EAR TO THE GROUND: Where is Macon's relationship with music going?
Last Saturday, I went to the Big K.R.I.T. show at the Cox Capitol Theater. Outside of the show being pretty awesome, I got to see something that I have been begging for -- a relevant hip-hop artist being booked in Macon.
The turnout for the show proved I'm not the only one who has been waiting for this to happen. I don't think I've ever seen that many people mixed with that type of energy at a show in this city -- ever.
I woke up Monday morning a little anxious again before I talked myself down in the mirror. (Don't act like you don't do this.)
With the new year around the corner, I again ask myself, where this city is going? We've talked many times about the progression that has taken place since I got here in 2008 and I'm happy that I've been a part of it in some capacity.
A few years ago, the post-show excitement of a Big K.R.I.T. show would have carried me into this weekend and sent me spiraling down a tube of unparalleled optimism about Macon being a music/creative hub again. Disappointment and depression would ensue shortly after, then I'd repeat the cycle the next time I got excited.
With the announcement of the Mercer University/Capricorn project and a few others that I've heard recently, I'm intrigued, but not overjoyed. These projects boast similar concepts that we've heard before: Make Macon cool so creative young people will want to stay here; live where all the action is (downtown) and be proud to tell their friends about it.
For the record, I don't ever want to hear the word "loft" ever again.
As these projects take shape, I wonder how many creative young people are sitting at the table when someone twice our age is deciding what we want to stay here. To be fair, the tide is shifting slowly in a few offices. Personally though, almost every creative young person I've known in this town is struggling to find work, to find somewhere to stay and to find something to do.
We've always been excited about the idea of Macon being this booming incubator for creatives, but will this time around get closer to that becoming a reality?
I'll be the first to tell you that we have a few pockets of noise, but our music scene is far from being a collective movement, as it was a few years back. Folks are still around but they've gotten "real jobs," moved away or are just spinning their wheels at times (raises hand).
Who's going to fill the studio schedules if we can't find a way to fill our little tin cups? Trust me, I'm still waving my pom-pons but I also don't want to see our newcomers receive the broken promises we once did.
Who knows, maybe it's just me. Only time will tell, I suppose, and if not, at least I got to see Big K.R.I.T., right?
Floco Torres is an artist/songwriter. Contact him at flocotorres@gmail.com.
This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 6:40 PM with the headline "EAR TO THE GROUND: Where is Macon's relationship with music going? ."