11th Hour: January 4-17, 2019

JANUARY 4-18, 2019 • VOL 18, ISSUE #402

THE INTERVIEW WITH RACHAEL PRICE PG 20

ALL NEW BAND FIGHT! PG 36

THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE MACON’S TENACIOUS TREASURE

PG 32

11 QUESTIONS, EAT THIS, AND EVERYTHING WE’RE DOING IN CENTRAL GEORGIA! Layout & Design by M&R Marketing

11thHourOnline.com 1

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social media and little ones who draw pictures of her kicking to give her after games. Rodenroth also spends her time volunteering with Special Olympics sailing at Lake Tobosofkee.

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RUNNING COMMENTARY It’s the day after Christmas, and even though I could’ve used one more day off, I’m back at my desk in the 11th Hour Batcave. Big Mike’s across the hall in Philly Palma’s production room recording a new episode of Jukin’, gospel is at a dull roar on the other side of the wall I share with The Light. As I write, Wes G just sauntered by, phone to ear. I spent the first few minutes of the morning trading quick stories with David Higdon-- this was his daughter’s first Christmas and my daughter’s third. We’re both concerned with over-doing it as the girls get older.

Nearly every television show, movie, book, play, whathave-ya deals with the nature of giving and decency during the holidays. We’re all told to be good or Santa Claus won’t bring you presents but that it’s better to give than to receive.

I recently saw a shared Facebook post from a woman berating parents for telling children that their more expensive gifts came from ‘Ole St. Nick. Her argument was that poor kids ask for iPhones and Nike basketball shoes too, and when Santa doesn’t bring them, those children think it’s their fault. I don’t know where I fall on that one, I really don’t. Having had three Christmas mornings with my daughter, who isn’t old enough to “want” and not old enough to be disappointed, I haven’t had to consider that particular point. But we all watch the same shows and hear the same messages.

Out of all the Christmas stories on television this year, the one that struck me the most was a trite, stereotypical little tale about a boy who wanted a big, useless, ridiculously expensive gift despite the fact that no one could afford it. Of course, he hadn’t been very good. He’d called people names, lied, threatened the other kids, and so he didn’t get the one thing he wanted. That’s the part of the movie you wait for, right? When the little bastard gets his comeuppance? Even more so than the resolution when the boy understands the error of his ways and vows to change? Except in this story, he didn’t. Instead, the little boy got mad, lied some more, called a few more people names, didn’t learn a valuable lesson, and shut down parts of the government. It was on all the channels. Did you see it? It wasn’t very good. Bad. A New Year means you get to hit the reset button, right?

Wrong. 2019 isn’t a clean slate, and only a fool would consider it so. If you’re lookin’ around right now, and you think things are pretty amazing then no Christmas story last year, this year, or next is going to change your mind. In the really real world, the bully doesn’t learn his lesson. His heart doesn’t grow three sizes and Santa Claus doesn’t open the greenhouse door to let in the magical Christmas air. I wasn’t trying to be, but I’ve been a brat and a bully. I’ve been insensitive and ignorant. I’ve attempted to relate to people and situations that I couldn’t possibly understand in order to make myself feel important-- and this year, I resolve to stop doing those things. Will that erase the crappy things I’ve done or the people I’ve hurt? Nope, and it shouldn’t. But it might make me a better man, a better husband, father, and co-worker. As Ray Wylie Hubbard once said, “The days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, well, I have really good days.”

If I get a few extra bucks, I think I’ll send a copy of The Grifter’s Hymnal to the White House for next Christmas. Then the president can have something to open instead of close.

–AI aaron@thecreekfm.com

WHAT'S INSIDE January 4-18, 2019 // Volume 18, Issue #402

32

LEGEND OF THE

GRAND OPERA HOUSE

11 QUESTIONS

DANIEL GRAVES

20

THE INTERVIEW

RACHAEL PRICE

36

BAND FIGHT

BACKSTREET BOYS VS NSYNC 09.....What We Are Doing 13.....Upcoming Mayhem Games 14..... 11 Questions: Daniel Graves 19..... Kirk West's 50,000 Shades of Gray 20..... The Interview: Rachael Price 25..... Feels Like Local 27..... Bo Talks 29.....Eat This 31.....This Dish 33..... Legend of the Grand Opera House 36..... Band Fight: Backstreet Boys vs NSYNC 39..... Do This 40.....The Creek: Americana News, Notions,and Nonsense

OUR TEAM

29

EAT THIS

PHO DAC BIET 41..... The Creek’s Featured Show & Americana Singles Chart 43.....Live & Local: Calendar 45.....Next Issue Flip thru the entire issue online 11thHourOnline.com

AARON IRONS Managing Editor

MANDY PURVIS Contributor

ANTHONY ENNIS Contributor, Photographer

TONY DOOLIN Contributor

ASHLEY DOOLIN Contributor

TRACI BURNS Contributor

BO WALKER Contributor

M&R MARKETING Layout & Design

KIRK WEST Contributor

06 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

14

CONTACT US

Mailing 543 Cherry Street, Macon 31201 Advertising tony@thecreekfm.com Editorial aaron@thecreekfm.com Published by Creek Media LLC

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WHAT WE ARE DOING THE NEXT TWO WEEKS

JACK NICHOLSON DOUBLE FEATURE! THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE 7PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 4 651 MULBERRY STREET, MACON

PARKER GISPERT LIVE! 9:30PM WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9 THE CREEK STAGE @ THE ROOKERY 533 CHERRY STREET

Singer and guitar player from The Whigs returns to Macon in support of his new solo effort, Sunlight Tonight. Parker will be joined by singer-songwriter Daniel Graves. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at thehargraycapitoltheatre. com or in person at The Rookery.

The two films that made Jack Nicholson a star-- Easy Rider at 7:00PM and Five Easy Pieces at 9:00PM-- in one package!

Dennis Hopper’s hippie-biker classic that reinvented independent filmmaking features a ridiculously scenestealing appearance by Nicholson, while Bob Rafelson’s angst-ridden artist not only put Jack on the A-list, it redefined the idea of “hero” for a generation. Tickets are $5.

THE BLACK JACKET SYMPHONY: QUEEN 8PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 10 THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE 651 MULBERRY STREET, MACON

EARTH LODGE TOURS 10AM-10:30AM SATURDAY, JANUARY 5 OCMULGEE NATIONAL MONUMENT 1207 EMERY HIGHWAY, MACON

The Black Jacket Symphony performs Queen’s A Night At The Opera. Featuring Marc Martel of the Ultimate Queen Celebration! Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at thegrandmacon.com.

Visit the Ocmulgee National Monument for a Ranger-led tour of the Earth Lodge! Tour begins in the Visitor Center.

11thHourOnline.com 09

continued from page 9

THE BIG HOUSE PRESENTS: CHARLIE STARR CELEBRATINGSHOW SOLO ACOUSTIC 8PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 11 THE HARGRAY CAPITOL THEATRE 382 SECOND STREET, MACON

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MACON FILM GUILD PRESENTS: THE GUILTY 2PM, 5PM, 7:30PM SUNDAY, JANUARY 13 THE DOUGLASS THEATRE 355 MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR BLVD, MACON

A Danish policeman working the emergency switchboard is contacted by a woman who says she’s been kidnapped by her husband. Over the next hour-- never leaving the station-- he works with colleagues on the outside to track the victim and learns that things aren’t quite what they seem. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at douglasstheatre.org.

LAKE STREET DIVE LIVE! 8PM MONDAY, JANUARY 14 THE HARGRAY CAPITOL THEATRE 382 SECOND STREET, MACON

BROADWAY: EVITA 7PM TUESDAY, JANUARY 15 THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE 651 MULBERRY STREET, MACON

One performance only! Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s hit musical based on the life of Evita Duarte, the most beloved and hated woman in Argentina. Her story was so mesmerizing and gripping, it made stars of Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, ran for nearly 1,600 performances on Broadway, and swept the Tonys for 1980 with six awards including “Best Musical.” And now Macon has a date on this limited national tour. Don’t miss this chance to see a timeless classic in a vivid new stage production. Tickets are $45-$65 and can be purchased at thegrandmacon.com.

CLAY WALKER LIVE! 7:30PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 MACON CITY AUDITORIUM 415 FIRST STREET, MACON

The title of Lake Street Dive’s Free Yourself Up is both an exhortation to listeners and a statement of purpose for the band. The songs have an infectious swagger, even when dealing with awkward breakups or the unsettled state of our world. Free Yourself Up is Lake Street Dive’s most confident album yet, seriously soulful and exuberantly rocking. The band will be joined by singer-songwriter, harpist Mikaela Davis. Tickets are $30-$45 and can be purchased at thehargraycapitoltheatre.com or in person at The Rookery.

One of the most successful country acts of the past decade!

Tickets are $35-$45 and can be purchased at ticketmaster. com or the Macon Centreplex box office day of the event. continued on page 13 11thHourOnline.com 11

*CHILDREN MUST BE 10 YEARS OR YOUNGER

12 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

2019 is going to be a Big Year for Music in Central Georgia! What’s your favorite kind of music? Use your crayons, markers, stickers, paint, and imagination to show what music means to you!

Share your coloring page with the 11th Hour on Facebook, and you could win a milkshake from the Rookery! Winner to be announced on the January 18th edition of Creekside Mornings!

