Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1407173
T his time last year, we were living in an upside-down world where, in order to stay safe and slow the spread of COVID-19, we had to suppress our hard-wired human impulses to connect with each other. The exhilarating collective joy of seeing live music felt impossibly out of reach. We mourned the before times, felt regret for all those nights we chose to stay in when we could have gone out, free and unburdened, hugging our friends openly, not concerned with how many feet apart we were standing from each other. Those in the music industry faced a deeply brutal year, one that put their entire livelihoods on hold and left their future uncertain. Now that vaccinations are widely available and COVID restrictions have been lifted, many of us are re-emerging from our homes to gather socially again. The local roster of live music and events is suddenly jam-packed, and the atmosphere everywhere you go is nothing short of exhilarating. There's this sense of, now that we know what's at stake, we're not taking any of it for granted again. We're so lucky to live in a city where music is our lifeblood. Live music is back in Macon. And live audiences are back, too. Life is back. We're still figuring out exactly what our new normal will look like, but in the meantime, our local venues and musicians have been hard at work making new music and giving us opportunities to connect with that music — and with each other. Get out there and feed your soul. Below is a roundup of Macon music news from the past few months. It's by no means comprehensive, because our musical talent is too abundant and active for that. But if you'd like a sampling of information on new albums, new projects, newly renovated venues and shows to watch out for, read on. CATCH UP WITH YOUR FAVORITE MUSICIANS AND WHERE TO SEE THEM PERFORM BY TRACI BURNS LIVE MUSIC IS BACK! 54 maconmagazine.com | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021