Red Brick Roads music lineup will get the brick streets rockin’
By Sherry Lucas
The Red Brick Roads Music & Arts Festival enjoys its first spring outing Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 27 through 29, in Olde Towne Clinton, catching a spring breeze (fingers crossed) as it fills the air and the brick streets with catchy music and happy crowds – as well as some fun new additions.
Red Brick Roads Festival is a joint project of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Clinton and the City of Clinton.
The festival was moved from August to March, escaping summer’s heat to embrace pleasant climes.
Main Street Clinton Director Tara Lytal said, “We are optimistic that the weather will be much better and the community will be ready to get out and about after a long, cold winter!”
Now, “It’s kind of the kickoff of spring,” said Clinton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Anna Nutt.
The Thursday, March 27, start welcomes the involvement of the Institute of Southern Storytelling, with a free event that carries a film/TV focus. Friday and Saturday, March 28-29, great bands rock the festival grounds, and a heightened art presence adds to the celebration. Festival gates open at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 28, and at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 29.
Tickets are on sale now at RedBrickRoads.com — $35 for a weekend pass, $20 for general admission Friday, $25 for general admission Saturday and $125 for a weekend VIP pass.
This year’s lineup combines confirmed faves and up-and-comers who soon will be favorites, with an often Mississippi slant that folds right into Red Brick Roads’ celebration of creativity in the community. Mustache the Band owns the evening on Friday, March 28, 7-10 p.m., and the ‘90s country party band is a sure-fire bet to have fans dancing in the brick streets all night long.
The music cranks back up on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. with The Akashic 45s. Billing themselves as cryptid rock from Jackson, this outfit kicks off the afternoon with appealing songs to share.
Next up, JT McCaffrey, a rising artist from southwest Mississippi, and his rocking band kick up some great festive feels with originals, country hits and jams that channel the energy of both country and rock and roll, at 3:30 p.m.
At 4:30 p.m., Mississippi-rooted alt-rockers Smokies take the stage with a sound and vibe both fresh and nostalgic, complete with gritty guitar, rhythmic energy and emotionally charged vocals.
Groove to the funk and soul of regional favorites Joslyn & The Sweet Compression at 5:30 p.m.
The Songwriter Round at 7 p.m. pulls out the story in the song with songwriters Don Poythress (CMA nominated and Dove and ASCAP award winner), Billy Montana (chart topper whose “Bring on the Rain” recorded by Jo Dee Messina nabbed Grammy and ACM nominations) and Brian White (chart-topping, Dove Award winner, CMA AND ACM nominated).
The round also brings a great chance to catch up with a former Clintonian.
“I am most excited about my childhood friend Don Poythress returning with some fellow singer/songwriters to perform on Saturday night,” Lytal said. “Don is an accomplished singer-songwriter who was recently inducted into the Mississippi Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. … Don moved to Clinton in grade school and graduated from Clinton High School before going to Belmont in Nashville.”
For the finale, The Rumble, packed with seven Grammy-nominated musicians, delivers iconic New Orleans funk fused with a modern vibe, putting an irresistible and electrifying exclamation point on this year’s festival. They start at 8:30 p.m.
The Red Brick Roads Music & Arts Festival typically draws about 5,000 people to Olde Towne Clinton for music, fun and community camaraderie throughout the weekend. Festival-goers are encouraged to ride-share. Parking lots adjacent to festival grounds that aren’t in use on the weekends are options, too. Festival events will take place throughout Olde Towne, and a GPS set to Jefferson Street and East Leake Street will get event-goers to the heart of the festivities.
