Copperhead Lodge puts on a Rock & Roll Weekend
By CHRISTIAN LEHMAN
Sentinel Writer

Music group Blackfoot performs.

Labor Day weekend traditionally marks the end of summer. But at the Copperhead Lodge it marked a new beginning for entertainment in Union County. Over the weekend, Copperhead Lodge played host to a weekend of motorcycles and music, highlighted with the Atlanta Rhythm Section and Blackfoot.

The new motorcycle themed resort isn't set to open for a couple more weeks but that didn't stop them from putting on three days of riding and rocking, featuring the two southern rock bands that have been jamming since the 1970s. Molly Hatchet was also supposed to play on Monday night but had to cancel due to tour bus problems.

Copperhead Lodge has done the area justice with their new amphitheater, which has seating for a couple of thousand people and a magnificent stage. There are no bad seats, the stage is visible from every angle and the sound is great as well. A couple of hundred people showed up Monday night expecting to see Molly Hatchet but were treated to another Blackfoot performance since Molly Hatchet were unable to make it. The crowd was not let down.

Blackfoot put on a good old fashioned rock & roll show lasting about an hour and a half with their hard southern blues

sound that captured better live than on a studio album. They played all their hits including, "She's My Baby Blue," "Fly Away" and covered "I Got A Line on You" and a token Molly Hatchet song, which the band said, would be "the first and last time" we cover a Hatchet tune. Blackfoot wrapped up the night with their two biggest hits "Train" and Highway Song."

Fans came from all over for the weekend's activities. Bonita Suggs and her husband rode all the way from South Carolina and attended all three nights of

music. According to Suggs "It's been really awesome" getting to listen to all this "good southern rock." She went on to say that the Atlanta Rhythm Section drew in the biggest crowd of the weekend, but that it was nice to see "a younger crowd tonight, enjoying this great classic music." Indeed, Sunday night saw many more local youths than had the previous two nights.

If all goes well, Copperhead Lodge is planning on holding concerts on a fairly regular basis. No new shows have been announced just yet, but they are in the works.