CENTRAL GEORGIA FARMERS MARKETS THE MULBERRY MARKET AT TATTNALL SQUARE PARK Wednesdays year round 3:30–6pm 1155 College Street Macon, GA FIRST SATURDAY VILLAGE MARKET IN MERCER VILLAGE 1st Saturdays of the month 9am–3pm 1624 Coleman Ave Macon, GA continued from page 11

RAY CHARLES ON MY MIND 7:30PM THURSDAY, JANUARY 17 THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE 651 MULBERRY STREET, MACON The music and the story of Georgia’s own “Genius” jumps to vivid life! Kenny Brawner leads his 12 piece orchestra and three sultry vocalists through this American legend’s most popular hits! Tickets are $35 and available at thegrandmacon.com.

• Gift making workshops for ages 6 & up • Register early - workshops begin 11/26 • Private workshops available to book for friends & families • Gift certificates also available

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WESLEYAN MARKET 2nd Saturday of the month 9am–1pm 4760 Forsyth Rd Macon, GA MACON STATE FARMERS MARKET Monday–Sunday 6am–10pm 2055 Eisenhower Pkwy Macon, GA PERRY FARMERS MARKET Saturdays year round 9am–1pm 901 Carroll Street Perry, GA INTERNATIONAL CITY FARMERS MARKET Thursdays year round 1–6pm Corner of Maple St & Watson Blvd Warner Robins, GA

MACON MAYHEM AT THE MACON COLISEUM BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT 7:35PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 4 Macon Mayhem vs Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs Back to school blues? Cure ‘em with the Macon Mayhem!

VIDEO GAME/ARCADE NIGHT 7:35PM FRIDAY, JANUARY 11 Macon Mayhem vs Birmingham Bulls Celebrate your favorite video games and cosplay as the Macon Coliseum becomes a giant arcade!

‘90S NIGHT 7:35PM SATURDAY JANUARY 12 Macon Mayhem vs Birmingham Bulls ‘90s music and a Specialty ‘90s jersey up for auction! Come cheer on your Macon Mayhem!

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11

QUESTIONS WITH

DANIEL GRAVES

By Aaron Irons & Bo Walker

If I was putting together a Central Georgia Wrecking Crew, Daniel Graves aka Gravey Jones would be at the top of my list. From thumpin’ hip hop alongside Floco Torres and the spaced-out rock of Maryex to solo performances that descend into raucous sing-a-longs, Gravey’s got the skill and charisma that draws listeners into every performance. Bo Walker and I have both had the opportunity to trade songs with Gravey over the years, and we couldn’t be more excited about the January 9th show on The Creek Stage at The Rookery featuring our friend in support of The Whigs’ Parker Gispert. So, as any good buddy would, we decided to ask him some dumbass questions for our own amusement!

1

2

A: Oh, man, that was so long ago! I was 13 when I first started out, and I did the whole thing of learning parts of songs and never a complete song for the first couple years. I wanna say “Come As You Are”, Nirvana or “Beautiful People”, Marilyn Manson were the first couple I picked out. And no, I don’t really play those anymore. Hahaha!

A: I don’t think so. I think that’s kind of the beauty of the whole thing. I’m super critical of the stuff I write. I can’t count the times I’ve written a song and then a few weeks later, I’ll play it and... “Oh good, I just ripped off this song or that song!!!” and then scrap the whole thing. If I ever get any credit or fame, I want to get it honestly.

Q: What was the first song you ever learned to play-- and do you still play it?

14 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

Q: If you could go back in time, would you perform or record songs you know would become popular? Ostensibly stealing the credit and fame.

3

4

A: I’ve honestly never spent more than about $500 on a single piece of gear. Probably my mom’s accordion she gifted me once it got too heavy for her to play, even though I can’t play it. It’s a cool instrument, and the sentimental value is worth more than anything else I own.

A: Let’s just say if I ever got to the point where I had to choose between selling that accordion or starving, I’d probably starve to death.

Q: What is your most prized musical possession?

Q: What is the barest of minimums it would take for you to give it up?

5

Q: Imagine you’re writing a concept album that addresses the issues of 2018 and while looking towards the nature of 2019. What is that album called?

A: The Devine Ignorance and How to Overcome It... or something along those lines. Thank God I haven’t been commissioned to make that album. continued on page 17 11thHourOnline.com 15

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Q: You can only eat at one local restaurant for the rest of your life-- where you going? Be careful...

A: Oh, y’all gonna do this to me? I see how it is. There are so many great, independent restaurants in Macon, but if I had to pick only one, I’d probably go with Dawson’s Kitchen. Their menu changes daily, which is important in my decision if it’s the only restaurant I can eat at-- and have you had their Mac n Cheese?! I’d die an early death, but I would be fat and happy.

7

Q: As an artist, what do you find to be the most inspiring thing, good or bad, about Macon?

A: Honestly, the community. How artists support one another and will help each other however they can.

It’s pretty rad to play shows and see so many fellow musicians/artists in the crowd. Really, just the support of the community in general. There are some amazing folks in this town.

8

Q: If you could form a wrestling tag team with any other Macon musician, who would it be, what would you call yourselves, and what would your theme song be?

A: Hahahahaha! Oh, man... I’d probably pick Travis Reeves (Choir of Babble’s drummer, they just put out a new album and y’all should check it out, by the way) just because we would have fun with it. We’d call ourselves The Godzilla Boys complete with green Lucha Libre Luchador masks and our song would be Fu Manchu’s cover of “Godzilla”.

10

Q: I know you're a big baseball fan... If you could start a power trio with any two ballplayers, alive or dead, who would they be, what would you call the band, and what kind of music would you play?

A: Freddie Freeman and David Ross. We’d be called Bravos Loco and we’d play Prog/Math Rock. Freddie would be on sax, David on drums, and myself on bass.

9

Q: In addition to performing solo, you're an indemand bass player for more than a few artists in Central Georgia. What do you think draws other musicians to you-- or you to them?

A: Well, bassists are hard to come by, for one. I’d like to think my eclectic taste in music makes me appealing to others in a way. “Oh, Gravey can play that.” Whenever I started playing bass more than guitar, it made me look at music differently. Bass is more of knowing when not to play, which those who have heard me play may not believe that. Hahahahaha! I feel like I’m pretty easy going, and I get along with most everyone, so that may play into it as well. As a guitar player who essentially transitioned to bass, it’s just putting in the time to actually play the instrument and not just play root notes on top of the guitar-- not that there is anything wrong with that in some instances.

11

Q: If you met a Martian on the street tomorrow, and it asked you to describe Macon music in three words or less, what would you say?

A: Kpdheua. Ljfkwk. Gtysbfkh. Oh, let me translate for you non-Martians out there. Diverse. Unifying.

Exceptional. It’s truly an honor to be a part of this music community. I’ve gotten to play with some extraordinary musicians because of it. I love how the music brings us together as a community (Second Sundays, Bragg Jam, Cherry Blossom Music Festival, etc) and that is something that is immeasurable, in my opinion, and the reasoning behind my choice of words to describe this special thing we have to the tiny green folks with beady eyes and giant heads.

Tuesday, Jan. 15 7 p.m.

ONE NIGHT ONLY EVITA | FINDING NEVERLAND CHICAGO | ROCK OF AGES Concerts, kid shows, comedy and more. thegrandmacon.com

11thHourOnline.com 17

18 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

50,000 SHADES OF GRAY THE BEE GEES Chicago Stadium 1979

I never really shot this kind of show very often… Almost never actually. I drew the short straw on this one, and of us three partners, I got the assignment. Yay for me!!!! But as the show unfolded, I got into the extravagance and showbiz production of it all. I had the full run of the show to shoot wherever except the stage. During some of the stage patter interludes, I was able to get the shot of the night-- as far as I was concerned, that is… I mean, it pretty much shows the boys as all the little girls wanted them to be: Close up, close together, lots of chest hair & bulges. Pretty as a picture…

And Maurice is sooo very proud!

11thHourOnline.com 19

THE INTERVIEW

RACHAEL PRICE

BY AARON IRONS

20 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

With a series of approachable, danceable, singalong-able albums and performances, Lake Street Dive has found the perfect recipe for pop music excellence and hardcore Americana soul. With their latest effort, Free Yourself Up, LSD finds a funkier side courtesy of a united effort to helm their own production, and the addition of organ/ piano player Akie Bermiss to the main roster of guitarist Mike “McDuck” Olson, drummer Mike Calabrese, upright bassist Bridget Kearny, and vocalist Rachel Price. They’re a live band at heart, at home together on stage or in studio, in harmony and in step. It’s a groove, it’s a vibe, it’s Lake Street Dive, and they’re coming to Macon for what will surely be an unforgettable performance. Though I probably interrupted her morning routine, lead singer Rachael Price was gracious enough to answer a few questions about writing, performing, YouTube fame, and controversial Christmas tunes.

AI: I want to ask about songwriting. Your singing style... you developed out of gospel and jazz. What are you channeling when you sit down with your pen and your paper? Is it easier for you to write alone or with somebody?

RP: It's definitely easier for me to write alone.

It's still a pretty sort of... mysterious and difficult process for me to begin a song, but generally, it starts with a melody. I think that's where a lot of the jazz and gospel and soul that I grew up singing kind of comes in because I generally connect to a melody with those roots in mind.

