Downtown weekend nightlife recap

Football season may lure some students away for the weekends, but that’s when downtown Milledgeville roars to life, luring the rest of the students and locals out of their week-long cocoons to escape the pressures of the work week.

Brantley Gilbert sang it best.

“It’s ten o’clock and I’m ready to rock, let’s roll,” he sings. “Give me the beat boys to free my soul.Yeah we’re gonna rock this town.”

Downtown entertainment encompasses all walks of life, from the frat boys and sorority girls, to the music junkies and dancing maniacs.

Buffington’s, better known as “The Buff,” entertains its regulars and newcomers with bands every Friday and Saturday night. Manager Fritz Wirt describes the variety of music as anything but traditional.

“We try to cover one local band a month and at least three out-of-town bands,” Wirt said. “We always get a lot of new bands seeking us out, by recommendations from the bands we have had play here previously.”

Buffington’s sets the mood with only low lit lamps illuminating the booths lining the walls of the restaurant leaving the middle clear for the hip shakers and moshers to jam along to Villanova and the Josh Roberts Band from Columbia, S.C.

Both bands put on a captivating performances.

Villanova sounds like a hybrid band with a blend of reggae and sounds from Incubus, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Sublime. The Josh Roberts Band has a more folk vibe like the unique styles of Perpetual Groove and Moonshine Still.

Jamie Fields, a 2006 GCSU graduate spoke very highly about both of the bands.

“I don’t live here in Milledgeville any longer, but I have definitely been planning to come here since July to see both of the bands,” Fields said. “It’s been on my calendar for a while. I think they both have great potential to make it big soon.”

Last Saturday night, local band Antique Puppets took the stage by storm with a more heavy rock sound. Although the crowd was smaller than Friday, they still rocked out with girls shaking their hair all around and guys glued to the edge of the stage singing along to a couple of the songs.

Amici’s more mellow atmosphere on Thursdays and Saturdays features live music pouring out into the streets with genres ranging from reggae to hip-hop. Bluegrass has become a crowd favorite, according to manager and booking agent Taylor Becker.
Fridays at Amici’s start when the five o’clock whistle sounds and the bar welcomes the official weekend with one dollar off its 23-flavor martini menu.

Last Friday Tyler Reeves, booked by the Kappa Alpha Order, dominated the stage playing country favorites and some originals.

This Saturday, Amici booked a three piece band called Bootleg, which covers Sublime songs as well as their original works.
Some weekends the energy is too great to be contained in a live band or relaxed atmosphere, leaving only one probable solution: Capital City. A line usually forms Saturdays outside this nightclub as patrons attempt to rush in before the midnight free cover expires.

Capital City offers a wide variety of entertainment.
Thursday and Saturday, which is ladies night, consist of a DJ rocking the upstairs deck with the hottest hip-hop and some throw back songs.

Fridays feature a more specific group of people, depending on the live entertainment for the night. The country duet Tyler and Joey. along with special guest Faren, got the crowd going with some country favorites like “Fishing in the Dark” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to Sugarland’s “Stay.”

Capital City has hosted several big names in the past such as: Corey Smith, Dierks Bentley and Luke Bryan. Brantley Gilbert is arriving this Friday to entertain with some of his hits like “The Best of Me” and “Whenever We’re Alone.”

Also, Capital City’s mechanical bull dares clubbers to flaunt their skills at least twice a month on Fridays. There is a Facebook group featuring Capital City events.

From bands, to relaxing, to dancing the night away, Milledgeville’s downtown scene has a variety to keep the crowds coming back for more.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 19 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry