Gig Guide

Before he moved away to take the position of chief curator at Unbox Akron, a subscription box that highlights Akron, Ohio, products, art, music and events, Roger Riddle was found at a variety of bars and clubs around Macon spinning some of the hippest music the city had ever heard. He’s making a special appearance back in town to present a night of music he calls “Purple Stardust,” a tribute to two greats lost in 2016: David Bowie and Prince. The set will include hits, rarities, side projects and covers, and it’s sure to prime your dancing feet in preparation for the Bragg Jam Concert Crawl the following night. 7 p.m. $75-$85.

Ashley Paul and Ben Pritchard are both American musicians and veterans of different experimental/improvisational music scenes who are embarking on a string of American dates (Ashley currently resides in London) and now they are coming to perform at Fresh Produce Records here in Macon. Both of their resumes are miles long and include collaborations with Thurston Moore, Loren Connors and Bill Nace. 9 p.m. $5.

Forget about Christmas, Bragg Jam weekend is the most wonderful time of year in Macon. It’s the night when live music amateurs come out to mingle with the pros, when the population of the city squishes together in a pool of communal sweat, and when every corner of the city is filled with sound. There are dozens of venues playing host to dozens of bands, including Shakey Graves, Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors and Josh Thompson. Pro tips: Don’t try to hear everything — make a schedule. Drink plenty of water, and don’t expect to catch the end of the night if you start binge drinking in the afternoon. 2 p.m.-2 a.m. $30.

Seven on Second is quickly becoming the one-stop shop for quirky gifts and loud local music. Seven local bands of the rock/punk/metal variety (the Story Continues, Gravel, Savvy, Fishtooth, Sister Sandoz, Sever and Wrath of a Dying Breed) will somehow manage to pull off a festival in which each band is aligned to the seven sins. No one is sure how far each band will go to prove their point, but one thing is for sure: each band will bring the power and fury of a gloriously loud set for headbangers of all flavors to enjoy. 6 p.m. Free.

Gringo Grande is not an iced coffee concoction marketed to soccer moms and available for a limited time at Starbucks; they’re actually a local band. The band formed in late 2010, and one of their first gigs was opening for the Marshall Tucker Band. In the time that has passed, they’ve played hundreds of shows and cut a record at Star Motel Studios here in Macon. Do you have a better way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon than basking in a local band galavanting through the blue-eyed soulful sounds of blues and Southern rock at the Big House? Didn’t think so. 2 p.m. Free.

Band spotlights by Fieldnote Stenographers Chris Nylund and Jared Wright/Special to The Telegraph

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 3:04 PM with the headline "Gig Guide."