I know labels, genre specifications, all that gets tangled with Lake Street Dive. You usually get mentioned in conjunction with Soul music or with Americana-- and I don't mean this as a jab-- but you guys are playing really good pop music with real actual musicians. Do you think that that's the secret to enduring music?

Yeah, I mean, I think it's definitely a big part of it. A lot of what people respond to these days is something that sort of contrasts to what they're used to hearing. A lot of music is electronic, and what you're hearing on the record isn't really what happened, initially, from real people.

And that's all good, but I think that it's nice for people to hear something that's, you know, stripped down and organic.

Free Yourself Up is doing real well. As a band, you chose to produce that yourselves.

What was behind that decision? Was there something you were able to accomplish by doing it yourselves that you wouldn't have any other way? Did you have to convince anybody to make that happen?

First, we had to convince ourselves and that took quite a bit of convincing because we felt very uneasy about the idea of producing ourselves-how that was going to work logistically, who is going to make the final calls, and was it going to make everything take longer because we were going to deliberate over decision. But once we were convinced, it wasn't too hard to get everyone else on board. Nonesuch [Records] felt super great about it. And the big part of it for us was that we needed to learn how a record was made. When you ask somebody to help you figure out how to do something, and they just do it for you, you're like, "Well, I didn't really learn anything." It's the same thing with producing an album. We needed to be at the helm to understand, and I think at this point now, it's sort of taken the mystery away from what makes a great record. It's very accepting for us to be in charge of our own sound. continued on page 23

11thHourOnline.com 21

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continued from page 21

Not, not to jump too far ahead, but is that something you think that, as a band, you'll continue to do in the future?

Yes, definitely.

The band as a four piece you... You guys have been playing together since you were in college around 2004 or so... You added Akie Bermiss on the keys as a fullfledged member. For a group that's been so close for so long. Was it strange to have a new voice speaking up at the table?

It's not strange, it's just exciting. It's really, really fun. We've always heard keys on our songs, and we've always had them on our records, and it makes so much more sense to have a real keys player in the band with us to do that. He's also just a wonderful musician, and we click with him in just about every way.

Were there any practical jokes or a breaking-in period when he joined the band?

(Laughs) Oh, well, we took it pretty easy on him! I mean, we definitely didn't take it easy on, like, you know, initiating him into our inside jokes in the sense where we didn't really tell him. We were just like, "We're gonna make a lot of the same jokes over and over again, and you're going to have to figure them out!" But at this point, he's made many inside jokes that are now part of the band. So he did great!

You've been performing straight jazz on the regular recently. Do you still identify as a Jazz singer? Or do you even see a difference between what you do with Lake Street Dive and jazz?

Definitely, it's a very different approach to singing. At this point, I am very interested in exploring many different types of singing. Do I identify as a jazz singer? Probably no-- but it's the first style of music that I really, really, really studied, I've never really studied any other type of singing to the extent that I've worked on jazz. I think that I always felt a little bit out of place singing it-- like I hadn't really gotten there. It's fun to go back and start doing it again after not singing it for many years because I do feel a little bit more comfortable. I feel a little bit more like I've earned the right to sing it a bit, but it's still complicated for me.

I don't want to put you on the spot-- well, actually I'm gonna put you on the spot. Where do you fall on the latest controversy around "Baby, It's Cold Outside"?

(Laughs) I don't care! I simply don't care about that controversy. I mean, there's just so many more things...

It's fine. If people want to be mad about that song, then I totally get it, but I don't think it's even a great song. The fact that it's getting taken off all the Christmas playlist is fine by me.

that sees videos go viral to largely create a fleeting fame, do you ever feel the need to caution aspiring artists who might think, "Well, all I need is a hit YouTube video," instead of actually perfecting their craft?

Yeah, if that's what they said. If they were just like, "That's all I need." Thing is, it has really worked for some people.

What worked for us was not just that we had a YouTube video that went viral, it was that we had years and years and that experience-- and a great live show to back it up.

When that video went viral, the reason why we were able to really capitalize on it is because we had shows booked and if people came to the show, we were able to deliver what they experienced from that video with covers and with our originals. And I think that if we'd made that video a few years earlier, I don't know if we would've been able to capitalize on it the way that we did. When success comes, you also have to be prepared for it.

From traveling around the world and singing with your family as a child, and then you were in the big jazz festivals-- and now you're doing Lake Street Dive. Threequarters of your life, if not more, has been spent on stage performing. Is it still fun?

Yes. It's still fun. Performing is absolutely the funnest part.

I will not deny that the touring lifestyle... It's hard. I've had to learn how to take care of myself in a way that I probably wouldn't have ever needed to. But once you get onstage?

That's the money.

You do vocal workshops, teaching people how to perform better. What are some basics that all singers should incorporate?

The main thing that I tell singers is that they need to listen to singers like... I hear a lot of singers, and I can tell that they haven't really gone back more than 10 or 20 years as far as the singers that they've studied. And so the main thing I tell them is to go way further back because to understand vocal tradition and to sing with any sort of depth you need to actually study the depth of time. That's a big thing. And then probably breath work is the next biggest thing in my arsenal.

Do you have a guilty pleasure song that you like to sing?

Something that nobody knows you do?

Maybe? I don't know. Guilty pleasure? I'm like, you know, if it's a good song, it's a good song!

You really don’t want to miss Lake Street Dive with special guest Mikaela Davis, Monday January 14th at The Hargray Capitol Theatre! Visit hargraycapitoltheatre.com to purchase tickets now!

I want to go back to that famous YouTube video of Lake Street Dive performing "I Want You Back." You had Kevin Bacon sharing that experience, and at the time-that was 2012, I think-- you were all accomplished and trained musicians. You'd been around the block. You had years of experience performing together. In an era now

11thHourOnline.com 23

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BY SCOTT MITCHELL If you have taken a walk in Downtown Macon lately, you have probably noticed that Macon’s cool factor has risen a couple of degrees thanks to the recent installation of four original sculptures. The Macon Sculpture Walk is the brain child of Mary Johnson, the Creative Services Director at WGXA and the Downtown Macon Community Association. As the president of the DMCA, I applied for and received a Downtown Challenge Grant from the Community Association of Central Georgia to create Downtown Macon’s inaugural sculpture walk. We held an open call for sculptures and many were submitted from all over the United States. In the end, four sculptures were chosen from three different sculptors.

Greg Mendez created Elli3 which is displayed in front of The Dempsey Hotel at the corner of Cherry Street and Third Street. Greg was raised in the rural town of Decatur, Indiana and studied at the University of St. Francis School of Creative Arts in Ft. Wayne, IN, graduating with a B.F.A. in sculpture.

Greg’s sculptures have been included in many juried public displays throughout the United States, and he has been the recipient of numerous awards. Greg’s brother, Alex Mendez created Peace-- in front of Michael’s on Mulberry at the corner of Mulberry Street and Second Street-- and Come Together-located at the corner of Poplar Street and Third Street. Alex studied music in college and his love of music can be seen in his sculptures. When he’s not in the workshop creating art, you can most likely find him with his guitar.

Our final sculptor for the exhibit, Nathan Pierce, is the son of a stone-mason. His father taught him the value of craftmanship. The abstract contemporary forms of Nathan Pierce's public art installations are softly rooted in the notion of technology and communication and the role that it plays in everyday life. Nathan’s sculpture, Orange Pop, is installed in Turpin Park near Plum Street on Third Street. These sculptures are available for purchase and will be on display for the next year. There was an Artist’s Party on November 29th to welcome all the sculptors to Macon. Alex Mendez said, “The welcome here has just been overwhelming”. And from the selfies on social media, we can tell the sculptures have been embraced by the community.

The Downtown Macon Community Association also recently received another Downtown Challenge Grant to install a Freenotes Harmony Sculpture Garden in the park on Third Street between Poplar and Plum Street. This park will be filled with functional musical sculptures for generations to enjoy.

Come downtown and take a stroll through Macon’s beautiful tree lined streets, check out this year’s Macon Sculpture Walk ,and follow us on Facebook for updates on future events and announcements.

Scott Mitchell owns Travis Jean Emporium on Cherry Street and is the co-host of Deconstructing Divas on 100.9 The Creek. In his spare time, Scott enjoys spending time with his family and furbabies, volunteering, gardening, traveling, watching Broadway shows, and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs.

11thHourOnline.com 25

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26 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

BO TALKS

REALLY SEEING RED

I spent quite a few years in retail, and it was as much a learning experience about the nature of people as it was a job. One thing, which I heard more than once, was especially concerning. It most frequently came from women.

Though I don’t believe this sentiment is exclusive to any manner of gender.

It would typically start off with something like, “Mmhmm… I just love that red hair! I love it, love it, love it!” An extremely enthusiastic complement about the color of my hair is always appreciated, but things often took a wild turn from there.

“It’s sad though, you know? Redheads are going extinct. That’s right because they’re recessive traits. See, it’s like my ex-husband’s hair. It receded, and then it went extinct. It went away, just like he went away when he moved down to West Palm Beach with his secretary in that bright orange Miada.

That’s what recessive means.” I would always be kind of shocked because that’s a lot of information I could’ve easily done without. But also, because that’s not how recessive traits work.

What they were essentially telling me, is that they have less than a basic understanding of genetics. Now, despite what anyone may have told you, I’m no geneticist. However, even while being an exemplary awful student in high school science classes, I managed to pick up enough to know something.

