The Bell Auditorium

ravis Tritt: 6/23/23 “It was my 2nd time seeing Georgia native Travis Tritt LIVE, both within 19 months of each other, both times at the same venue. Back in February of this year I was announced the lucky random winner of a venue sponsored Ticket Tuesday contest for two orchestra seats at the 2,800 seat Bell Auditorium in Augusta GA. The first time I saw him (just coming out of Covid) he brought the house down as he called out to ‘all those beautiful maskless faces’ and I no doubt expected more of the same. The 60 year old singer/songwriter James Travis Tritt received his first guitar at the age of eight, self-taught he broke out big time as a ‘Member of the Class of ’89’ with Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. With 13 studio albums and 41 charted singles including 7 #1’s there would be no lack of material for the Grammy and CMA award winning Grand Ole Opry member. The stage was set as such: keyboards and rhythm guitar on the wings left and right respectively with lead guitar, drums, bass and pedal steel on a stage length riser sandwiched in between. The lighting on the smoke filled stage was four tiered, and there were no video screens. At 8 p.m. the opener of the show Travis’ 25 year old daughter Tyler Reese Tritt and her three man band took the stage for a 45 minute / 12 song set, a 50/50 mix of originals and covers. ‘We came here to have a good time, we hope y’all did too, who’s ready to party?!’ Tyler nailed the covers ‘Poor Poor Pitiful Me’, ‘Seven Year Ache’, and ‘Redneck Woman’ pitch perfect while proving herself more than competent on the big stage with originals such as ‘Porch Light’ and ‘Lonely All Along’. Her own material is really—really good! With the background she has, ‘growing up around artists who are truly like family’ it’s no wonder. Sassy and unexpectedly personal she captured the audiences attention out the gate, ‘Like it or not I got the mic so you got to listen to me whether you like it or not. I’m just kidding, y’all can walk out of here any time.’ No one did! The performance itself was better than a good amount of openers with recording contracts that I’ve recently seen. Don’t be surprised when you hear her on your local Country Music station more sooner than later. After a half hour stage turn, Tritt took the stage at 9:15 for a 1 hour and 55 minute / 18 song set hitting the accelerator out the gate with 1990’s ‘Put Some Drive In Your Country’ and ‘I’m Gonna Be Somebody’. ‘I only have one rule when it comes to singing along and that rule is this, if you’re gonna sing, ladies and gentlemen, please sing good, and I’ll try to do the same. Have fun everybody we’re gonna get high in Augusta!’ With that he broke into, ‘The Whiskey Ain't Workin Anymore’. ‘It’s great to be back in Augusta Georgia y’all, I love this town so much and every time we come back I’m still shocked and amazed how fantastic this audience is.’ Tritt called for a round of applause for his daughter which was graciously reciprocated. ‘She looks like her mama she sings like her daddy.’ Following that was 1996’s ‘Where Corn Don't Grow’, the stage illuminated all in John Deere green and yellow lighting. After ‘Smoke In A Bar’ and ‘Take It Easy’ Tritt took a seat while introducing the next song 1991’s #1 ‘Anymore’ which he dedicated to our military. ‘I was breast fed and hand spanked in a place called Marietta Georgia and as far as I’m concerned the only two things that have ever protected us in this country are Almighty God and our United States military, and that’s it!’ A solo performance of ‘Long Haired Country Boy’ as a tribute to his personal friend Charlie Daniels came next. With the band having exited the stage he shared how Charlie had personally took him under his wing back in 1989 and mentored him like a father throughout his career. Continuing on in a mini-acoustic set he turned to the love songs with ‘Drift Off to Dream’ and the number one ‘Help Me Hold On’. ‘I’ve always been a sucker for a good love song from time to time.’ With the band reentering the stage one by one he picked up the pace with ‘Country Club’, Tritt miming the individual pieces of the song in the performance, swinging a golf club-drinking from a dixie cup-dancing like a fool-shooting pool. A couple of #2’s followed, ‘Here's A Quarter’ in which he modernized the ending, ‘Here’s my cell phone call someone who cares’, and ‘It's a Great Day to Be Alive’. Getting on his ‘Outlaw’ he ran through ‘Modern Day Bonnie And Clyde’ then put on a black hat and with Telecaster in hand complete with monogramed strap he played ‘I Ain't Living Long Like This’ in the style of Jennings. Following was a whopping 11 and a half minute instrumental ‘Country Club Band’ jam with intros and solos. ‘I may a little bit biased but I think that I have one of the best bands not just in country music but in all of music.’ There was Brian Arrowood on acoustic guitar, mandolin and fiddle, Leroy Powell (Beardo The Terrible) on electric guitar, dobro and pedal steel; Jimmy Fullbright on bass and harmony vocals; Josh Day on drums and harmony vocals; Wendell Cox on lead guitar since Travis first started out thirty-six years ago; and Jared Decker on keyboards. Bringing to a conclusion the evening’s set was ’T-R-O-U-B-L-E’ and ‘Let It Roll’ (a Mel McDaniel cover). Noticeably missing from the set were number ones ‘Can I Trust You With My Heart’ and ‘Foolish Pride’, plus 1994’s ‘Between An Old Memory And Me’, but you can’t have ‘em all. Tritt has lived out the songs that he wrote from T-R-O-U-B-L-E to I’m Gonna Be Somebody, he sang it and he did it. From a small town U.S.A. supermarket clerk to a 34 year career legend he’s still living the dream. Travis stated in his ‘Wherever God Lead’s I’m Going’ podcast, ‘I’m one of those people who can look back and say, honestly, my dreams have more than come true’. Personally, I’m sticking close beside his God cause his God most assuredly can take you places!” Review and photo by DAve (Concert #789)

