It’s more than music, but it’s a whole lot of music
When the carnival comes to town, every kid wants the wristband that gets them unlimited access on all the rides.
That’s pretty much the picture this Friday and Saturday — but for big kids. Bragg Jam Community Festival and Concert Crawl is turning downtown Macon’s bars, clubs, restaurants and parking lots into a giant midway with musical rides on about every stage.
“There are 80-something bands on 20-plus stages putting on 92 sets of music,” said Everett Verner, president of the nonprofit Bragg Jam board of directors.
“What’s new for this, our 20th year, is we’re starting Friday with concerts in five top concert venues before we head into the music that happens all over on Saturday.”
Depending if it’s all-weekend or single-day access, regular costs range from $25 to $35 and to $125 for VIP events. Friday’s concert crawl features almost 20 bands on the five stages and Saturday’s bar crawl shows feature — well, get a schedule at www.braggjam.org and count for yourself as you chart who you want to see when and where.
Verner said there’s free music, too: a dozen-plus performers will play at four different free sites. Free activities also include the Bragg Jam Arts & Kids Fest and Open Air Market at Cherry Street Plaza. Julie Bragg, mother of the late Braxton and Tate Bragg, will sign copies of “The Brothers of Bragg Jam: A Mother’s Memoir.”
“We’re always improving Bragg Jam but keeping in mind it started as friends making a terribly sad event, the deaths of Brax and Tate, into a celebration of their lives and love for music. The memorial concert friends put on for friends is now Middle Georgia’s largest music festival but it keeps its community vibe.”
Embodying a family-friends-community vibe is a band called Family and Friends, an Athens-based group that will headline a Friday concert at the Hargray Capital Theatre.
It’s their fourth year at Bragg Jam and they’ll highlight music from their just-released album “Felix Culpa.”
“When we started, we knew we were more than a band,” said Mike MacDonald, guitarist, vocalist and primary songwriter. “We were about being friends, more like a family, and part of a bigger community — so we really get the idea behind Bragg Jam. We love playing and seeing others play Bragg Jam and visiting friends. That and it being a great weekend of lots of music where we get to engage with our audience is what it’s all about.”
In addition to Family and Friends and many other acts, Verner said The Buckleys, Brax Bragg’s original band, will play for free Saturday at 5 p.m. at the Creek Stage at The Rookery and feature many of Brax Bragg’s songs.
Bragg Jam
Where: Downtown Macon
When: July 27-28
Cost: One-price entry varies by day
Information and tickets: www.braggjam.org
This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 2:17 PM.