There are actually tons of other recessive traits besides red hair that are even more prevalent, like any other eye color than brown, or having hair in weird places, or having attached earlobes-- my personal favorite of all. Some peo-

ple might think it’s weird to have a favorite recessive trait, but I think it’s equally as weird to tell strangers they’re going extinct.

I think the problem is that it starts with a base layer of misinformation then gets mixed with a dash of word association. Or maybe they just got told something wrong and simply believed it? Who can say for sure? What I can say for sure, is that we aren’t going extinct. I have a redheaded child for Pete’s sake! There’s a perfectly good reason red hair remains dormant in the gene pool for so long. It simply takes redheads longer to gestate in the multidimensional nether realm before our soul-sucking abilities have developed enough to journey into this particular plane of existence. I’m kind of surprised this isn’t general knowledge by now.

Being able to harvest the souls of non-gingers is no easy feat, and it’s not something just anybody should be able to perform. So, when you say, “I just love that red hair!” Instead of following it with, “Redheads are going extinct,” say “Thank you, kind and honorable member of the Ginger Delegation, for not adding my eternal soul to the mahogany curio cabinet you keep by your bed.” Or don’t follow it up at all. But definitely do still complement our hair, we need the validation as badly as we need your souls.

Bo Walker is a writer and not a scientist. The claims expressed in this column are his alone and are not representative of the 11th Hour Magazine. We can neither confirm nor deny his ability to absorb the souls of others.

11thHourOnline.com 27

THE Z BEANS STORY

BY SHANE BUERSTER

VICTORY LOVES PREPARATION: STEP 2 OF FARM TO CUP

While the process of picking, washing, and drying coffee beans is intensive, the next steps require just as much focus and energy. In this blog, we will pick up at the coffee plantation of Milton Rivadeneira. The story will be told through the eyes of Shane Buerster, Z Beans Coffee's founder.

It's 10:00 at night. Milton and I are sitting around the table with friends, chatting about coffee and what could possibly be. It's time. I stand up, tap Milton on the shoulder, and we walk over and sit on a bench away far from everyone.

"Milton, you have a very high quality coffee, and I want to support you for years to come. Would you be interested in selling your coffee at $2.20 per pound?�

"That's low for the quality of my product. I was thinking $2.80 per pound. Nescafe will be here in a couple of weeks, and I know they will be buying it for nearly $3 per pound."

"Milton, we can't do $2.80. That's too far above market price, and it won't allow us to be competitive in our market in The States. I'll do $2.50 per pound, and that is top dollar." "$2.50?"

"Yes." "That'll do."

We shake on it.

The next morning, the moving truck arrives. Arturo and I load up 5,000 pounds of coffee, say our goodbyes, and head to Zaruma. We follow the truck for the first 28 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

part of the trip, stopping at all the police blockades, helping the drivers explain to the policeman what we are doing. There aren't many other exporters pulling coffee from all over Ecuador, so we must have all of our documents organized. The police are on high alert due to contraband frequently coming in from Colombia and Peru. An hour into our trip, we break apart from the truck. We pass it, praying that we see it in PiĂąas at the processing facility. After a 4-hour bus ride, Arturo and I arrive to Quito, the capital. We stop for the night, take a break, and eat. The next morning, we receive a text from Mrs. Marie and Fabricio, the owners of the processing facility: The Coffee Has Arrived!

As soon as Arturo and I arrive to the processing facility, I run up stairs. There they are. The brightly colored blue and red bags-- just as we stacked them in the truck.

I pick one up by throwing it on my right shoulder, walk it over to the first machine, open up the bag, and dump the dried husks into the machine. I flip the on-switch, and the husks immediately start to fall through the small holes. The machine does its job perfectly. It prevents the sticks, rocks, and other debris from going down into the peeling machine. After repeating this process with 5 different bags, I yell down to Fabricio, "Fabricio, it's ready!" He rings the bell-- the peeling machine starts up-- and I run down the stairs, eager to see how the green coffee beans look... ______ For more Z Beans stories you can find us here: ZBeansCoffee.com Facebook: @ZBeansCoffee Instagram: @ZBeansCoffee Storefront: 1635 Montpelier Avenue, Macon, Georgia 31201

EAT THIS

MI XAO GION & PHO DAC BIET LE PHO

5966 ZEBULON RD, MACON Every dish at Le Pho (pronounced Lee Fuh) is striking, enticing your senses with cardamon, garlic, and ginger. The Mi Xao Gion is prepared fresh with lovely shrimp & vegetables, tender pork & chicken, savory squid & crabs, and golden fried tofu overflowing a bed of crispy egg noodles. It’s food that has heart and feels warm, inviting. “I grew up eating this!”, says John Nguyen. He opened Le Pho last summer-- and since then, John’s unique expression of Vietnamese cuisine has been winning over Maconites. Le Pho marries traditional and local flavors to create delicious and inspired food, and if you haven’t tried it, “You’re missing out, man”, says Nguyen. He recommends the Pho Dac Biet, a noodle soup loaded with lean eye of round and flank steak, marbled brisket, rich tendon & tripe, and meatballs. It’s homecookin’, comfort food, and it’s Nguyen’s passion. For him, Le Pho is a dream come true. “It took time, money, effort… but, hey, I’m happy!” Visit Le Pho for lunch or dinner, and you’ll be happy too!

Photo by Anthony Ennis 11thHourOnline.com 29

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THE DISH

DINING-OUT IN CENTRAL GEORGIA A.P.’S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY 4274 Broadway Macon 478-781-5656 Classic rock n’ roll bar with burgers, salads, sandwiches, wings and more! Homestyle Southern Cookin’ Sundays! Outdoor seating available.

L/D/Bar $

English-style steak and chop house with nightly features, extensive wine list, and amazing bourbon and whiskey selection. Cigar bar and private humidor. Complimentary Valet. Reservations encouraged.

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BARBERITOS 4123 Forsyth Rd Suite G Macon 478-621-4883 4921 Riverside Dr Macon 478-254-5802 3123 Watson Blvd Suite 100 Warner Robins 478-971-1138 barberitos.com Burritos, tacos, salads, quesadillas, nachos, and more using locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients. L/D$–$$

EDGAR’S BISTRO 5171 Eisenhower Pkwy Macon 478-471-4250 edgarshospitality.com City Chic and a foodie’s dream! Edgar’s Bistro presents a dining experience that nourishes the body and soul. Open for lunch & dinner Monday-Friday, Edgar’s serves as a hands-on training facility for the Culinary students at Helms College’s Polly Long Denton School of Hospitality.

Reservations encouraged. L/D $$–$$$

BEARFOOT TAVERN 468 2nd St, Macon, 478-305-7703 bearfoottavernmacon.com Contemporary gastropub featuring a menu of New American fare & a beer garden with live music. L/D/Bar $–$$

FATTY’S PIZZA 344 2nd St Macon 478-744-9880 fattyspizzamacon.com Pizza, calzone, wings, & salads. Gluten Free options and delivery to Downtown Macon. L/D $

THE BRICK 1305 Hardeman Ave #100 Macon 478-254-3632 thebrick93.com Made-from-scratch pizza, calzones, and stuffed sticks. Fresh salads, wings, and pasta. Wide variety of draft & bottled beer! L/D/Bar $-$$ CIRCA 4420 Forsyth Rd Macon 478-621-4140 maconcirca.com American brasserie, featuring classic and contemporary French and European cuisine, salads, seafood, steaks, sushi. Saturday Brunch starts 2/24! Reservations encouraged.

L/D/Bar $$-$$$ DOVETAIL 543 Cherry St Macon(above the Rookery) 478-238-4693 dovetailmacon.com Farm-to-table casual fine dining. Southern crafted small plates and a cultivated bourbon selection. Reservations encouraged. Complimentary valet located on Mulberry St Lane for dinner only. Saturday & Sunday Brunch. D/Bar $$–$$$ DOWNTOWN GRILL 562 Mulberry St. Lane Macon 478-742-5999 macondowntowngrill.com

FINCHER’S BAR-B-Q 3947 Houston Ave Macon 478-787-4648 5627 Houston Rd Macon 478-7876947 891 Gray Hwy East Macon 478-787-4649 519 N. Davis Dr Warner Robins 478-787-4651 finchersbbqga.net So fine, it went to the moon in ‘69! Delicious Southern barbecue at four locations in Macon and Warner Robins featuring pulled pork, chicken, ribs, burgers, and more. Family owned & operated since 1935! L/D $ H&H 807 Forsyth St Macon 478-621-7044 handhsoulfood.com “The H” is an institution woven into the fabric of Macon’s history. Since 1959, H&H has kept Macon’s most diverse clientele well-fed with delicious, stick-to-ya-ribs soul food—and is most famous for the unique friendship between founder Mama Louise Hudson and the Allman Brothers Band. B/L $ INGLESIDE VILLAGE PIZZA 2396 Ingleside Ave Macon inglesidevillagepizza.com It doesn’t get any better than IVP! Hand-tossed, homemade dough and fresh toppings, salads, sandwiches, and the sloppiest breadsticks! Voted

the best pizza in Central Georgia by readers of the 11th Hour and the Macon Telegraph! 80+ cold, craft beers! L/D/Bar $ JUST TAP’D 488 1st St Macon 478-599-9951 3123 Watson Blvd 478-599-9950 justtapd.com Gastropub serving tap brews over the counter & bottles from the shelves, plus hearty bar grub.