Another great concert! I first saw them in the late 70’s, again on the Arch Allies tour and this one! They never fail to please!

Absolutely one of best shows we ever been to. And we seen them all Haggard , John Anderson, Joe Diffie , Hank Jr .plus all the new artist like FGL ,Aldean ,Curch etc.. Sound was awesome and 2 County Icons Sharing stage was nonstop hits . Hurry Back Guys.

I had the best night of worshipping. This by far has been my best concert in quite a while. Already ready to see them again.

What an awesome show! Lots of praise and worship along with real discussion about our faith. Mark Hall is as real as they come! Would recommend to anyone!

I give Ray 5 stars, he sounds incredible. However, many people were talking the whole time and didn’t seem to be there to enjoy the music.

Smokey Robinson: 10/6/22 “I made my way ‘Crusin’ into Augusta GA for my first ever time seeing Smokey Robinson. The 82 year old Detroit Rock N Roll Hall of famer and Motown Master made his way into town for an evening of music, stories and nostalgia. With 53 charted singles (solo plus The Miracles) just a drop in the bucket in a well of over 4000 songs written, my sense of anticipation was in full gear. Making my way to my seats side stage toward the front (not at all bad seats at for the three quarter full Bell Auditorium), I caught my first glimpse of the stage set-up. The stage was set for a 12 piece band to fill featuring keys - a four string section - saxophone/flute - two female background singer mic’s - drums - guitar - bass - (more) keys. Smokey took the stage qt 7:45 dressed in white jacket, pants and shoes accented by a purple satin shirt, handkerchief, and flower on his lapel. The 1 hr and 34 minute/14 song set included both his solo work as well as The Miracles songs. Robinson showed no signs of slowing down swaying, dancing, twirling, gyrating, even doing the swim, he clearly knows how to captivate an audience. Above all it was his still silky smooth vocals that accentuated the evening’s performance! Opening with 1981’s ‘Being With You’ he sang the chorus in Spanish as a duet with one of his backing singers, Karrie Morales. Segueing into ‘I Second That Emotion’ Smokey called out, ’Oh Yeah, we have got some singers out there this evening. You sounded so good let’s sing another.’ Five songs into the set, the white jacket came off and his boogie came on, ‘We came to have some fun, we came to have a good time, we came to be intimate, to get closer, touch, feel, right now we’re gonna boogie!’ He broke out into an impromptu medley (not on the setlist) of ’The Way You Do The Things You Do’ and ‘Get Ready’. ‘My Girl’ and “Tears Of A Clown’ followed with an informative first hand history lesson on Motown strategically placed in between the two. On ‘I Love Your Face’, perhaps the most intimate performance of the evening, Robinson sang directly to an audience member in the front row calling her by name. Guitarist Robert Bowls who Smokey referred to as ‘Boogie’ (with famous guitar work on songs such as I Will Survive, If I Can’t Have You, Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel and Reunited) showed another side of his skillset with a jazz infused solo on Smokey’s rendition of Sinatra’s ‘Fly Me To The Moon’. On ‘Just To See Her’ Robinson called out to his keyboardist Demetrius during the well known Caribbean drum synth-solo, ‘Go D, go D, go D’! Robinson had way too much fun introducing each member of the band who he referred to as ‘my family’. When it came to the drummer, Tony Lewis held up in prop a pair of 3 foot drum sticks to the screams of the ladies and to Smokey’s bewilderment until he turned toward Tony and busted out laughing, ‘You got a big stick’! Rounding out the evening was a singing competition between the right and left halves of the house. Calling on stage two audience representatives Jamie and Carrie, he asked the one, ‘Jamie do you know what you volunteered for’? Her response, ‘I don’t know, but I’ll do it!’ Well, neither Group 1 or Group 2 were the winners, we all were— singing together in unison, a great way to close out the evening with everyone on their feet. His own words said it all, ‘When you’re on tour there’s certain places you’re looking forward to getting to, we’ve been looking forward to come here man, I can’t even tell you!’ Smokey is the real-deal friends, his is a story of miracles from hood to infamy. He set the bar high at a very young age and established a career that went over the top, a must see for any music lover while he is still on the road.! Review by DAve/photo by Michele. (Concert #709)

