Major music events scheduled this weekend at Exchange Club Fairgrounds, Albany Civic Center

ALBANY — Albany will get an infusion of laughs, soul and spirit this weekend as a comedy tour and two major musical events come to town.

Kicking off today, the Throwback Comedy Jam promises side-splitting laughs at the Exchange Club Fairgrounds featuring comedians Chris Thomas, Tyler Craig, Shuckey Duckey, Hamburger and Barbara Carlyle. The show will be hosted by the comedian Lightfoot.

On Saturday, also at the Exchange Club Fairgrounds, the Southern Soul Festival will present Grammy Award winner Freddie Jackson as he headlines a night of old school R&B music and fun.

Jackson, a native of Harlem, N.Y., will be serenading the crowd with some of his greatest hits like “Rock Me Tonight”, “Have You Ever Loved Somebody” and “You Are My Lady.” Other acts include Leela James, Lakeside with Captain Mark Wood, Noel Gourdin, The 69 Boyz and Urban Mystic.

The gates are expected to open at 2 p.m.

Platinum VIP, VIP and general admission tickets for both the Throwback Comedy Jam and the Southern Soul Music Festival can be purchased in Albany at SOWEGA Tax Service, Cavalier Fashion, Phillips Men’s Clothing and Odyssey Records. In Dawson, they can be found at Ms. Mollies, and in Valdosta, tickets are being sold at Big Nick and VTown Records as well as at Code Black in Americus.

Tickets are also available by calling (678) 847-3001, or going online to https://youngbucksentertainment.xorbia.com/.

Also Saturday, downtown at the Albany Civic Center, Christian music group Casting Crowns will uplift and infuse fans with their brand of spiritual rock ‘n’ roll.

Casting Crowns is a contemporary Christian and Christian rock band started in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall, who serves as the band’s lead vocalist, as part of a youth group at First Baptist Church in downtown Daytona Beach, Fla.

The group, who has won a Grammy and a Dove Award, later relocated to Stockbridge, and more members joined. Some members of the band currently work as ministers for Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough.

“This Saturday the doors open at 6 p.m. with the show starting a 7 p.m.,” Shanice Howard of the Albany Civic Center said. “There are two groups playing, Casting Crowns and the group I AM THEY. Tickets start at $19.50 and go up to $77.50 and are available at the Civic Center box office or online at Ticketmaster.”

The fairgrounds are located at 810 S. Westover Blvd., and the Civic Center is located at 100 W. Oglethorpe Blvd.