L/D/Bar $ KUDZU SEAFOOD CO. 470 3rd St Macon 478-292-2085 kudzuseafood.com From the Panhandle of Florida to the coast of Louisiana, the cuisine of the Gulf Coast is simple and unique. Kudzu Seafood Company brings the best of Southern coastal seafood to Downtown Macon! Offering a menu of fried and grilled seafood along with non seafood items prepared fresh to order in an open kitchen. Welcome to the Coast of Middle Georgia!

L/D/Bar $ MELLOW MUSHROOM 5425 Bowman Rd, Macon 478-254-6789 mellowmushroom.com Delicious food in a fun and creative environment! Mellow Mushroom is the originator of hand tossed, stone-baked, classic southern pizza.

All pies are made with high-quality, fresh ingredients, a spring water crust, and a philosophy to elevate the dining experience with a higher order of pizza. L/D/Bar $–$$ NU-WAY WEINERS 5572 Bloomfield Rd Macon 478-781-1305 1602 Montpelier Ave Suite 105 Macon 478-812-8200 921 Hillcrest Blvd Macon 478-743-1047 148 Emery Highway Macon 478-743-7976 3990 Northside Dr Macon 478-477-0533 6016 Zebulon Rd Macon 478-474-5933 1762 Watson Blvd Warner Robins 478-929-4941 215 Russell Parkway Warner Robins 478-923-5335 nu-wayweiners.com An iconic Macon Restaurant featuring the famous red hotdog! Established in 1916 by

Greek American James Mallis, Nu-Way is one of the oldest hot dog restaurants in the United States. The New York Times declared Nu-Way the “king of the slaw dog “hill”. B/L/D $ OCMULGEE BREWPUB 484 2nd St Macon 478-254-2848 ocmulgeebrewpub.com Ocmulgee Brewpub offers the best curated brews using the finest grains, hops, and yeast.

Delicious gourmet burgers, super food salads, and hand-cut fries. L/D/Bar $ PAPOULI’S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE & MARKET 121 Tom Hill Sr Blvd, Macon 478-474-0204 papouliscafe.com Mediterranean restaurant with a casual atmosphere. Gyros, Pita Wraps, Greek Plates & More! Papouli’s Mediterranean Cafe & Market also offers a large selection of imported grocery & deli items. L/D $–$$ PARISH ON CHERRY 580 Cherry St Macon 478-257-7255 parishoncherry.com Cozy Cajun eatery in a rustic-chic setting dishing up classic Creole fare, such as ‘po boys & gumbo. Outdoor seating available. L/D/Bar $–$$ PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN 450 3rd St Macon 478-254-2337 piedmontbrewery.com Eclectic atmosphere with a menu featuring handcrafted beer and honest food. Family-friendly arcade and outdoor seating available.

L/D $–$$ ROLY POLY 624 New St A Macon 478-745-7659 The Original Rolled Sandwich!

Also offering specialty soups & salads. L $ THE ROOKERY 543 Cherry St Macon 478-746-8658 rookerymacon.com Legendary downtown eatery offering Southern rock & soul inspired burgers, sandwiches, fresh salads, shakes, daily features, and so much more!

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Your Favorite Classics and a host of new hits

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32 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

Photo by Christopher Ian Smith

Legend of The Grand Opera House:

Macon’s Tenacious Treasure

By Traci Burns

The Grand Opera House is a true, tenacious Macon treasure. To Central Georgians, it’s a symbol of the arts and their lasting importance-- sometimes against tough odds-- and it shows what can happen when an entire community works together toward a shared goal of historic preservation. The Grand is a pure, aesthetic pleasure that has been meticulously maintained, and it’s full of fascinating stories of over-the-top performances, mischievous ghostly encounters, and above all else, one city’s passionate dedication to something bigger than itself.

It all began under a different name: The Academy of Music, designed by architect Alexander Blair, Sr., opened its doors in 1884. Boasting a seating capacity of 2,418 (roughly one-fifth of Macon’s population at the time), this venue was our city’s way of naming ourselves a cultural contender.

Smaller venues like the Macon Concert Hall and the Ralston (which once hosted a lecture by the then-scandalous Oscar Wilde) already existed, but the Academy, dubbed “the handsomest theater in the South” in a September 1884 issue of The Telegraph & Messenger, dwarfed them in size, scope, and aesthetics.

Unfortunately, it took less than twenty years for the Academy to become obsolete; its orchestra pit was small, only able to hold an upright piano, and the stage wasn’t big enough to accommodate the increasingly elaborate needs of theatrical performances. In 1902, its stockholders made plans to modernize the building – and modernize they did, demolishing all of the old structure to make room for a seven-story office building (charmingly referred to in some of the press releases of the day as a ‘skyscraper’) with a large theater built behind it.

W.R. Gunn, a prominent architect of the time who built over 100 other theaters largely across the South, was at the helm of this renovation. A confident craftsman, Gunn was quoted as saying, “I am the only theatrical architect and practical builder in the U.S. of A. who will guarantee the line of sight and acoustics when the entire control of the auditorium and stage is under my supervision and will forfeit $1,000 when my construction proves a failure in either case.” As the story goes, he always kept his cash.

The Grand Opera House was formally dedicated in February of 1905, and Mr. Gunn’s boasts were thankfully not just empty promises-- the new theater was built for the more modern theatergoer, with a lobby, updated restrooms, an attempt at climate control, and storefronts located to the left and right of the entrance. The building’s acoustics, always a point of pride, were impeccable, and the new stage was the stuff of legend; 80 feet wide and 60 feet deep, it was the largest in the South at the time and among the largest in the entire nation.

“A story that really blows my mind about that old stage is the production of Ben-Hur with the live horses that were trained to run on a treadmill,” says the Grand’s Executive Director Joe Patti, speaking of one of the first shows held after the theater had opened its doors post-remodel. “I mean, a treadmill that can hold a horse? A horse that won’t freak out running on a treadmill??

That’s just mindboggling. Of course, now you could have CG to have anything you wanted to happen on stage, pretty much, but back then, to have that over-the-top level of inventiveness and effort is truly amazing.” Indeed, it was amazing-- the New York team that produced Ben-Hur apparently sent a team down to ensure that our theater would be able to handle the rigors of such a large-scale production since most other theaters in the country didn’t have the capacity, but The Grand pulled it off to widespread acclaim.

The next few decades were a golden era for the Grand. All the leading performers of the day touched down on that magnificent stage-- legend has it that Harry Houdini cut nine trapdoors into the stage to facilitate his act, one of which is still working today and used in productions of The Nutcracker. Charlie Chaplin, Lillian Russell, Gracie Allen & George Burns, and Will Rogers also famously appeared at The Grand, as did many traveling theatrical performances, minstrel shows, and Vaudeville troupes.

The Great Depression came down hard on the live theater industry-- there just wasn’t money available to build and produce elaborate shows anymore, and most audiences couldn’t afford to attend them anyway. But the movie industry, once considered a short-lived fad, became a true contender; Hollywood kept churning out films, and low admission costs made movies accessible to most anyone. In 1935, The Grand Opera House changed its name to The Grand Theatre and began to operate largely as a movie house, though other events still occasionally made their way to the stage.

In 1945, The Grand got to reclaim its majesty for a night-- it hosted the world premiere of the film God is My Co-Pilot, based on the memoir of the same name by Macon’s Col. Robert L. Scott, a brigadier general in the United States Air Force and a Flying Ace in World War II. Spotlights illuminated the night sky and crowds stood in blocks-long lines to pack into the theater for this rare and thrilling glimpse of Hollywood in our midst. Sadly, this was kind of a last hurrah for the Grand; for the next few decades it fell into disrepair, and as our city grew and people moved into more suburban areas, there didn’t seem to be a need for such an elaborate performance venue downtown.

What happened next in the Grand’s history was nearly miraculous, “so Macon it hurts,” according to the Grand’s Marketing Director Sarah Webster, and definitely set the precedent for the passionate, preservation-minded energy that fuels so much of our downtown scene today. In 1966, after hearing that the Grand Opera House would soon be demolished and replaced with a parking lot, a group of Maconites banded together to form the Macon Arts Council; they would later evolve to become the Macon Arts Alliance, but at the time, they had just one mission in mind: saving The Grand.

Under the leadership of Val Sheridan, the Macon Arts Council set out on a multifaceted rescue effort: proving that the necessary restorative work could be done on the Grand at a fraction of the $1 million projected by the county; showcasing the theater and preaching the ultimate importance of preservation to our city’s history; and involving and mobilizing the community in efforts that ranged from volunteering time and expertise to throwing elaborate fundraisers. And it worked-- on April 6, 1970, The Grand, remodeled for just over $300,000, reopened its doors. Due to the MAC’s activism, it also became the first building in Macon to appear on the National Register of Historic Places.

11thHourOnline.com 33

“Never before in our history have our citizens responded so warmly and enthusiastically to fill the culture gap,” reads an article from The Macon News published around the time of the reopening. “It has been an unbelievable response from every corner of Macon. There has been none of the foolishness so often heard in such endeavors. None of the questions: ‘What’s it going to mean to our neighborhood? How will our section of town benefit from it?