We got into 2 fights last night from people just being assholes for no reason. But I’ve heard from all my friends is it even a koe wetzel concert if you didn’t get into a fight?!

show was so good! the crowd, though relatively small, was so hyped up and dustin lynch really brought the party! can’t wait for next time!

Jeffrey Osbourne/Peabo Bryson: 8/13/22 “Two 80’s R&B powerhouses under one roof in Augusta GA! On the road one mid-morning a day prior to presale I received an alert with a code. Immediately pulling over I figured it worth a shot and bang the ticket map opened up with no seats sold. I grabbed the two front row center seats put them in cart and checked out! The evening included Jeffrey Osbourne former L.T.D. drummer turned singer with a dozen charted singles as a solo musician. In addition there was Peabo Bryson, a Greenville SC native and owner of a dozen 80’s hits. The US R&B charts being much more generous granted the pair a combined 41 songs on the charts. It was by no means the first time the two have shared the stage together but it was a squeezed-in two night run for the two (the first was the prior evening in AL) after which Jeffery continues the balance of his 2022 shows without Bryson. The fact that lately Osbourne has passed on a number of gigs and his interest has suddenly peaked is noteworthy in itself. Oddly they never shared the stage with each other the entire evening. The auditorium doors had a half hour delay and the show itself commenced an hour and twenty minutes passed the scheduled showtime. There were obviously issues as the main stage curtain was drawn shut with sound-checks going on behind the partition all the while we sat waiting. Peabo, 71 went on first, strong and smooth backed by a seven peice band. He apologized for the delay, ‘That you showed up reminds us that you’re the last of your kind and we want to give our best toward you.’ His was a rather short set as well as Osbourne’s’ about an hour each. In fact, Peabo cut his mega-hit ‘If Ever You’re In My Arms Again’ down to a 1:45 minute rendition. On ‘King Of Sorrow’ from his latest project Peabo picked up a guitar, ‘This is not a TIkTok prank.’ And it wasn’t, engaging his bass player in a scatting and picking contest to the surprise of everyone. A highlight was a medley of covers in honor of those who have passed on which included: ‘One Hundred Ways—Just The Two Of Us—We’re In This Love Together—The Closer I Get To You’. Noticeably missing from the set were the two soundtrack hits, ‘A Whole New World’ and ‘Beauty And The Beast’. After a brief set change, Jeffrey went on making a grand entrance coming up the isle from the rear of the auditorium. The 74 year old was in top physical form and never ceased moving and dancing across the stage the entire set. At one point when he took off his jacket my wife turned to me and said, ‘He works out!’ Osbourne assured us, ‘There’s been a lot of technical problems tonight and as a result of that we have to cut stuff out of our show and I don’t like that, but anyway we’re gonna have fun.’ And we did! Backed by a six piece band, ‘On The Wings Of Love’ sounded exactly as it did on record. On ‘You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)’, he passed a microphone out to a second row fan and let her sing the chorus, ‘Can you woo, woo, woo?’ Osbourne made sure we got our fill of old school R&B, verbalizing the caption on his tour shirt: ‘Old School Is The Sh🎼t’. ‘The ‘I’ being a g clef. I’m gonna take y’all on an L.T.D. journey right now’, he said performing three classics, ‘Back in Love Again’, ‘Love Ballad’, and ‘Holding On’ The highlight of the evening for me was during the George Duke song ‘Reach For It’. With folks in the front row either side of me standing and dancing, an usher walked past me with a flashlight and I said to myself, ‘I can’t believe he’s going to make them sit down’. Shining the light on the floor immediately in front of my wife, he signaled Jeffrey to jump off the stage right in front of us as he walked the front isle singing. Michele captured the whole thing on video! At about 11 p.m Osbourne informed us ’You deserve to hear all of them, they’re gonna boot my a** out of here.’ Class was dismissed and at the end of the day, the loss of time was made up in the energy generated!”(Concert #687, 688)

