Ready for Bragg Jam main stage

The second weekend of April has grown to become a pretty significant weekend to me for the past few years. After a slow start to the first quarter, things really start to pick for me, schedule-wise.

The Magnolia Soapbox Derby and Bearstock fall on that Saturday, while the beginning of the new Second Sunday falls the next day. The last two years I’ve missed soapbox and Bearstock for big festival opportunities out of town and I usually make it back for Second Sunday.

With the beginning of the Second Sunday season comes the first lineup announcement for Bragg Jam. Bragg Jam isn’t Lollapalooza, Coachella or anything like that (yet) but the festival’s growth over the years has been fun to watch and be a part of. The Second Sunday/first lineup announcement has turned into something I look forward to whether I’m on it or not.

This year I’ll be with my band on the main stage at the Cox Capitol Theatre at 7:30 p.m. July 30. Finally getting on this stage in this setting feels like the grand finale to a story that I can’t name or explain. I’ve played Bragg Jam for six of the eight years I’ve been here. Usually I’ve just ended up on the “rap/band” stage, and while we had fun and I think we put on some great shows, this year feels much more authentic. It’s almost like I finally get to back up all the things I’ve been saying for years now.

Even with that feeling, I still feel like no one’s watching, which may say more about my internal battle than anything else. As “local” artists, we battle with not trying to wear you out by playing shows every other weekend, but still being taken seriously even though you see us at the bar hanging out.

I’ve fallen in and out of love with Macon several times. I still don’t know if this will be my last year living here. Then something like the B.o.B situation comes out and you’re shown an amazing support system here in a light that you maybe didn’t know existed.

Maybe this year’s set at Bragg Jam isn’t about proving anyone wrong, but actually proving you all right. For the next three months, I’ll be working on giving this defining moment an actual definition to present to you on July 30.

This story was originally published April 21, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Ready for Bragg Jam main stage."