Gambit Digital Edition: April 13, 2026

® April 13-19 2026

Volume 47 Number 15

Bernardo de Gálvez: The Louisiana Leader Who Helped Change the American Revolution

This ar ticle is brought to you by The Louisiana State Museum

How Louisiana aided the American Revolution

When most people picture the American Revolution, they think of the familiar names and scenes of the East Coas t— George Washington, Philadelphia, and the Continent al Army. But the fght for independence was also shaped far from those battlefelds, in Spanish Louisiana, where Governor Bernardo de Gálvez played a pivotal role in weakening British power and strengthening the American cause.

The Louisiana St ate Museum’s exhibition Gálvez and Louisiana in the American Revolution, on view at the Cabildo in Jack son Square, brings this lesser-known stor y into focus. It places Louisiana frmly within the larger narrative of the nation’s founding and reminds visitors that the Revolution was not only a colonial uprising, but an international confic t shaped by strategy, diplomacy, and geography

Born in 1746 in Macharaviaya, Spain, Gálvez became governor of Spanish Louisiana in 1777 From New Orleans, he unders tood the region’s strategic impor tance. Louisiana was a vital crossroads tied to trade, military movement, and control of the Mississippi River and Gulf Coas t. What happened here mattered far beyond the colony it self.

Gálvez’s milit ar y leadership proved decisive During the war, he led successful campaigns against British forces at Baton Rouge, Natchez, Mobile, and Pensacola. Those victories weakened British control in the Gulf South, secured major routes along the Mississippi, protec ted New Orleans, and forced Brit ain to fght on another front. His effor ts helped shi f the balance of the war in ways many Amer icans still do not fully realize.

What makes the stor y especially compelling is that it is also a stor y about Louisiana’s diverse societ y. The exhibition shows that Louisiana’s role in the Revolution was shaped not by one man alone, but by a broad mix of people, including Spanish and Creole resident s, free people of color, enslaved Africans, Acadians, Canary Islanders, and Indigenous allies At the Cabildo, this fuller histor y comes vividly to life The exhibition invites visitors

to see Louisiana not at the margins of the Revolution, but near it s center In doing so, it offers a richer unders tanding of Bernardo de Gálvez—not simply as a Spanish governor or military commander, but as a key fgure in explaining how Louisiana helped make American independence possible

Before Jazz Had a Name

The New Orleans Jazz Museum’s new exhibition reveals the lost piano mu sic that helped shape America’s defning ar t form New Orleans is celebrated worldwide as the birthplace of jazz But long before jazz was named— and before recording technology could preser ve it s earliest sounds —the city was already home to a vibrant musical culture shaped by African, Afro -Caribbean, Creole, and European infuences. That largely unheard world comes into focus in The First Piano Professors and the Lost Music of Early New Orleans, opening in April 2026 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum

The exhibition explores a fascinating chapter of music histor y: nineteenth-century piano compositions published in New Orleans that anticipated the rhythmic vitality, complexity, and expressive spirit that would later defne jazz Much of this repertoire survived only as fragile sheet music, and many of the work s are not known to have been recorded since their own time.

At the hear t of the projec t is a remarkable private archive assembled over three decades by pianis t and curator John Davis. Drawing from that collec tion, the exhibition reunites rare frst-edition scores with newly commissioned recordings, giving modern audiences a chance to hear music that has long been silent. The result is not simply a display of historical ar tifact s, but the recovery of a musical voice.

Visitors will encounter original sheet music, instrument s, photographs, and publishing ephemera within an immersive sound environment developed in collaboration with the museum’s curatorial and archival teams. The newly produced recordings will anchor the galler y experience while also ex tending

beyond the exhibition through concer ts, lectures, and educational programming.

For the New Orleans Jazz Museum, the exhibition is a natural ex tension of it s mission to explore the full arc of jazz histor y and culture. But this show reaches even further back, illuminating the musical foundation from which jazz emerged.

In a city where music histor y is ofen told through familiar legends, The First Piano Professors and the Lost Music of Early New Orleans offers something rarer: the chance to hear the sounds that came before jazz and to better unders tand the rich cultural currents that made New Orleans one of the most import ant musical cities in the world.

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Jumping in the Bayou

‘Last Night of the Rue Bayou’ opens in the French Quarter

IN “LAST NIGHT AT THE RUE BAYOU,”

ILEAN DURAND has pursued a labor of love. Her bar, Rue Bayou, carries on the legacy of her late husband, the singer King B Bouchard. Though she was an R&B singer herself when she was younger, she got out of the business and devoted herself to the club.

