BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FOR THE OBSERVER
WAVERLY —
Guests can expect a good time out in the country, according to Standard Deluxe owner Scott Peek, at the 22nd annual Old 280 Boogie in Waverly, on Friday and Saturday, April 21 to 22.
The Standard Deluxe, which is about a 20-minute drive from Opelika, is an outdoor venue that is ready to present a weekend full of live music, Southern culture, art and a variety of food that will be available “rain or shine.” Be prepared to bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, water bottles to be refilled at filling stations and umbrellas, if necessary, as the venue is not covered.
The all-day event on Saturday will be preceded by a “pre-night” show on Friday, featuring Birmingham soul band St. Paul and the Broken Bones, followed by special guest Resort Realism, an alternative band also based in Birmingham. This show is non-refundable and is $50 online or at the gate, while kids age 12 and under enter for free. The gates open at 5 p.m. CST and the show begins at 7.
This is a separately ticketed event from the main, beginning at noon on Saturday. Same rules apply to both, however: No outside alcohol allowed, no dogs welcomed and all tickets are general admission and are thus first-come-first-serve.
Tickets for the lineup consisting of The Pine Hill Haints (noon), Billy Allen and the Pollies (1:45 p.m.), The Heavy Heavy (3:30 p.m.), Aaron Lee Tasjan (5:15 p.m.) and Maggie Rose (7 p.m.) on Saturday are also $50 with kids 12 and under free. The gates open at 11 a.m., and veteran and student discounts of 20% can be applied at the gate, while online tickets can be picked up at will call.
There will be a variety of foods, and the music is also tailored to a variety of audiences. Ending with Nashville-based country artist Maggie Rose, The Pine Hill Haints return to the Boogie stage with its “Alabama Ghost Country” tune, The Heavy Heavy and Aaron Lee Tasjan are instrumental-filled artists with rock backgrounds, and Alabama’s own Billy Allen and the Pollies might be “the best singer you have never heard,” according to 256today.
Peek also added that the weekend would overflow with good vibes. As one of Southern Living Magazine’s top 15 Alabama venues, the event will be sponsored by Opelika-Auburn News, Good People Brewing Co., Walton’s Catering and Fig & Wasp.
Even for those not interested in the music options, there is more than plenty to keep you entertained and your hunger satisfied.
Vendors at the Boogie include only Alabama businesses: Wild Flour Bakery and Café, Jeanne Flint Art and Jewelry, Mighty Fine Print Shop, Ain’t Ashamed jewelry company, Mama Mocha’s Coffee Roastery, Buffalo Barnes ammunition, Stinky Signs, Against All Odds Tattoo, YES Glass Studio, Era Opelika, Charlie’s Rocks and Minerals, Keen Zero art and pottery, reJENerate upcycled art, Hotbox Birmingham, Taqueria Durango and Chris’ Hot Dogs.
The event will also have merch on hand with T-shirts and art goods.
Listed as a top 10 event not-to-miss by the State of Alabama Tourism, The Boogie has a reputation of kickstarting the careers of performers around the state and country, as they brought Jason Isbell and Alabama Shakes to the stage before they moved on to bigger venues.
One is sure to encounter more excitement than what a town under three square miles can hold on one April weekend at the Old 280 Boogie in Waverly, Alabama.