The air crackles with anticipation, and a familiar tune hums in the background, as Columbus prepares for a return that promises to reignite the local music scene. Country star and Army veteran Keni Thomas, with his band, Cornbread, is set to perform at The Loft on April 12, in a show that captures not only the spirit of his musical journey but also the deep connections that have shaped his life. This night at the…
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Embracing The Soul As Mother’s Day weekend approaches, Columbus prepares to ignite with creativity, culture, and community at the inaugural “Ma” Fest, held May 10 – 11 in the Historic Liberty District. The festival pays tribute to Ma Rainey, our “Mother of the Blues,” celebrating her monumental impact on music while revitalizing a district with deep cultural roots. “This isn’t just a festival; it’s the dawn of a new arts and cultural institution in Georgia,”…
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The Historic Zion Blues Festival Returns To Talbotton, May 3 To some, it might seem like an unusual combination— an historic, Gothic Episcopal church nestled in the heart of sunny Talbotton, while the haunting melodies of the blues echo across the grounds. Yet this delightful fusion is a celebration of the storied history of Talbotton, a community whose roots run deep in both Zion Episcopal Church, consecrated in 1853, and an ever-evolving music scene which…
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Spring is in the air, ushering in a vibrant season filled with sunshine, creativity, and the much-anticipated Crossroads Folk Art Festival. On May 10, Rose Hill Park will be transformed into a lively haven for art enthusiasts, families, and anyone seeking a slice of authentic Southern culture. With the park nestled at the corner of Hamilton Road and 33rd Street, the festival promises to be a delightful gathering showcasing a rich mosaic of local folk…
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Annual Opelika Songwriters Festival showcases top musical talents and the good times to be had in the sleepy railroad town. By Frank Etheridge Downtown Opelika sure is a sweet lil’ bubble to be in. Bordered by two bridges and bisected by railroad tracks, the charming historic corridor dates back further than the town itself, as the Montgomery and West Point Railway Co. line arrived in 1848 — six years before Opelika (the Muscogee term for…
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Is Rolling Into Columbus By David Turner It was July 9, 1971, and all of Shea Stadium was shaking. Staff engineers were afraid the building might collapse. Whole sections of seating rode up and down as tens of thousands of screaming fans rocked to the music booming from the stage. The band and the crowd in the jam-packed stadium were locked together in the pure celebration called rock and roll. It took The Beatles three…
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What happened to live music? By Miguel Juarez I don’t like to romanticize “The Good Old Days” because I firmly believe the world we are building is better every day than what it used to be. If that’s not the case, it is us who are failing. Just like every generation before us, it is our responsibility to pick up what we were given and run with it as far as we can. I was…
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For Another Year of Jazz By Miguel Juarez And just like that, we’re halfway through the decade. There’s a saying that goes, “The days are long, but the years are short,” and 2025 came lighting fast. Thanks to all of you who are reading this and who are supporting live music and the arts, the Columbus Jazz Society made it another year and is able to continue advocating for our unique culture. We have been…
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The story of local band Skydog Gypsy comes with a pocketful of legend. By Frank Etheridge “There are people who have been to hundreds of our shows — and that’s more shows than I’ve played,” Josh Becker (half) jokes about the rabid fanbase for Skydog Gypsy. Four (or five) phenomenal talents playing transcendent tunes with jaw-dropping prowess, the seminal Columbus jam band – in the four (or five) years following its 1998 debut at the…
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Rising folk-rocker Tommy Prine comes to Columbus with much more than a last name. By Frank Etheridge When the Local chatted with Tommy Prine by phone from his home in East Nashville in mid-April, the ascendant rock/folk/country singing poet had not yet come down with a case of pneumonia that would shelve his band’s Deep South string of shows, which included a stop at the Loft in Columbus. He had, however, already embarked on a…
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