On Sunday, March 24, 2024, more than 6,500 people pumped their fists in the air, nodded their heads in rhythm, took selfies, and cheered wildly as Black Stone Cherry, ZZ Top, and Lynyrd Skynyrd took the stage for the first show at the new Atrium Health Amphitheater.  

“What an amazing night in Macon-Bibb to kick off a first year of great shows here at the amphitheater,” says Mayor Lester Miller. “Some people doubted we would be able to build such an amazing facility or that people would even attend a show here, but the size and energy of tonight’s crowd proved them all wrong and truly set the stage for the next chapter in our musical story.” 

“This is going to be the best venue for live music in the Southeast, from the facility itself to the shows we book to our customer service,” Trent Merritt, OVG360 Senior Vice President, told his staff after the show as they celebrated a smoothly run show. 

Though it was the first show, all reports showed that it all ran smoothly. That included getting nearly 2,000 people through the gates within 30 minutes of them opening, to having the entire venue and parking lot cleared in under 35 minutes from the show ending. Even the food and beverage lines moved quickly, and Trent and Mayor Miller thanked the staff for the work they put into it.  

“This is my home, and this amphitheater means so much to me because it’s going to return hope to this area and to this county,” Mayor Miller told them. “Thank you for being part of this project and going above and beyond for our home.” 

Most importantly, though, was the reaction of the crowd. From the smiles and high fives seen throughout the venue to hollered “This place rocks” to the overwhelming amount of positive social media posts, it’s obvious the Atrium Health Amphitheater showed up and showed out Sunday night.  

The next show will be Riley Green on Thursday, April 4. For a list of all upcoming shows at the Amphitheater, click here: https://www.maconcentreplex.org/atriumhealthamphitheater/