Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1474185
M y lifelong captivation with live music began when I was just a kid, tagging along with my grandfather to country music concerts he promoted in South Georgia. As a teen, I snuck into a Valdosta night club or two to see cover bands play rock hits, and as a 20-something, I trekked the country to experience iconic music venues in Los Angeles, Austin and Nashville. But it was not until I moved to Macon in 1998 that I found my musical North Star in a community that not only lays claim to a significant portion of American music history, but that also makes participating in live music an accessible, intimate and soulful affair. Though I've been away for 10 years now, work has allowed me to hunker down in Macon for the past six months. It's been a gratifying reintroduction to the city's venues — some new, some old, some refurbished and some gloriously just the same. I've seen more great shows with better sightlines and for less money than I could in any bigger town. I've sat mesmerized in the balcony, I've danced my rear off in front of the stage, and I've listened under the stars. My only regret is that I've missed a few shows because I didn't know about them until after the fact. Fortunately, Visit Macon, the city's destination marketing organization, has embarked on an initiative to compile a live music calendar and venue listing on MaconMusicTrail.com. Bookmark the site on your laptop and phone, like your local venues on their socials and, above all, support live music in Macon, Georgia. While by no means a comprehensive list, below are several venues that regularly present live music. Lisa Love oversees the Georgia Music Foundation, headquartered in Macon and supporting programs of music education, preservation and outreach. 60 maconmagazine.com | JUNE/JULY 2022 A BROOKE HAVEN LOUNGE 401 CHERRY ST. On Friday nights, the sounds of live jazz, soul and Latin combos spice up the relaxed ambiance of this upscale cocktail lounge on Cherry Street . With spoken word and open mic on select week nights, Darrin Ford, who owns the business with wife Lessette and daughter Alicia, encourages creative expression and keeps an eye out for new and diverse talent to feature. AP'S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY 4274 BROADWAY A hometown bar with home cooking, homegrown music and a big heart for supporting local causes, AP's Hidden Hideaway is the place to be on Sunday afternoons when beloved blues guitarist, singer and songwriter Big Mike Ventimiglia holds court. BACK PORCH LOUNGE 2400 RIVERSIDE DR. A local institution that never charges a cover, the Back Porch Lounge features legendary guitarist and singer Robert Lee Coleman, a veteran of Percy Sledge and James Brown's bands, every Monday night. Whether sitting in with Robert Lee CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER SMITH. GRANT'S LOUNGE. PHOTO BY DOUG NUMBERGER. A BROOKE HAVEN LOUNGE. PHOTO BY JAVE BJORKMAN.