Country star Corbin to headline Colquitt’s South Georgia Jam

COLQUITT — By the time South Georgia Jam headliner and country star Easton Corbin takes the stage here on Halloween night during the Colquitt-Miller County Arts Council benefit concert, the thousands of fans expected in this tiny community will probably have gotten over being amazed by the stunning grain silo mural that will serve as a backdrop for the Jam.

Maybe.

But when Corbin, whose hits include No. 1s “A Little More Country Than That” and “Roll With It,” and Top 10 smashes “Lovin’ You Is Fun” and “All Over the Road,” goes into his encore and fireworks start lighting up the autumn South Georgia sky, fans are going to come away amazed.

“This is going to be the coolest concert venue ever,” Colquitt-Miller Arts Council President Krista Ticktin said. “To have that amazing silo in the background is going to be so awesome.”

The South Georgia Jam is the first of what the Arts Council hopes are regular shows that will be scheduled to help the organization raise some $140,000 needed to replace the aging roof and air-conditioning system at Cotton Hall, the world-famous venue of Georgia’s official folk-life play, “Swamp Gravy.”

“Sometimes you just get lucky,” Ticktin said. “We’d decided to commit to at least one and possibly two shows a year to help raise the money for the repairs we desperately need, and things just fell into place. We wanted our first show to be very family-friendly, and we started working with the William Morris Agency to find the right fit. It took us three months, but finally our dates lined up.”

Albany-based Threeforty Creative Group will produce and promote the South Georgia Jam — aka “Easton Corbin at the Silo” — and principle Jeb Tabb has a little extra-special interest in the concert.

“I think this is going to be a very cool show with that silo as the backdrop,” said Tabb, who will also perform with one of his musical projects, the Red Hoss Suckas, during the Halloween show. “Krista and the Colquitt-Miller County Arts Council are doing a great job of organizing some cool extracurricular type things that will be happening along with the show.

“We couldn’t wait to get things signed and get permission to announce this show. I think people all over Southwest Georgia are going to be thrilled.”

In addition to a full evening of music, 50 concessions and souvenir vendors will be set up on the South Georgia Jam grounds, directly behind Cotton Hall. Patrons may, for a $20 fee, bring coolers because no alcoholic beverages will be sold on the premises. Also, no guns, pets, umbrellas or tents will be allowed on the concert grounds.

Gates for the Jam will open at 5 p.m., and Tabb and the Suckas get the music started at 7 p.m. Highway 55 and Tobacco Road will follow, and Corbin will close out the evening with an extended set that’s certain to include all his hits.

Tickets for the Jam will go on sale Monday. A limited number of VIP passes, which include adult beverages, a full meal, priority seating and parking, will be available for $150. General admission and handicap tickets will be available for $35. VIP and handicap tickets will be available by calling (229) 758-5450, while general admission tickets will be available online at www.swampgravy.com (click on “tickets”).