It’s About The Music (and maybe a few other things too): Bragg Jam
So, I didn’t go to Bragg Jam last year. Timing just didn’t work out, I didn’t have a babysitter or something along those lines. And the year before I didn’t go- I don’t know why. And before that I probably had to work Saturday morning, or had church Sunday, or some kind of something. Before that it was having kids and being pregnant. However- I do vaguely remember when Bragg Jam started. There was this hub-ub of this festival starting in Macon for music to honor these two brothers who were killed in a car wreck, two brothers who loved music. Two brothers who, as my understanding was at the time, were kind of like the Allman Brothers of their times. It could have just been because they were from Macon and played music together, but nonetheless that was the impression I had.
There was no budget. And as far as I know not a whole lot of support in the community- from those outside of the ones with tremendous vision for the future. I could be wrong but that’s what I recall of it. 1999 was when the brothers were killed, I was in high school. 2003 was when the first Bragg Jam was organized, I was actually living in either Statesboro or Athens at that time and not totally in the Macon loop anymore, just vague rumblings here and there. (It was also when I first heard of The 11th Hour, and my editor with the GeorgeAnne Newspaper at Georgia Southern HATED it- the irony? He would end up working for them later. However I digress…)
Today we have this full fledged music festival complete with an awesome Patron’s Party the evening before (this Friday) at the Armory Ballroom and a Moonlight Mile 5k this past weekend.
I was able to interview our own local Brit new mommy, Leila Regan-Porter, just before her little one came in to the world.
Make It Work Molly: Why was Bragg Jam started? What are the overall goals of this festival?
Leila Regan-Porter: Bragg Jam started when brothers Brax and Tate Bragg died in a car crash in 1999, inspiring an impromptu jam session with local Macon musicians. Since then, Bragg Jam has brought together all Macon has to offer in arts, music and community to raise money for great causes, such as the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail.
MIWM: What are the long term goals for Bragg Jam?
LR-P:Getting awesome national acts together with local bands gets all sorts of people downtown, and helps us raise money for some amazing causes that are close to our hearts as Maconites. We hope to continue in this vein while expanding to bring fun for families at Arts @ the Park and furthering our reach to new venues, like The Hangar.
MIWM: How do you go about picking the bands?
LR-P:Our entertainment committee spends weeks in individual research, looking at bands who are on the brink of making it huge, like Dirty Guv’nahs, or local favorites, like Sterling Waite & the Cotton Ave. Hustlers, not to mention bands that are have ties to Macon’s music history, like Thomas Wynn & the Believers. Then everyone brings their arguments to the table, and we decide who will fit best with the festival this year, and who will speak best to our growing audience.
MIWM: Are there new stages this year?
LR-P: We are so excited to have quite a few new stages! Dovetail‘s Stage will be The Crazy Bull, a great new country venue, is just about to open after extensive remodeling in a beautiful old building. (Side note: I got to go inside of this building last week before it was finished- it’s going to be unreal yall.) Grant’s Lounge will be The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House Stage, which will be the first year we are showcasing a Macon Heritage Stage – every band playing will have a link to Macon’s music history. The Allman Brothers Band Museum at the Big House Stage at Grant’s Lounge will be showcasing the first Bragg Jam Macon Music Heritage Stage, where every band that performs on the stage has some connection to Macon.
This year every band at Grant’s Lounge has a member related to a Capricorn Records band. Lamar Williams Jr. is the son of second Allman Brother Band bassist Lamar Williams, and his band is comprised of Macon’s Scott Rainwater and Pat Yoe, who have been playing in Macon bands for years. Thomas Wynn & The Believers is led by the son and daughter of Tom Wynn, the drummer for Cowboy. King Lincoln, formerly known as Flannel Church, has had many members who have performed with Col. Bruce Hampton through the years, and drummer Duane Trucks is brother of Derek Trucks and nephew of Allman Brother Band drummer Butch Trucks.
We will also have the Cumulus Stage at Twang, which was Shamrock last year, and the Cherry Blossom Festival Stage at Optionz Entertainment Facility. Last but not least, we are expanding to the outskirts of Macon with the Macon Octoberfest Stage at The Hangar Bar & Grill.
MIWM: Which bands are you most excited to hear?
LR-P: It’s going to be pretty great as a new Maconite to see Hank Vegas get back together and rock out with the Friends of Brax slot. I’ve been keeping an eye on Atlantans The District Attorneys for some time now, and it’s great to see their hard work paying off. Noot d’Noot is always a fun and funky favorite of mine too. But a lot of the fun is just wandering into any of the venues and seeing who you can catch.
As for the Patron’s Party, I got a few more details from another board member, Everett Verner, who also happens to be a former classmate of mine from Mercer:
The Patron Party is for sponsors and Patrons. It’s $100 to be a Patron and that gets you 2 passes to the party on the 26th at the Armory Ballroom that starts at 7 and has an open bar from 7-9 and food catered by Moonhanger Group, and goes until midnight or so. The band is called Electric Avenue and is made of the Yacht Rock guys playing 80’s hits.
So…. let’s see…. music- check, food- check, fun with friends- check check check. There pretty much isn’t any excuse to miss this, unless of course you’re having babies or can’t find a babysitter- but I think you have enough notice to find one of those. And I’m going to put the schedule of bands at the bottom of this post so you can plan out in advance who you want to see. Now the only thing I have left to figure out is of course, what am I going to wear?!
To purchase tickets go here: http://www.braggjam.org/store
Love to all yall…
Molly