It’s a humble but welcoming neighborhood spot, and though it’s far from the French Quarter, it’s drawn the attention of a city commissioner. But Rupert Robicheaux doesn’t want to close it down because of noise or neighborhood problems. He secretly wants the property for himself.

“Last Night at the Rue Bayou” is an immersive musical show about a club at the crossroads, as Durand and her patrons try to hold on to their beloved spot. The show premieres at the Storyville Music Hall, the French Market space formerly occupied by Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and BB King’s Blues Club, and it runs Thursdays through Sundays, April 16 to May 3, and there are weekend matinees.

The show is set in the not-too-distant past, and it reflects the legacies of generations of New Orleans. Durand’s family has deep roots in the community, and her mother was a revered confidant to many. Durand quit her singing career because she didn’t like the way she was treated by her record label’s white managers, and at the club, she’s her own boss.

She married King B, who was a renowned R&B singer, said to have a big personality along the lines of Ernie K-Doe. Though he’s long gone, Durand built the bar around his legacy.

The show is full of New Orleans music, from jazz, blues and old New Orleansstyle R&B to zydeco, Cajun and bounce. Regulars at the club include Elmo “Tiny” Bouchard, a child of King B’s that Durand raised as her own. LaFonda Garcia helps Durand run the club, and Stormy Landing is a drag performer who sometimes takes the stage. Rupert Robicheaux also is carrying on a family legacy. His family has old plantation wealth, and his father dealt in real estate. The senior Robicheaux tried to develop property around the Rue Bayou, but Durand wouldn’t sell her club. Now, the younger Robicheaux is maneuvering through the wheels of city government to finally pry the deed from Durand. That battle is coming to a head as Durand gathers performers and

by Will Coviello |

neighbors for a big night to stave off on closing the joint. In the whirl of activity, old secrets and surprises spill out in a show steeped in New Orleans culture and lore, from the musical and social fabric of the city to the crooked machinations of Louisiana politics.

The show is the brainchild of Michael Meth, an actor whose film and TV credits include roles on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and HBO’s “The Jinx.” On stage, he’s played lead roles in “King Lear” and “Fiddler on the Roof” in productions in New York City and Washington, D.C.

Meth has been a fan of New Orleans for about as long as he’s been acting.

“I developed a teenage crush on New Orleans,” Meth says.

Growing up in Indiana, he started acting as a teenager, and he got hooked on New Orleans music from jazz to early R&B. It was before the arrival of the internet, but he learned about things like community radio station WWOZ.

He pursued acting and entertainment, and for a stint, he toured with Chicago’s Second City comedy troupe. But he also put his skills to work in what was then called business or industrial theater. He developed and presented interactive or immersive experiences for companies. That brought him to conventions in New Orleans, where he did projects for MTV and McDonald’s for its franchise owners.

The more time he spent in New Orleans, the better he got to know the

city and places like Tipitina’s and the Mother-InLaw Lounge.

“Once you’ve been to New Orleans and had one of these experiences, it’s like you never leave,” he says. “It stays with you.”

During the pandemic, Meth had time on his hands when no in-person theater or conferences were happening. He joined an online theater group that was making content, and he started thinking about “Rue Bayou.” With the encouragement of a colleague, he wrote a first draft in nine weeks, and it’s been through plenty of revisions and development.

He reached out to New Orleans musicians he had met, and Dwayne Dopsie contributed the basis of the zydeco tune “Mo Gumbo.”

Building on his work creating immersive experiences, he wanted to go that route. The show at Storyville happens on the stage, as well as all around the venue, with scenes in the aisles and balconies. There also are parts audience members can step up and fill.

The show is designed to make audiences feel like they are spending the night at the Rue Bayou, so tickets include two drinks and a bowl of gumbo. Meth found New York producers to work with, and they wanted the show to have a New Orleans feel, so the entire cast is local. Donald Jones Jr. is a New Orleans native and veteran of several Broadway musicals. Deri’Andra Tucker has been in touring Broadway shows and was a New Orleans Saints cheerleader. Kadejah One Higdon, who plays Ilean Durand, starred in “Dreamgirls.” Caldrick Williams is an R&B singer and songwriter. After its run, Meth hopes to take it to other cities and give them a taste of New Orleans.

Tickets $64-$149 via ruebayoumusical.com.

