9-21-2023 10:49pm

Live Music Spotlight in Middle Georgia this Weekend

Nate Weeks Editor

GABBAfest 2023 will be full of performances from very skilled musicians (Graphic courtesy of GABBAfest 2023)

This weekend there are lots of chances to experience the power of live music in Middle Georgia. The Georgia Allman Brothers Association (GABBA) will present another GABBAfest in Macon filled with performances from talented musicians Lee Roy Parnell, Hurt and Skip, The Restless Natives, and many others. There will be plenty of other bands performing at venues throughout the heart of Georgia this weekend as well. The following is just a small selection of some of the live music being played near you.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

GABBAFEST 2023: LEE ROY PARNELL WITH THE TONY TYLER BAND AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE (7 P.M.)

Country music and blues artist Lee Roy Parnell with Macon's The Tony Tyler Band as openers will be performing at the Grand Opera House on Friday night as part of GABBAfest 2023. Tickets for two days of GABBAfest 2023 events at the Grand Opera House start at $70 on Tixr.com.

MASON CAIN AT BUFFINGTON’S IN MILLEDGEVILLE (7 - 10 P.M.)

Mason Cain will be serenading diners at Buffington’s in Milledgeville on Friday evening. There is no cover charge at Buffington’s (and I’ve heard they have some very tasty food to enjoy while the band is playing).

CATFISH WILLY AT MACON VFW POST 658 (8 - 11 P.M.)

Catfish Willy is a variety band who love to play country music and classic rock. They can be found playing on Friday nights at the Macon VFW Post 658, where they are the official house band.

ROAD TRIP: LANDSLIDE AT THE GRIFFIN OPERA HOUSE (8 P.M.)

Landslide is a Fleetwood Mac tribute band from Charlotte, North Carolina that will be performing at the Griffin Opera House this Friday. This band includes the hits from Fleetwood Mac as well as popular songs from the solo careers of the band members. Tickets to see Landslide in concert start at $27.95.

Landslide performed Fleetwood Mac's "The Chain" for an appreciative audience about a year ago

OPEN SEAS AND DJ N3510 AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN (8:15 - 10:15 P.M.)

Open Seas is a talented band from Macon led by Justin Cutway, who has released multiple music under the pseudonym Trendleberg and has been in several other local bands. Open Seas is made up Justin Cutway (vocals), Wesley Cook (drums), Daniel Graves (guitar), and Casey Meadows (bass), and Shawn Williamson (synths). DJ N3510 will be opening for the Open Seas during this concert and playing "original jamtronica synth" music. The Society Garden usually has a cover charge at the gate that starts before the band begins to play.

MR. WORLDWIDE DANCEHALL EDITION WITH DJ PICKLES AND DJ B3 AT FRIENDS ON THE HILL IN WARNER ROBINS (10 P.M.)

Every Friday night Friends on the HILL hosts a night of electronic dance music with multiple DJs at The Mixer. This Friday, DJ Pickles and DJ Be will be taking patrons on a musical “trip around the world” while DJ B3 hosts the evening’s festivities. Friends on the HILL will also have free Caribbean food while supplies lasts. The Mixer is for patrons 21 years old and older and there is no cover charge.

REEDY RIVER STRING BAND AT JBA (10 P.M.)

The Reedy River String Band returns to perform at JBA after having recently performed at the Charleston Bluegrass Festival and the Earl Scruggs Music Festival. The Reedy River String Band is from Greenville, South Carolina and their music is described as “Appalachian roots music infused with elements of rock [and] roll and jam band music”.

SAM GROW WITH SPECIAL GUESTS JEREMY MCCOMP, AND CHUCKIE P. AT THE HUMMINGBIRD (10 P.M.)

Average Joe Entertainment country music star Sam Grow has quite a following, with over a million monthly listeners on Spotify. Special guests Jeremy McComb and Chuckie P. will also be performing at this show. Grow is best known for his song “Love and Whiskey” but his new single “Song About You” has already been streamed more than 50 million times and been named one of the “Best Country Songs” in 2020 on Spotify. Tickets to this concert cost $10.

ROSE HILL RESURRECTION AT THE BACK PORCH LOUNGE (10:30 P.M.)

