I think it’s been really cool to see Macon grow during the past few years, especially this past year. I seem to keep meeting more people outside of town who have good things to say about our city and that’s awesome.

You still have your occasional negatives here and there, but lately most comments have been good. It seems that the good word of mouth is passing through a lot of different circles; the main one seems to be the entertainment industry.

A new friend of mine who’s interning at a booking agency in New York recently called and was asking about Macon and if we had an audience for comedians. She wouldn’t tell me who the inquiry was for (I guess to keep me from running my mouth) but about two weeks later I saw that Jerry Seinfield was coming to town on Feb. 1. (Coincidence?) Miranda Lambert was here last year and is coming back March 14. Elton John is coming to the Macon Coliseum on March 20 and I know at least 15 people who are planning to, or have already bought, tickets. Didn’t R. Kelly come to Macon last year? It’s funny, everyone knew about it but I never saw any pictures. Hmm ...

Whether these big names are passing through and don’t mind adding another date to their schedules, or they really have an interest in entertaining us, I think it’s exciting that they are adding another reason to live in Macon. With that being said, I hope you plan to get out this weekend and enjoy yourselves!

At 7 p.m. Friday is the Tubman African American Museum’s All That Jazz featuring Phil Perry and Pieces of a Dream at the Macon City Auditorium. It’s a black tie affair, so this would be a good time to clean up for your special lady (or man) and show your distinguished side. The show will start at 8 p.m. with some cocktails and hors d’oeuvres prior. AJ the DJ will open up the dance floor afterward.

For those who don’t have a suit prepared, I suggest checking out the legendary Grant’s Lounge on Poplar Street. I like this place, and from what I’ve been hearing, they have some new faces and events going on almost every night. You might just see my face in there.

Saturday, indie-folk rocker Paleface will be playing a free show at the Rookery as a part of his new album tour. Paleface recently celebrated the release with a special guest-performance alongside the Avett Brothers at New York’s Radio City Music Hall. The show will start about 9:30 p.m., so maybe you could have some dinner at Dovetail upstairs beforehand?

Have a good weekend!

Floco Torres is an artist/songwriter. Contact him at flocotorres@gmail.com.