Fantasia and Anthony Hamilton

Fantasia won the third season of “American Idol” and launched her singing and acting careers. She’s starred in “The Color Purple” on stage and in the 2023 film, and she’s mixed soul, R&B and hip-hop on numerous albums. She’s currently working on a gospel album. She’s touring with Anthony Hamilton, a fellow native of North Carolina, who’s also appeared in movies and won accolades and a soul and R&B singer. Last year, he released an album of spoken word and music with Omari Hardwick. Fantasia and Hamilton perform at 8 p.m. Friday, April 17, at UNO Lakefront Arena. Tickets are $90.50 and up via ticketmaster.com.

‘Six’

Sometimes referred to as “Tudors Got Talent,” the jukebox musical “Six” takes some license with the story of Henry VIII’s many wives. Here, six of them get to tell their side of the story but through pop tunes. The show runs like a glitzy talent contest for the literal queens, who all get their moments in the spotlight. The touring Broadway production comes to Saenger Theatre April 14-19. Showtimes vary. Tickets $39-$180.18 via saengernola.com.

Marlon Wayans

Marlon Wayans starred with his brother on the sitcom “The Wayans Bros.,” and he’s been in many films including “Scary Movie” and its sequels, “Norbit” and more. The sixth installment of “Scary Movie” is due out this summer. He performs standup at 7 p.m. Friday, April 17, at The Fillmore. Tickets $75.50 and up at ticketmaster.com.

THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN

Voter

Volunteer Louisiana and Feeding Louisiana raised enough funding during its Million Meals for MLK campaign in January to provide 2.7 million meals at food banks, the organizations recently said. They also hosted 10 events across the state on Martin Luther King Jr. Day where volunteers packed more than 500,000 meals for Louisianans. The campaign was a success, but Volunteer Louisiana also emphasized it’s just a dent in the battle against hunger in the state, which has one of the highest rates of food insecurity in the U.S.

OPENING GAMBIT

suppression and tooth rot: the Louisiana GOP is still in session!

The Samuel Barton Stewart III Memorial Foundation recently made a $2 million gift to City Park Conservancy to support the renovation of the park’s Old Corral building near the I-610 underpass. City Park aims to turn the building into a center where visitors can learn about water, stormwater management and shoreline restoration. The project is part of the larger City Park 2050 improvement plan.

Louisiana GOP blocks state-wide Voting Rights Act bill

REPUBLICANS ON THE LOUISIANA

SENATE GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE APRIL 8 KILLED A BILL by New Orleans Democratic Sen. Royce Duplessis creating a statewide voting rights act, despite two hours of people speaking in support of it and nobody speaking in opposition.

In the four years since the ruling, Louisiana parishes closed 103 polling places and consolidated more than 300 precincts, which has had a disparate impact on Black voters.

“This had a racially discriminatory impact,” Duplessis said.

THE APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS IN ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON PARISHES DURING THE STATE’S ANNUAL “LOVE THE BOOT WEEK,” APRIL 18-26.

The statewide campaign focuses on initiatives beautifying the state and planting trees. Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is calling on every resident to clean up 250 pieces of trash — in honor of the U.S.A.’s upcoming 250’s birthday celebration. There is also a call for volunteers at French Quarter Festival to aid with cleanup and recycling. For more information, visit keeplouisianabeautiful.org.

Louisiana LNG, a facility under construction near Lake Charles, is projected to produce more greenhouse emissions than any other liquified natural gas export terminal in the U.S., a Verite News analysis found. The terminal, which is owned by Australian company Woodside Energy, is expected to emit more than 9.5 million tons of greenhouse gases each year.

Senate Bill 365 would have created a five-member voting rights commission made up of members of the Louisiana State Bar Association with at least five years of experience that haven’t held elected office in the last five years. That commission would have to approve new or changed election policies or practices — such as voting hours or requirements — or changes in powers of elected officials in covered areas to make sure they weren’t going to lead to voter suppression or dilution before allowing them to take effect.

This is similar to what was happening at the federal level, a process known as “preclearance” before the Supreme Court struck down that part of the Voting Rights Act in 2013.

Duplessis brought the bill ahead of the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, in which the conservative high court is expected to further gut the federal VRA. He said at least eight other states had passed their on voting rights acts to shore up access to the ballot before the Supreme Court’s ruling.

“We don’t have to sit back and wait,” Duplessis said.

The bill would have cost the state approximately $773,000, according to the legislative fiscal office. However, Sen. Katrina Jackson-Andrews, a Monroe Democrat who testified in support of the bill, said she believed it would save the state money overall by avoiding some lawsuits.