Incredible show. Fans loved it and Joan put alot of energy into every song. Macon Auditorium is fantastic venue. It was a wonderful memorable evening.

What’s better than when a Georgia native plays in front of a sold out crowd in his home state on a Friday night? How about the stage set? The Bell Auditorium was “Open Tonight” just as the illuminated sign read on the brick wall backdrop of the ‘Down To The Bar’ stage set (complete with pool table and billiards rack). Did I mention the beer was flowing. In addition to the hits, we were introduced to some great tunes off the upcoming release and I discovered Cole as a talented songwriter. One highlight of the evening is when Cole brought back out on stage his opener Ashley Cook for a duet on “Never Say Never”. He introduced Ashley, “she’s gonna be a big star” and I believe it. What was missing, video screens, but who needs ‘em when Cole covers the entire stage back and forth, such great interaction. I will not miss him next time he comes again to my hometown, for sure!

Absolutely one of best shows we ever been to. And we seen them all Haggard , John Anderson, Joe Diffie , Hank Jr .plus all the new artist like FGL ,Aldean ,Curch etc.. Sound was awesome and 2 County Icons Sharing stage was nonstop hits . Hurry Back Guys.

Typically this classic rocker don’t do special intimate acoustic experiences well, but this was different. I had never seen Rick LIVE so I seized the opportunity for the near two hour drive to check the box. What I discovered was a super-fun, super-creative guy take the stage. It took a moment to understand the concept but I found myself in the middle of a live ROCKumentary. Highlights and fun moments were the Stacy’s Mom-Jessie’s Girl-Jenny 867-5309 mash-up, band-in-a-box, Todd Rundgren stories. The fact that Rick didn’t short change us with time in a set like this was a huge plus!

I do not understand how BillyS, BillyF, Jarrod and Royal keep getting better! I would rank this show up there with the Atlanta route! The sound, lighting and seating was perfect. Jarrod shredded like I haven't seen before and Strings melted my mind and invaded my heart with his flat-pickin and psychedelic drifts....About to head up for round 2!! Really excited to see what they put in this set list! If you have not seen Billy Strings perform live yet, you are missing out and will regret it if you keep missing opportunities!

One of the best concerts I have ever seen and I have seen a lot of them. Great entertainment and a very nice venue. Every one working there was so nice .

Travis Tritt got to see as he called out “all those beautiful maskless faces” in his home state of GA. To my surprise the crowd was especially subdued prior to the show and worked up to an eruption when Tritt came on, in what my wife described as the rowdiest crowd she’s seen in a non-bar venue! Travis did the long set with great solos from each member of his six piece band. That’s exactly what Tritt would do, and did!

6th row seats for a great show LIVE! Tommy Shaw was as energetic as ever and I don’t care what anyone else says, Lawrence Gowan has done a phenomenal job on keys and IS an integral part of the band. Todd on drums is one of the best active drummers. Including a number of songs from a great new album was an added bonus.

Show was great but some asshole got bent out of shape because I was standing up and what the heck? I am disabled and my hip was broken and it makes it so hard for sitting. I understand that he paid for his ticket and so did I ! I mean it’s a concert and I’m going to stand. If you are reading this next time you will get knocked out

The Revivalists were amazing. They sound even better live and put on the best show I have ever seen. Totally worth the 3 hour drive. I plan on seeing them again as much as possible.