’s Eve with rising Nashville artist Jared Ashley at The Crazy Bull!

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this band, their bass player the road this fall includin(Andy Prince) also plays in Manchester Orchestra! Behold the Brave are a rock band from Nashville, TN on tour. So come and check out the first timers as they will be kicking things off at The Bird! Show starts at 10pm.

SAT. DEC 17

8 Second Ride WILD WING CAFE Also playing the Crazy Bull on Friday. See description below.

Aaron Lee Tasjan The Gills - Behold the Brave African Americana

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Local Showcase Featuring

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Thursday 12/22 Local Showcase: Denny Hanson THE HUMMINGBIRD

Friday 12/23 Kool Change 20’S PUB The Skeeterz BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE 8 Second Ride THE CRAZY BULL Based out of Middle Georgia, 8 Second Ride is a high energy, Modern Country band playing today’s hits. If you are hearing it on SiriusXM Radio, chances are 8 Second Ride is playing it in their shows! With 3 part harmonies, and a rich, full, 5-piece band putting out layers of country music goodness, an 8 Second Ride show is sure to bring the good times on!

TUES. OCT 18

Some Kids THE HUMMINGBIRD Natural Jam WILD WING CAFE

Saturday 12/24 Christmas Eve Big Mike & the Booty Papas AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY Funkadelic Thrillology BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE Formed in 2011 when these two dudes on guilts came across this cat on a set in

some live action jammage situations. The chemistry was criminal, at best, it was infectious and original, and at worst, groovy and fun. They indulge in popular music, inside and outside of this band. The result in the Thrillogy is a drive to move the audience that comes both before and after the drive to move ourselves. African Americana THE HUMMINGBIRD

Sunday 12/25 Merry Christmas Big Mike 2-6 p.m. AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY

Thursday 12/29 Local Showcase: George and Rayvon Pettis THE HUMMINGBIRD JJ Grey & Mofro COX CAPITOL THEATRE JJ Grey—the north Florida sage and soulbent swamp rocker. From the days of playing greasy local juke joints to headlining major festivals, JJ Grey remains an unfettered, blissful performer, singing with a blue-collared spirit over the bone-deep grooves of his compositions. His presence before an audience is something startling and immediate, at times a funk rave-up, other times a sort of mass-absolution for the mortal weaknesses that make him and his audience human. When you see JJ Grey and his band Mofro live—and you truly, absolutely must—the man is fearless.

Friday 12/30 Karaoke Night! 20’S PUB Southern Outlaws BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE A2Z Band THE CRAZY BULL Thomas Wynn & the Believers THE HUMMINGBIRD A combination of blistering rock and south-

ern soul, sibling-led Thomas Wynn and The Believers is a 6-piece fiery ensemble dubbed by Soundboard as “Southern Rock Muscle ~ Soulful Rock n’ Blues.” Gibson-sponsored from Orlando, Florida, TW&TB is known for their powerful LIVE performances playing the original music circuit and making “believers” wherever they go. The band personifies a new era that truly crosses generations with just really, really, really good music. If you like Tom Petty, The Band, The Black Crowes, CCR & Pink Floyd, you’ll love The Believers! Wes Heath WILD WING CAFE

Saturday 12/31 New Year’s Eve Yesterdaze Rock AP’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY Includes party favors & country breakfast @ 1am. No reservations, first come first servedlive music by Yesterdaze Rock. Come ring in the new year with us! Jared Ashley THE CRAZY BULL With his high-energy live shows and distinctive country rock sound, Jared Ashley has built his career on the little things- And little by little, all the elements have come together to make Jared Ashley one of Nashville’s most promising rising artists. Ashley was a finalist on season four of USA Network’s Nashville Star, where he set himself apart from a sea of 30,000 hopefuls. He has been named one of the top acts on the SEC college circuit. After releasing his well-received debut self-titled album in 2011, featuring the radio single “Stained,” Jared was signed to a deal with Ohio-based Blaster Entertainment, also home to Hank Williams Jr., Neal McCoy, Aaron Lewis, and Brother Trouble. Big Hairy Monster BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE Nearly two albums worth of original music, as well as covers ranging from Thomas Dolby to Metallica, Cake to Peter Gabriel, and Zeppelin to Muse. Anything goes, and if you have an interesting request we might even give it a shot, although it may not sound anything like the original!

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