MACON, Ga. — For almost 10 hours straight, over 40 acts will take the stage at this year’s Bragg Jam, including headliners, Shovels and Rope, Drew Green and Lady Wray.
However, the biggest act of the night is the one behind the scenes.
Anthony Howard’s venue, Serenity, is hosting acts like the Billie Slum and Goodie Supreme, Alto Moon and more. Howard said he's expecting at least 500 people Saturday night.
He began prepping his staff and venue weeks in advance.
“We staffed up, we staffed up that day," Howard said. "We don't have problems with keeping staff that night, but we will hire some extra hands.”
However, staffing isn’t his only concern that night. He also has to make sure to keep thirsty patrons satisfied, especially when it comes to alcohol.
To keep the bar moving and the alcohol flowing, Howard had to make some changes to Serenity's usual routine.
“Narrow your whole order, the menu. Just have more of the same. Instead of just having a broad menu," Howard said. "That's what kept us afloat.”
Not only has Howard had to prep his staff and pre-plan his inventory for the night, he even has to prepare the audio.
For a venue to host Bragg Jam, they must not only supply the alcohol, security and handle the trash but also provide everything else the artist needs to perform.
Brandon Lawler said that Bragg Jam just provides the artist. The rest of the responsibilities falls on them.
Lawler’s venue, JBA, has hosted Bragg Jam once before at their previous location on MLK Jr Boulevard. But with their new space, that has allowed them to expand their scope.
This year, he has one more stage than last year. Lawler said they are scheduled for upwards of 17 acts.
At Lawler's venue, his day-of-event prep includes making sure all staff are present, especially the extra hires.
“On the sound side, I'm getting plot lists, stage plots and input lists and making sure that we have enough mics for all the music,'' Lawler said.
When it comes to the alcohol, Lawler doubts if his venue’s ice machine will be enough to handle such large crowds.
“Get coolers, throw them in the back room, just get 20-pound bags of ice and just load those up in case we run out of ice,” he said.
For Howard and Lawler, these preparations are essential to having a smooth night and creating a good time for concertgoers.
"It's gonna be loud, it's gonna be packed, but that's what Bragg Jam is," Lawler said.
To experience Bragg Jam for yourself, you can purchase tickets on their website.