Why spend all this time and effort on an old, broken down building?’ Macon knew the answers, they saw the need, and they got down to work.”

“I think this really speaks to the character of Macon,” says Sarah Webster. “It shows how important it is not just for us but for so many different facilities and organizations in Macon to preserve our history-- we place a lot of importance on that because it is important, and Macon is unique in that way. A lot of places, it’s ‘out with the old, in with the new,’ but in Macon, it’s ‘out with the old ideas, in with the new ideas’-- but let’s honor where we came from.”

“People have such a personal history with this building, too,” says Joe Patti. “Other theaters have come and gone, so this represents a continuum for lots of people because it’s not just about them, it’s their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents-- back in the Val Sheridan era, people were pushing to keep this place open, they were so deeply invested, and it worked. So there’s the feeling of this place belongs to us, too, because we fought for it.”

Mercer University has been managing The Grand on behalf of Bibb County since 1995; under their leadership, the theater has truly flourished, bringing a sustainable and appealing mixture of entertainment to middle Georgia. The Broadway Series brings full-scale versions of touring musicals to town 4-5 times per year (coming up soon: Evita, Finding Neverland, and Chicago), musicians like Jason Mraz or Gregg Allman have played to sold-out crowds mesmerized by the acoustics, and there’s a steady stream of other eclectic entertainment, from comedians to local dance troupes to the yearly holiday cheer of The Nutcracker.

Mavity is brimming with tales of supernatural mischief from his many years backstage at The Grand, like this one: Richard Marx had a mouthy guitar tech who went out of his way to be sure everyone in The Grand crew knew exactly how much he didn’t believe in ghosts and how silly he thought the stories were; later, Marx broke a guitar string during his very first song, a rare event in and of itself. When the tech went to change the string and found his neon green string winder missing, he blamed The Grand’s crew for messing with his head before going on to change the string manually, delivering it to Richard onstage, then returning to find the string winder back where it was supposed to have been all along. See, Randall’s not a malicious ghost at all-- just one who demands the proper respect for his beloved final resting place.

The theater is looking better than ever after two recent rounds of SPLOST-funded renovations: the first round, completed in 2017, brought new carpet and seating, an expanded stage loading dock, and a new heating and air system; the second round, newly finished in October 2018, transformed a storage room into a historically accurate reception area and gave the restrooms a much-needed modernization and expansion. “It’s a funny thing to say, but people love the restrooms,” laughs Joe Patti. “When we opened The

Other theaters have come and gone, so this represents a continuum for lots of people because it’s not just about them, it’s their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents

Bob Mavity has been a fixture at The Grand for twenty-seven years; he started as a stagehand and has been Technical Director for the past two decades. “I love the place,” he says. “It’s got a lot of character. There’s a lot of things you have to work around because it’s an old theater and you’re trying to do modern things, but we make it happen.” He’s had countless hours of literal hands-on experience with the entertainment at The Grand, and it’s fun to listen to him recount his favorite performances – “There was a Gov’t Mule show that went ‘til the wee hours of the morning that was one of the most incredible shows I’ve ever seen,” he says reverently. Another favorite: John Amos, of tv’s Good Times, came through with a one-man show called Halley’s Comet, which Mavity calls “an amazing experience, because there was so much passion and love in what he was doing, and it showed through all the way.”

You can’t have a building with this much history and not have a few ghosts hanging around, and The Grand has plenty of stories. The primary legend is that of Randall Widener, who was executive director of the theater for only a short period of time in 1970 when plagued by personal problems, he climbed up to the Thunder Room-- an old sound effects area at the top of the theater-- with a bottle of sleeping pills, a bottle of whiskey, and a pistol.

“One story says that he went up there to shoot pigeons,” says Bob Mavity, “but the more believable one is that he’d taken pills and gotten drunk and just became overtaken by the heat up there, and went to sleep and never woke up.”

Randall’s estranged wife wasn’t looking for him to come home, so there was nobody to miss him until it came time for a scheduled meeting at the beginning of the week. His car was in the parking lot, but he was nowhere to be found, so coworkers set out on a search and discovered a gory, gruesome scene in the August heat. “He’s the main presence I’ve felt here,” says Mavity, who has experienced enough phenomena throughout his life to 36 JANUARY 4-18, 2019 34

make him an absolute believer in spirits. “He’s not an angry spirit-- he’s more of a guardian of the theater. This place was his solace, and he seems concerned about it and about the people who take care of it. But he likes attention, so every now and then, if he’s not getting enough, you’ll hear from him!”

Nutcracker, I literally heard people saying, ‘Thank God for these restrooms!’” Previously, the small, cramped bathroom area created congestion and long lines, especially for the women’s room; that’s no longer an issue. And, as a bonus, the facilities are bright, shiny, and modern, so much so that Macon Magazine recently shot part of a fashion spread in there.

The bathrooms are the only place you’ll find thoroughly modernized touches, though-- the rest of the work has been done with a careful, doting eye towards the building’s rich history. The newly restored gorgeous marble floor in the lobby is original-- it’s been buried beneath carpet for years. “People always say, ‘Why did they put carpet over that?’” says Sarah Webster, “but I’m glad they did because if not, no way would it be in the shape it’s in right now.” The carpet in the new reception area was painstakingly sourced to maintain aesthetic integrity-- a sample from the theater’s second balcony, the only place where original carpeting remained, was taken to a manufacturer so that the closest possible match could be found.

The new reception area in the front of the building is a lovely addition; not only does it offer additional space for theatergoers to comfortably enjoy a little pre- or post-show socializing, it’s also available for rent to the community at large for any number of uses: birthday parties, engagement parties, events before or after performances, even corporate meetings. “We’d love to see businesses use this,” says Webster. “Downtown, there’s not as many open spaces for that kind of meeting, and we’re a great way to show off all that Macon has to offer-- a beautiful space, state of the art, with an amazing story attached.”

The newly restored gorgeous marble floor in the lobby is original-- it’s been buried beneath carpet for years.

Looking ahead to the future, The Grand hopes to be able to renovate the second balcony.

Closed to the public for years, it was built as a Jim Crow balcony so that African-American theatergoers would be kept segregated according to the ‘separate but equal’ laws of the time. There’s no indoor access to this balcony – you have to brave the elements and scale fire escape stairs outside to get in. The seating is narrow and crowded, and the balcony itself has a dramatic pitch; at the time it was in use, patrons were packed in without consideration of comfort of safety. Charles Douglass, one of Macon’s first and most notable African-American entrepreneurs, liked to go out with his wife to see plays and shows, but the dreadful balcony conditions at The Grand deterred them; eventually, Douglass solved this issue-- and became a part of Macon history-- by building his own theater a few blocks away.

Plans to build a new courthouse next door to The Grand will hopefully lead to a shared elevator between the two buildings, which will grant safe access to that balcony. “It’s very haunting to be up there, thinking through the history,” says Webster, “but I think it’s important for people to be able to experience it themselves.” As is their custom, any renovations done by The Grand won’t seek to erase that history, painful though it may be, though new seating and restroom options would be necessary to make the balcony useable.

This resilient and beautiful building has had a fascinating symbiotic relationship with Macon for years-- the theater morphs to suit the cultural needs of the day, the community rewards it with trust and support. The theater, in turn, gives back to the community by being a living monument to history and a beacon of the arts. It’s a winning partnership and one that will surely continue to flourish in surprising ways for years to come, especially considering downtown Macon’s continuing vibrant transformation. “With the way that downtown is developing, we’re really part of an arts ecology,” says Joe Patti.

“There’s a synergy between everything down here-- restaurants, shopping, art, music. You can’t just stick a theater somewhere and have it be successful-- all those different elements have to come together for it to work best.” Central Georgia is lucky to be in the middle of such a thrilling, hard-earned renaissance, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.

With the way that downtown is developing, we’re really part of an arts ecology,” says Joe Patti.

“There’s a synergy between everything down here-- restaurants, shopping, art, music. You can’t just stick a theater somewhere and have it be successful-- all those different elements have to come together for it to work best.

Photos by Walter Elliot

The Grand Opera House | 651 Mulberry Street | Macon GA 31201 Box Office: (478) 301-5470 | Box Office Hours: Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Visit their website: www.thegrandmacon.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/grandoperahousemacon

11thHourOnline.com 35

T H G I F ND BA C N Y S N S V S Y O B T E E R T S K

BAC

36 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

Fight fans, prepare for a 10-man tag team SPEC-TAC-YOO-LAR! It’s the Battle of Orlando, the Match of the Millennium, the Brawl to Settle it All! Two teams poised to duel to the death with a clear winner standing tall in a grudge match to decide, once and for all, who is the better Boy Band…

Meeting at the center of the ring to trade blows in support of their charges… First, from the Great State of Kentucky, he is the Bluegrass Bruiser, The Backstreet Brawler, and master of the devastating Doolin Death Drop… this is Terrible Tony Doolin! And his opponent… he hails from Music City Macon, GA… he is a master of one of the most-feared holds in all of fight-dom, the Creek Crossface… he’s honor bound to defend NSYNC… he is Nature Boy Anthony Ennis! And now for the Thousand in Attendance… and the millions (gimmick infringement) and millions… Backstreet Boys vs NSYNC... BAND FIGHT!

