Gig Guide
Gringo Star
FRIDAY AT THE HUMMINGBIRD STAGE AND TAPROOM
Atlanta’s Gringo Star plays the kind of pop music that’s often reminiscent of a past era. Influences ranging from doo-wop to early, reverb-laden rock crooning make their way into the band’s sound, which maximizes the effect of simple, melodic arrangements. Their guitar and piano-driven rock lies somewhere between the soft psychedelia of 1960s icons like the Animals and the Kinks, and the upbeat backbeat of Northern soul, and their live show is full of high energy borderline madness with band members often rotating instruments from song to song. 10:30 p.m. $5.
Movement through Music with the Macon Pops Seven-Piece Band
FRIDAY AT THE HAY HOUSE
Historic mansion? Check. Grammy award-winning arranger? Check. Two-time Grammy award-winning drummer? Check. Awesome outdoor park with a slide where you can also enjoy the sights and sounds of the show? Check. Food trucks? Check. This is just one of the many options this First Friday has to offer, but it could prove to be one of the most interesting. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Macon Pops, it is the brainchild of world-renowned musician Steve Moretti (who is now a Macon resident), who started Macon Pops with the idea that classical music doesn’t always have to be “fancy” and should be accessible to everyone. In fact, he believes it should be a heck of a lot of fun -- and he’s right about that. 7:30 p.m. Free.
Holy Fam Fest with Tellavision and more
FRIDAY AT FRESH PRODUCE
On Friday, Fresh Produce Records will try to live up to the recently bestowed name of “Macon’s Weirdo Venue” given to it by Atlanta blog IM ATLANTA, as the store presents a mix of artists from as far away as Germany and as close as Atlanta and Macon, including Tellavision, Invisible Circle, Kevin Greenspon, Pucker Up, Electric Nature and Hot Dan & Cheese. The sounds presented will be as disparate as the bands’ locales, from lo-fi folk to ambient tape experimentation to sludge-y drone rock. Something for everyone, for sure, and not to be missed. 9 p.m. Free.
The Paul Thorn Band with Logan Brill
FRIDAY AT COX CAPITOL THEATRE
Paul Thorn’s biography reads like a Bob Dylan news conference. Stints as a boxer, life lessons from pimps and preachers, a musical education in the black church and Blue Bell ice cream diets all make an appearance. Purportedly, it’s all true. According to Thorn, those experiences have directly informed his song writing, which concerns the “simple joys of life” and the “inherent goodness of the human heart.” With that in mind, it’s no surprise that his newest offering to the public is titled “Too Blessed to be Stressed,” which he’ll be showcasing on this trip through Macon. Logan Brill, one of country music’s newest rising stars, will be doing a special solo set to open. Doors 7 p.m./Show 8 p.m. $25.
Down by the Riverside
SATURDAY AT RIVERSIDE CEMETERY
Spend your Saturday afternoon hanging out it in the beautiful Riverside Cemetery listening to a wide range of music from up and coming musicians such as Louise Warren, Joshua Neal and Rewind Retry to bona fide legend Robert Lee Coleman, all with roots in Macon. Students from the Otis Music Camp also will be making an appearance, and as a bonus, all the proceeds will benefit the Historic Riverside Conservancy, which does a fantastic job keeping Riverside Cemetery one of Macon’s most pleasantly picaresque places. Bring a picnic and spend a relaxing afternoon with monuments and music. 2 p.m. $5-$10.
This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 11:20 AM with the headline "Gig Guide ."