Music on the Bluff to present 8 bands Friday and Saturday

Published 12:42 pm Tuesday, December 8, 2020

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NATCHEZ — A Music on the Bluff event scheduled this weekend is undergoing some last-minute changes due to anticipated weather issues and to allow for adequate social distancing under COVID-19 guidelines, an organizer said.

Music on the Bluff, featuring Travis McReady, Magnolia Bayou and other bands, was originally scheduled to be Saturday outdoors on Broadway Street at the Natchez Grand, organizer Greg Everhart said.

Due to anticipated inclement weather, however, Everhart said the event has been moved to High Street between Smoot’s Grocery and the Crooked Letter Studios (the former Budweiser) building.

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Also, a free Eric Genuis concert that had been scheduled for Friday night inside the Natchez City Auditorium has been postponed indefinitely due to COVID-19 concerns, Everhart said.

With postponement of Friday’s Genuis show, Everhart said he has expanded the Music on the Bluff show, originally scheduled only for Saturday, to start on Friday night and continue through Saturday night.

“Moving it down to Smoot’s will allow us to put the bands under a pavilion at the old Budweiser building,” Everhart said, adding tents would be set up. “There will be no music inside of Smoot’s all weekend, Friday night outside, Saturday all day and night, outside.”

Everhart said COVID-19 protocols would be observed.

“We are going to ask everybody who comes to the event to do social distancing, and we will have staff there reminding everybody to spread out,” Everhart said. “We ask everybody to please, please, please wear masks. We will have a supply of masks so anyone who does not have masks will have access to one.”

Everhart said the bands would be encouraging people to social distance and wear masks.

The event will feature eight bands for two days, Everhart said, including starting at 8:15 p.m. Friday, Royal Horses and the Josephines, an up-and-coming band, Everhart said he is excited to introduce to Natchez audiences. The event will resume at noon Saturday with Magnolia Bayou, Them Dirty Roses, Travis McCready, The Josephines and Jamell Richardson. At 8 p.m. Saturday Ben Jernigan will lead a jam session with special guests into the night.

General admission is free, Everhart said, and VIP seating is available for $19, which will allow access to covered seating in an area close to the stage with space for social distancing. For an additional $29, people who have paid the $19 VIP fee, can have access to the VIP Platinum Lounge indoors with complimentary food, indoor bathrooms and be able to meet band members.