Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1407173
to the famous 1970 rock show held at Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron where Jimi Hendrix performed a few months before his untimely death and the Allman Brothers were given their first major concert platform. This year's GABBAfest features a lively roster of performers both national and local, playing at some of the city's best venues. gabbafest.org Grant's Lounge, local icon of dive-bar coolness, is the kind of place where, if the walls could talk, they would namedrop like crazy (but never in an annoying way) and tell you all the good gossip. But its future has often felt as uncertain as patrons might feel after descending from the bar's second floor down that rickety staircase after a few strong drinks and a night of sweaty dancing. Fearing the loss of such a historic, important venue, Macon's Moonhanger Group partnered with owners Ed Grant and Cheryl Grant Louder to assume control of the venue, and in July the doors reopened to the public. The revitalized Grant's is drawing rave reviews. Amber Valentine, singer/songwriter of The Vineyard Band, was in attendance as local blues legend Robert Lee Coleman took the stage a few nights after reopening. She says, "Being back in Grant's after the renovation nearly brought me to tears so many times. They did a good job of maintaining the charm and character of the old space while bringing it up to date, and really re-created a space that Macon can be proud of." historicgrants.com Former Macon Magazine cover star and hip-hop legend in the making Bob Lennon is doing big things. His new song "Narcissistic" is streaming everywhere and he recently performed a funky, intimate acoustic show with the Rock Solid Band as backup at A Brooke Haven Lounge downtown. This Thanksgiving, he'll be performing at the Rome Chamber Music Festival — that's Rome, Italy, not the one in Georgia — backed by a full symphony. This unlikely- yet-perfect pairing materialized by way of Macon native and violin virtuoso Robert McDuffie, founder of Mercer's McDuffie Center for Strings. McDuffie, a vigorous proponent of both creating a more inclusive space in the traditional world of classical music and of giving back to his hometown's rich musical community, is also the founder and artistic director of the Rome Chamber Music Festival. He caught a Bob Lennon show while in town a few months pre-pandemic and knew true talent and soul when he saw it. The rest was — or will be — history. Rome Chamber Music Festival: romechamberfestival.org/en Robert McDuffie: robertmcduffie.com Bob Lennon: @whoisboblennon on Instagram Speaking of history, symphony in Macon is no longer a thing of the past, thanks to a new collaboration between emerging talent from the McDuffie Center and principal musicians from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The new Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Grammy winner Ward Stare, aims to smash stuffy symphony stereotypes by presenting diverse, lively programs that showcase local talent of all ages. The opening concert, slated for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Grand Opera House, features works from Prokofiev and Beethoven and performances by students from the Otis Redding Foundation. Mark your calendars for Sept. 9-12 when the Otis Redding Foundation will present a series of events celebrating 80 years of the soulful singer's contributions to our culture. The centerpiece will be Youth Music Fest '21, held Sept. 11 in downtown Macon, where empowered, enriched and motivated Otis Redding Foundation students will be joined by other local and national music and performing arts groups to showcase their many talents. Stay tuned for more announcements about this family-friendly event by visiting the Redding Foundation's website at otisreddingfoundation.org. Music venue/bar JBA celebrated its two-year anniversary in July and consistently has one of the most diverse and innovative lineups around. Tuesdays are Music Therapy nights, where attendees are encouraged to bring their instruments and jam with whoever's playing. Wednesdays, the bar hosts the only jazz night in the area. DJ B3 keeps it hot on Saturday nights with his Vamp Social events featuring special guest DJs/musicians. And on mostly any other night, you can get an amazing craft cocktail and find someone onstage pouring their heart out via art. Genre doesn't matter; JBA has hosted rap collectives, indie rockers, singer/songwriters, performance artists and everything in between. As a musician, music lover and native Maconite, supporting music comes natural to JBA owner Brandon Lawler. What felt unnatural was shuttering his doors. He's grateful to have the stress of the pandemic shutdown behind him. "Live music is in full swing," he says, "and we couldn't be happier." @jbamacon on Facebook PICTURED: BOB LENNON AT JBA 58 maconmagazine.com | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2021