Roam the Music Festival Circuit in Georgia
Spring and summer in Georgia mean pollen, outdoor barbecues, Braves baseball and music festivals. From international jazz artists to local pickers, there’s something for everyone, so take a cue from the B-52s and “roam” around the world—or at least across the state—to soak up the music and local culture.
May 24 – 27
36th Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival
Atlanta – Piedmont Park
A Memorial Day Weekend tradition for almost four decades, the Atlanta Jazz Festival kicks off this year on Friday, May 24, at Chastain Park with BWB—featuring Rick Braun, Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown—with special guest Chrisette Michelle. On Saturday, live music begins at noon on the main stage at Piedmont Park with Stephenson High School Jazz Ensemble followed by the Aaron Diehl Quartet, Alexandra Jackson, Meshell Ndegeocello and the Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet. Sunday’s main stage lineup includes North Atlanta Center for the Arts Jazz Band, Rialto Jazz for Kids All Star Jazz Band, Jacob Deaton and athe Tribulation Band, Gretschen Parlato and Tai Fuller. On the International Stage Saturday, it’s Tri-Cities High School Jazz Band, Aruán Ortiz Quartet, Rio Negro and Cécile McLorin Salvanta, and on Sunday it’s the J. C. Young Middle School Jazz Ensemble, Ginou Oriol and Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Gamak. Take Marta to Midtown and enjoy a day of free jazz music.
May 30 – June 1
Briar Patch Music Festival
Damascus – 13810 Five Bridges Road
Bringing “The Real to the Field” is what three friends from rural Damascus aimed to do when they introduced their first music festival in between a dirt road and a cotton and peanut field in 2010. The locals came in droves with their tents, chairs and coolers and the event has grown annually. This year, they’ll be entertained by Col. Bruce Hampton, American Aquarium, Saint Francis, Rollin’ In The Hay, Bo Henry Band, Claude Bell Project, Evan Barber & The Dad Gamblers, Wainwright Applegate, Betsy Kingston and the Crowns and many more. Coolers are welcome but camping hookups are sold out.
June 8
Tunes from the Tombs
Atlanta — Historic Oakland Cemetery
A far cry from the usual festival grounds, the monuments, mausoleums and renowned gardens of Historic Oakland Cemetery provide a remarkably comfortable background for a variety of musical acts. Grab a corn dog and a cold beer or cup of wine from one of the food trucks as you stroll the pathways to main and vignette stages. All proceeds benefit operations of the Historic Oakland Foundation. Main stage entertainers are listed below, with other performances scheduled on smaller vignette stages throughout Oakland Cemetery:
Creative Loafing Lion Square Stage
1 p.m. – Caroline and the Ramblers
2 p.m. – The Breeze Kings
3 p.m. – Bird City Revolutionaries
4 p.m. – The Bonaventure Quartet (featuring Amy Pike)
5 p.m. – 4th Ward Afro-Klezmer Orchestra
6:15 p.m. – Blair Crimmins and the Hookers
Scoutmob North Public Grounds Stage
1:30 p.m. – Spanky and the Love Handles
2:30 p.m. – Little Country Giants
3:30 p.m. – Rolling Nowhere
4:30 p.m. – The Deadfields
5:30 p.m. – Slim Chance and the Convicts
6:30 p.m. – Rod Hamdallah
Other performances throughout Oakland on smaller vignette stages: Wasted Potential Brass Band – jazz/standards/busking & stage (two special 40-minute performances), 6:00pm – Atlanta Sacred Harp Singers – shape note singing
June 13-15
Atlanta Fest 2013
Atlanta – Stone Mountain Park
The annual Christian Music Festival features more than 70 artists and speakers on four stages over four days in beautiful Stone Mountain Park. Artists appearing include TobyMac, the Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, Crowder, Jamie Grace, Building 429 and more. Atlanta’s own Grammy Award-winning artist LeCrae will both perform and serve as speaker, and fans of reality show “Duck Dynasty” will recognize Phil Robertson, who will also speak.
June 19-23
AthFest
Athens – Multi-venue
The award-winning festival features three free outdoor stages, the notorious club crawl with more than 150 bands in more than 15 venues, an artists’ market, kids activities, a filmmaker showcase and the thoroughly entertaining Flagpole Magazine Athens Music Awards at the historic Macon Theatre. The 2013 lineup includes Patterson Hood and the Downtown Mystic Rumblers, Modern Skirts (final show), Zoogma, Ghost Owl (featuring members of Perpetual Groove), Lera Lynn, Bloodkin, Jim White, Dodd Ferrele, White Violet, Twin Tigers, Quiet Hounds, District Attorneys, powerkompany, Ruby Velle & the Soulphonics, Shonna Tucker & Eyecandy and many more.
July 27
Bragg Jam
Macon– Multi-venue
They say it’s hotter in Macon and at no time is that more true than during Bragg Jam, when the streets of downtown are jammed with concert crawlers. Clubs and restaurants are packed with folks from across Georgia and beyond checking out the diverse lineup of bands. This year’s bands include The Whiskey Gentry, Royal Thunder, Hank Vegas, Dead Confederate, The Dirty Guv’nahs, The Packway Handle Band, Woolfolk, sunDollars, Roadkill Ghost Choir, The Front Bottoms, Homeless Hill, Saint Francis, Thomas Wynn & The Believers, A Thousand Horses, Sterling Waite & The Cotton Avenue Hustlers, Jared Ashley, Brent Cobb, One Horse Parade, Funk You, Noot d’Noot, Old Man Shoes, Scott Little Band, Dirty Doves, The Grapevine and many more. Proceeds from the festival, inspired by the late musicians and brothers Brax and Tate Bragg, benefit the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail and other efforts that promote nature, art and music in the community.