SouthSounds 2016 spread across a growing map of downtown Mobile businesses, and for first-time visitors the sheer number of stages could be daunting. Beyond the Blind Mule and Alchemy Tavern, several other independent rooms opened their doors for the weekend.
New and returning rooms
The Brickyard, at 266 Dauphin St., was a new festival stop midway between the main hubs, with local bluesman James “Gulf Coast Blues Boy” Richardson on the bill. OK Bicycle Shop, a few blocks away at 661 Dauphin St., paired bike shop and restaurant with an outdoor pergola. The Merry Widow, at 51 S. Conception St., featured Mobile’s Infant Richard and the Delta Stones among its three-day lineup.
Moe’s Original Bar B Que, at 701 Springhill Ave., offered early-evening sets and a back-stage area, while O’Daly’s, one of three bars at 564 Dauphin St., hosted headliners including The Weeks of Jackson, Mississippi.
Free shows in Cathedral Square
For those who could not afford the $25 weekend pass, Lagniappe’s Mobile Bay Music Showcase on Friday and New Southern Music Showcase on Sunday brought local and regional acts to Cathedral Square for free. The festival, organizers and musicians agreed, is one of the clearest examples of how independent businesses sustain Mobile’s music community.