The ABB band tribute band Rose Hill Resurrection will be performing at The Back Porch Lounge late on Friday night. The band is from North Carolina and is made up of Wayne Miller, Paul Kontz, David Pope, Joe Fudge, Brad Dean, and Scot Painter.

GABBAFEST 2023: HURT AND SKIP AT GRANT’S LOUNGE (11 P.M.)

Hurt and Skip along with Shane Pruitt will be rocking at Grant’s Lounge late Friday night as part of GABBAfest 2023. Hurt and Skip is a blues project from Shane Pruitt, Joe Power, and Jason Phillips. Tickets (for those without a GABBAfest wristband) will cost $15 at the door.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

GABBAFEST 2023: DIRTY UNCLE BOB AND GABBA MEMBERS JAM HOSTED BY DIRTY UNCLE BOB AT THE BIG HOUSE MUSEUM (12 P.M., 2 - 4 P.M.)

Dirty Uncle Bob is a blues/rock band whose sound has been influenced by Cream and The Allman Brothers. They will perform at The Big House Museum starting at 12 p.m. and then will host the GABBA Members Jam that will take place from 2 to 4 p.m.

GABBAFEST 2023: RAMBLIN’ MAN REVIVAL - GABBA’S TRIBUTE TO DICKEY BETTS FEATURING THE RESTLESS NATIVES WITH SPECIAL GUESTS AT THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE (7 P.M.)

GABBAfest 2023 continues on Saturday night with the Ramblin’ Man Revival, GABBA's tribute to Dickey Betts, the founding member of the Allman Brothers Band. This event will feature live performances from The Restless Natives with special guests David “Rook” Goldflies, Mike Kach, Bruce Katz, Kunio Kishida, Lee Roy Parnell, Marty Privette, David Stoltz, and Tony Tyler. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets for two days of GABBAfest 2023 events at the Grand Opera House start at $70 on Tixr.com.

FREE LANCE RUCKUS AT THE SOCIETY GARDEN (8:30 P.M.)

Free Lance Ruckus, an alternative Americana rock band from Middle Georgia, will be performing at The Society Garden on Saturday night. The Society Garden often has a cover charge at the gate that starts before the band plays.

DEAF ANDREWS AT THE HUMMINGBIRD (10 P.M.)

Deaf Andrews is a rock and roll band from Charlotte, North Carolina who will be performing at the first time in Macon this Saturday. This band is made up of five friends who dreamed of being in a band when in their adolescence. The Hummingbird will charge a $5 cover for the Deaf Andrews show.

MATT MCMILLAN AND THE CITY LIMITS AT BILLY’S CLUBHOUSE (10 P.M.)

Matt McMillan and the City Limits will be performing popular country and classic rock songs at Billy’s Clubhouse late Saturday night. Billy’s Clubhouse does not have a cover charge.

ROSE HILL RESURRECTION AT THE BACK PORCH LOUNGE (10:30 P.M.)

Rose Hill Resurrection, the ABB tribute band, will also be performing on Saturday night at the Back Porch Lounge.

CATFISH MAC AND THE BOTTOM FEEDERS AT GRANT’S LOUNGE (10:30 P.M.)

Catfish Mac and the Bottom Feeders play “classic electric blues” and they will be performing at Grant’s Lounge late Saturday night. The band is made up by Ron Perry (former John Lee Hooker bassist), Mose Davis (keyboardist), and Marcus Williams (drums). Tickets to see Catfish Mac and the Bottom Feeders cost $20 online or at the door.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

GABBAFEST 2023: GABBA HANGOVER AT THE BIG HOUSE MUSEUM WITH DIREWOOF, DAN KELLY, WYATT PYLES, AND FRIENDS (1 - 4 p.m.)

GABBAfest 2023’s last event will be a performance by DireWoof (a Macon band that celebrates the music of The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia), Dan Kelly, Wyatt Pyles, and Friends at The Big House Museum on Sunday afternoon.

THE MILLE QUEENS AND THE ROUGAROUS AT BUFFINGTON’S IN MILLEDGEVILLE (6 - 9 p.m.)

The Mill Queens and the Rougarous is a band based in Milledgeville who will be performing at Buffington’s on Sunday evening. The band plays rock, pop, country, blues, and other types of music as well.