BACKSTREET BOYS BOY BAND PERFECTION

FORMED: Orlando, Florida 1993 DEBUT ALBUM: Backstreet Boys, 1996 HEIGHT OF POPULARITY: 1998-2001 MEMBERS: AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter, Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell SIGNATURE SONG: "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)", "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)", "I Want It That Way" Lou Pearlman, the Jabba The Hut of artist development, took the formula of The Osmonds, Jackson 5, and New Kids On The Block and injected into the wasteland of 1990’s pop radio to create the pinnacle of boy band Franken-hottie perfection: Backstreet Boys.

But his later cheap imitations paled in comparison to the kings of Tiger Beat-- NSYNC (referred to hereafter as NSUCKS), Take 5, Us5, LFO? All inferior ripoffs. According to Wikipedia, Pearlman played God, using a mutant strand of DNA to create O-Town that caused the band to evolve into cannibals after they broke up. Sad. Anyway… Backstreet Boys will always be superior to NSUCKS. Here’s why: 1. Talent- Backstreet Boys were gifted vocalists individually.

NSUCKS had Timberlake. I’m reasonably sure Chris Kirkpatrick was actually mute.

2. Ballads- “I Want It That Way”, the soundtrack to every middle school crush in the 90s. NSUCKS had “(God Must Have Spent) A Little More Time On You”, which sounds like a sad pickup line used at The Crazy Bull.

3. Originality- Backstreet Boys all had that certain something…

That spark of “special” plucking at “tween” heartstrings. No matter what type of guy you were after, Backstreet Boys had him. NSUCKS literally had a member named the Fat One. 4. Longevity- Backstreet Boys are still touring, have released multiple albums in the last 15 years. NSUCKS? Nothing. Outside of a wedding party photo, Dancing With The Stars, and managing Timberlake’s email, the rest of NSUCKS have been stagnant.

5. Style- Backstreet Boys wore matching white suits and portrayed classic movie monsters in their videos. NSUCKS were puppets.

Puppets are not cool. Any argument for NSUCKS begins with, “But, Justin Timberlake…” After that, it falls apart and holds zero weight. Backstreet Boys are the clear winners here. NSUCKS? Baby, Bye Bye Bye…

NSYNC

NOT JUST A BOY BAND FORMED: Orlando, Florida 1995 DEBUT ALBUM: Nsync, 1997 HEIGHT OF POPULARITY: 1999-2002 MEMBERS: Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez SIGNATURE SONGS: "I Want You Back", "Tearin' Up My Heart", "Bye Bye Bye" Backstreet Boys put their foot in the door, but NSYNC kicked it in, knocked them over, and stepped on top in a short matter of time. Backstreet Boys had the initial teen heartthrobs-- but NSYNC brought Joey Fatone, JC Chasez, Lance Bass, and of course, Justin Timberlake (I’m going to leave Chris out of this. Poor guy.)-- and while Backstreet Boys had the initial hits, these new guys brought a new level of entertainment. They weren’t just talented in a collective effort-- they were all (despite my opponent’s opinion to the contrary) good individually! There’s no need to tout Justin Timberlake’s success, he’s a household name-- but consider the rest! Fatone had a successful Broadway career along with Dancing with the Stars and more. Chasez had a solo career post-NSYNC and continues to produce and write music today (including writing FOR Backstreet Boys). If they were so much better why would they need to hire their former competition? Just saying... AND, Lance Bass has gone on to be featured in several huge Hollywood comedies-- and guess what? He’s been on Broadway too! Clearly, NSYNC has the individual upper hand, but they only released 3 albums to the Backstreet Boys 8! That should speak for itself.

NSYNC didn’t need more albums or reunions to stay relevant. They released 3 and moved on. Backstreet Boys had to have a “comeback” and a reunion tour to stay in the spotlight. When the world was turned upside down by the Backstreet Boys, NSYNC waited. And when it was their turn, they let the world know they didn’t want to be second-best. So while the members of NSYNC have moved on gracefully, somewhere the Backstreet Boys are rehearsing for yet another reunion tour while finally being shown the Meaning of Being Lonely.

- Anthony Ennis

WHO IS THE UNDISPUTED WINNER? VISIT THE 11TH HOUR ON FACEBOOK AND VOTE! BACKSTREET BOYS OR NSYNC-- YOU DECIDE!

-Tony Doolin

11thHourOnline.com 37

FRIDAY

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923 Washington Avenue, Macon Phone: 478-621-4995 Email: bushwaywaystack@gmail.com 38 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

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HONKY TONK HEAVEN: LEGEND OF THE BROKEN SPOKE

2019

Even if my time to enjoy documentaries and a more “grown-up” fare is limited (The Irons household is practically infested with Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood morning, noon, and night), my enthusiasm remains. Once or twice a month, after the little girl goes to bed and the wife retires to Hulu General Hospital replays or Will & Grace reruns, Pops descends to the basement to rifle through his wanna-watch list. The latest check off Amazon Prime is the 2016 film Honky Tonk Heaven: Legend of the Broken Spoke. The story of the “Last of the True Texas Dance Halls” features testimonies from Dale Watson, Jesse Dayton, Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, and many more artists, historians, and patrons who’ve kept the Austin, TX institution alive for over 50 years. James and Anetta White opened the Broken Spoke in 1964 and it became a family business fueled by chicken-fried steak, Lonestar beer, and honky tonk music. I’ve never been, always wanted to go, and after watching Honky Tonk Heaven, I’m ready to chow down and two-step.

–AARON IRONS

DRINK THIS

ANGOSTURA 7-YEAR-OLD RUM Spurred by Creeki Tiki Night last summer, I started enjoying more rum. A label that impresses me is Angostura. I’d been using the company’s aromatic bitters for years (I like a lot of bitters in my old fashioned), but I had no idea they made rum too.

Distilled on the island of Trinidad and Tobago, Angostura 7-year-old rum is aged in once-used bourbon casks. I've had bourbon aged in rum casks… eh, not my favorite thang-- but rum from a bourbon barrel? Ohmygoodness! I sip it straight, enjoy it in old-fashioneds, mix it with Mexican Coca-Cola-- heck, I’ve even been puttin’ it in my eggnog!. The rum is smooth, brown sugar sweet with just enough rough to thrill me.

Easy-- but not too easy. Angostura’s 5 year is also delicious, and the 1919 is like water from a beautiful place (credit to Marcus Henderson for that line), but the 7 year is something special. Give it a whirl –AARON IRONS

PODCAST DR. DEATH

DO NOT listen to this podcast if you’re about to undergo any type of medical procedure, because it’s sure to terrify you into canceling.

Dr. Death follows the incredible story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch, a Texas neurosurgeon that killed or paralyzed multiple patients-- and was still allowed to perform surgery! One of his patients was his personal friend and former roommate, Jerry Summers, who went under the knife for surgery on his neck and awoke a quadriplegic. Another patient, Mary Efurd, was maimed at the hands of Duntsch, who completely amputated an entire spinal nerve root during surgery. Perhaps even more unsettling is the fact that no record has been found of a hospitals notifying the Texas Medical Board of the multiple deaths at Duntsch’s hands while he was under their employ. This podcast is a chilling recounting of the events leading up to Duntsch’s arrest and eventual trial, including personal accounts by many of his surviving patients and an email in which Duntsch refers to himself as a “cold-blooded killer.” This podcast, by Wondery, is a must-listen for any true crime fans-- as long as you plan to stay out of the operating room!

–MANDY PURVIS

RECIPE

HOPPIN’ JOHN

Happy New Year! If your superstitious and looking to bestow good luck on your household through Southern food traditions, we’re just a few days late. HOWEVER, this dish is good year-round and is one of my go-to comfort foods.

Hoppin’ John: 1 onion, chopped 1 c. celery, chopped 1 T olive Oil 1 tsp. minced garlic 2-3 cups diced/cubed smoked ham 8 c. chicken stock 2-16oz pkgs frozen black eyed peas ½ tsp dried thyme 1 bunch of fresh collards, chopped Red pepper flakes (to taste) 1 Tblsp apple cider vinegar Ham base

In large frying pan, saute onion and celery in olive oil 5 min until soft- add garlic and cook 2 min. more. Add ham and saute over low heat for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture into a large stock pot, add chicken stock, black eyed peas, thyme and cook very low/simmer 1 hour. Add more water/stock as needed along with ham base to taste. When peas are soft, use an immersion blender to partly process half of the soupDO NOT OVER PROCESS. Add red pepper flakes and vinegar and simmer 10 minutes longer. Serve as a soup or even over rice.

–ASHLEY DOOLIN

REQUIRED LISTENING

PSYCHOCANDY, THE JESUS AND MARY CHAIN

It’s not that I don’t like pop music (contrary to popular belief), I simply think pop music is lazy. Catchy, accessible music doesn’t have to pander to be so. Enter The Jesus and Mary Chain, a group of Scots who took their cue from grinding German industrial music and mixed it with bubblegum and bone saws.

Hardly missing New Wave, TJ&MC took feedback to the level of art with 1985’s Psychocandy, a roiling gradation of static, melody, and whine reduced to bite-sized chunks of electric joy wrapped in melancholy. “Just Like Honey” eases in with a Shangri-Las-on-Valium drumbeat building towards glory before abruptly fading. The whine and metal of “The Living End” is the true harbinger of The Jesus and Mary Chain’s philosophy-- steady, driving rhythm built on layer upon layer of distortion, feedback, and fuzz. “Taste The Floor” evokes The Stooges and The Ramones, but with a detachment that became a staple of British “shoegazing” rock n’ roll, and a piece of prophecy for the next era of power pop a decade later. For me “In A Hole” and the VU-ish “Taste of Cindy” evokes the angst of the 1980s I was too young to exhibit but old enough to aspire to. As the album vacillates between Beach Boys bounce and dissonance, “You Trip Me Up” attacks from multiple angles with a commitment to high frequency, there’s a sweet segue from “Something’s Wrong”, and then the grand finale aims to maim with “It’s So Hard”. Internal band fighting and external drama drove as much as perpetually threatened to derail The Jesus and Mary Chain while subsequent albums would trade men for machine and rely more on interpretation than innovation. I still love ‘em though, and whether accidental or intentional, the mutant pop ideology of Psychocandy perseveres.

–AARON IRONS

11thHourOnline.com 39

AMERICANA NEWS, NOTIONS, AND NONSENSE

By Aaron Irons

Been diggin’ Jamie Lin Wilson’s latest single on 100.9 The Creek? “The Being Gone” can be found on the D’Hanis, TX singer-songwriter’s newest album, Jumping Over Rocks which debuted to rave reviews from critics and peers (like BJ Barham of American Aquarium) back in October. Charlie Sexton and members of the Band of Heathens show up on the album. 2016’s Hell or High Water just hit Netflix-- the film features Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine, Ben Foster, music from Nick Cave & Warren Ellis, and songs from Chris Stapleton, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Townes Van Zandt, and Colter Wall. The Devil Makes Three will be at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta on January 18th and mark your damn calendars, Texas-Soul-Brother Delbert McClinton will be there February 16th! The Hargray Capitol Theatre plans to show The Macon Sound on January 31st-- the GPB produced documentary looks at a myriad of artists-- the usuals like Little Richard, Otis Redding, the Allman Brothers Band as well as Jason Aldean, Travis Denning, and artists that still maintain a presence on the Macon scene today like Robert Lee Coleman and Big Mike & The Booty Papas. Mandolin Orange are set to release a brand-new, ultra-folky album-- Tides Of A Teardrop… er, drops on February 1st. Expect the North Carolina duo ‘round the Georgia pines come Spring. The 61st Annual Grammy Awards are set for February 10th... if you’re into that sort of thing. Some of The Creek’s favorite artists-- Brandi Carlile, The Wood Brothers, John Prine, Anderson East-- are set to win awards. We’re glad Margo Price is up for a Grammy this year-- but Best New Artist? Hayes Carll plans to release his new album, What It Is on February 15th, and he’ll be at Atlanta’s Terminal West on April 12th. On February 22nd, Concord Records will re-release Ray Charles’ Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music as a two-volume extravaganza on CD, streaming, and vinyl with bonus tracks and all the necessary special edition extras.

18 JANUARY 4-18, 2019 40

"I’m not a country singer. I’m a singer who sings country songs.”

Ray Charles

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Aaron Irons was born in the green mountains of West Virginia but calls Macon, Georgia his home. He was a founding member of the influential rock n’ roll band, The Liabilities.

He enjoys the Westerns of John Wayne, the “Dead” films of Romero, and the history of professional wrestling in the United States and Japan.

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PUB 96 (BONAIRE) Jim Jam Karaoke & Dance Party 9pm

SATURDAY 1/12

A.P.'S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY 120/80 Band 8pm Never A Cover THE HARGRAY CAPITOL THEATRE The Gregg Allman Laid Back Legacy 8pm $25$400 PUB 96 (BONAIRE) Jim Jam Karaoke & Dance Party 9pm REBOOT RETROCADE & BAR Big Kids Brunch 1pm

SUNDAY 1/13

A.P.'S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY Big Mike 3pm REBOOT RETROCADE & BAR Sunday Fun Day 1pm

MONDAY 1/14

THE HARGRAY CAPITOL THEATRE Lake Street Dive 8pm $30-$45 w/ Mikaela Davis

MELLOW MUSHROOM MACON Extreme Music Bingo 8pm PUB 96 (BONAIRE) Jim Jam Karaoke & Dance Party REBOOT RETROCADE & BAR Group Cards Against Humanity 8pm

FRIDAY 1/11

A.P.'S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY Karaoke w/ Jesse Jane 8pm-midnight

PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN Comedy Bingo 6pm PUB 96 Happy Hour All Day Free Pool PUB 96 Happy Hour All Day Free Pool

continued on page 44 11thHourOnline.com 43

TUESDAY 1/15

GRANT’S LOUNGE Music Therapy Open Mic 9pm

THE HARGRAY CAPITOL THEATRE CBDB 8pm $10-$12

JUST TAP'D Brain Blast Trivia 8pm PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN Dart Tournament 7pm PUB 96 (BONAIRE) Texas Hold 'Em Poker 8pm

WEDNESDAY 1/16 PUB 96 (BONAIRE) Legendary Trivia 7pm

REBOOT RETROCADE & BAR Question Quest Trivia 7:30pm

THURSDAY 1/17

Feed Your Inner Rock Star

OPEN JAMS & KARAOKE TUESDAY

JUST TAP'D Brain Blast Trivia 8pm PUB 96 (BONAIRE) Jim Jam Karaoke & Dance Party 9pm REBOOT RETROCADE & BAR Group Cards Against Humanity 8pmmidnight

THE BRICK Karaoke 8pm

GRANT’S LOUNGE Music Therapy Open Mic 9pm MELLOW MUSHROOM MACON Holy Shiitake Karaoke 8pm

WEDNESDAY GRANT'S LOUNGE Open Jam 9pm

THURSDAY THE BRICK 8pm

PUB 96 Jim Jam Karaoke & Dance Party 9pm

FRIDAY

A.P.'S HIDDEN HIDEAWAY Karaoke w/ Jessie Jane 8pm

INDOOR BUGS!

OUTDOOR PESTS!

AMPERSAND GUILD Poetry & Spoken Word Every 2nd Friday 7pm $5 (Free for performers) AMPERSAND GUILD Open Mic Night Every 3rd Friday 7pm $5 (Free for performers)

SATURDAY

PUB 96 Jim Jam Karaoke & Dance Party 9pm

Warmer weather brings out those mosquitoes and ticks!

TAKE BACK YOUR YARD WITH...

BACKYARD PEST CONTROL CALL 478-787-8000 MOSQUITOESGONE.COM

44 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

SUNDAY

PUB 96 GRANT'S LOUNGE Open Jam 9pm

Do you have a story to tell?

The 11th Hour wants to hear it!

IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF THE 11TH HOUR...

• INTERVIEWS

We are currently accepting submissions from community based writers looking to share their stories with the rest of Central Georgia.

• EVENTS • THE DISH • ...AND MORE!

You could be featured in The 11th Hour!

Email your ideas and contact information to Aaron@thecreekfm.com

On Stands January 17th!

G N I M O C

1.17

N O SO FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT MACONCENTREPLEX.ORG

r e k l a W y a l C 1.26

e l l e B a L i t t a P 2.06

n o g a w d e e REO Sp 1.26

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Ron White 11thHourOnline.com 45

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46 JANUARY 4-18, 2019

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Much more!

LO W E S T R ATES IN TOWN! 11thHourOnline.com 39

Call for a free estimate

UPCOMING SHOWS BUY YOUR TICKETS AT HARGRAYCAPITOLTHEATRE.COM

WEDNESDAY 1/9

THURSDAY 1/10

FRIDAY 1/11

The Creek Stage at the Rookery

The Creek Stage at the Rookery

The Big House Museum Presents

PARKER GISPERT OF THE WHIGS W/ DANIEL GRAVES

EG KIGHT

CHARLIE STARR SOLO ACOUSTIC SHOW FEAT. BENJI SHANKS

Doors: 9pm / Show: 9:30pm

Doors: 6:00pm / Show: 7:30pm

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

SATURDAY 1/12

MONDAY 1/14

THURSDAY 1/17 This Event Is 18 & Over

THE GREGG ALLMAN LAID BACK LEGACY

LAKE STREET DIVE W/ MIKAELA DAVIS

CBDB

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

FRIDAY 1/18

SATURDAY 1/19

WEDNESDAY 1/23

This Event Is 18 & Over

The Creek Stage at the Rookery

This Event is 18 and over

REHAB

BRENT COBB AND THEM W/ SAVANNAH CONLEY

CHERUB W/ MOSIE

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

Doors: 7pm / Show: 8pm

Doors: 7:30 pm / Show: 8:30 pm

Let Moonhanger Catering make your next event unforgettable.

Contact Katelin at (478) 718-1444 or email katelin@moonhangergroup.com

HARGRAYCAPITOLTHEATRE 382 Second Street • 478-257-6391 All ages shows unless otherwise stated.

THE

STAGE AT THE ROOKERY

THE CREEK STAGE AT THE ROOKERY { SPONSORED BY PRETOIRA FIELDS } 543 Cherry Street • 478-257-6391 Dinner served starting at 6 | Shows at 8 p.m.

11thHourOnline.com 47

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Weddings Planning Weddings & & Event Event Planning has more beautiful... beautiful... hasnever never looked looked more

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Plus we’ll give you a Plus we’ll give you a behind-the-scences behind-the-scences tour of our tour of our operations. operations.