The committee room was so packed, some people had to sit in

Which specialty dish do you want to try at this year’s French Quarter Fest?

overflow rooms. In addition to the many people who spoke in support of the bill — including from groups like the ACLU of Louisiana, the NAACP of Louisiana and Together Louisiana — another 138 filed green cards, and more than 70 sent emails signaling their support. Four filed red cards in opposition but did not speak.

Among those who spoke in favor was 10-year-old Kaitlyn Peoples, whose mother was charged in 2020 for “electioneering” during a march to the polls.

“No family should have to be afraid just for trying to vote,” she said.

Jacquelyn Germany, a Black woman, said the bill was one of the most important and powerful bills she’d testified for, recalling a story her grandfather being forced to count jelly beans in a jar in order to vote during the Jim Crow era.

Checo Yancy, policy director of VOTE, said his grandparents faced difficulties voting, as did he when he was in the U.S. Air Force in the ‘60s.

“I went to the military in 1962, and guess what? It was hard to vote then, even with my blue uniform on,” he said. “And here we are going through the same thing.”

No Republicans on the committee spoke against the bill, but all voted against it, including Sens. Mike Fesi, Greg Miller, Mike Reese and Glen Womack.

Democratic Sens. Gary Carter, Sam Jenkins and Larry Selders voted for it.

Following that vote, Sen. Regina Barrow substituted her broader voting rights bill to one by her fellow Baton Rouge Democrat Rep. Terry Landry Jr. dealing with voting while incarcerated.

Currently, people who are incarcerated for a misdemeanor or are awaiting trial have the right to vote, but Louisiana law requires first-time voters to vote in person. There are some exceptions but not for incarceration, preventing those behind bars from casting their first ballot.

Landry’s bill would have let those individuals cast mail-in ballots, but Republicans on the committee again killed it in another party line vote.

— Kaylee Poche.

Republican Sen. Jay Morris and Gov. Jeff Landry support restricting the number of

La. Senate goes full ‘Dr. Strangelove,’ OKs anti-fluoride bill

THE LOUISIANA STATE SENATE APRIL 8 APPROVED A BILL TO ALLOW VOTERS in the grips of a conservative conspiracy theory fever dream to halt water fluoridization in their local water districts, despite clear

evidence that these programs are perfectly safe and do not, as opponents have often claimed, make people dumb, docile or gay.

Sponsored by Houma Republican Sen. Michael “Big Mike” Fesi, SB 4 originally would have outright barred water fluoridization across the state.

That was apparently too far down the conspiracy theory hole for some of his fellow senators. Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, a Lafayette Democrat, convinced Fesi to tone down the bill in the Health and Welfare Committee last month.

As a result, Fesi agreed to limit the ban and apply it to new fluoridization programs while creating a mechanism for ending fluoridization on a water district by water district basis. But he did manage to make some bizarre claims, falsely saying that water fluoridation is poisoning people — despite the fact that fluoride is added to drinking water in small amounts and has been proven safe for almost a century.

For the better part of the last 100 years, communities have safely introduced fluoride into drinking water supplies to help prevent tooth decay.

Anti-fluoride claims are rooted in the antisemitic and anti-communist movements of the 1940s and 1950s and was championed by the likes of the John Birch Society and even the Ku Klux Klan.

In Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 satirical film “Doctor Strangelove,” a deranged American Air Force general begins World War III over his belief that fluoridization is a communist plot targeting Americans’ “precious bodily fluids.”

The bill sailed through the senate handily, with little debate on the senate floor, and passed 26-7.

The bill still needs to pass the House of Representatives in order to become law. Last year, an identical bill to the original was killed by representatives after a committee meeting during which dentists, pediatricians, children’s advocates and other non-conspiracy minded people vocally opposed the measure. — John Stanton

Where do the bills to shrink New Orleans’ court system stand now?

DESPITE OPPOSITION FROM NEW ORLEANS LEADERS, STATE LEGISLATORS ARE advancing bills that would drastically shrink the city’s court systems.

For the latest update on the legislation, check bestofneworleans.com.

As of press time April 9, in the Senate side, Sen. Jay Morris, a Monroe Republican, has a trio of bills that would cut many judge positions and put the city under one clerk of court.

On April 7, Morris changed his Senate Bill 197 to cut fewer judgeships at the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Orleans,

FEE LI NG FESTIVE ?

Enjoy free activities during French Quarter Fest

TUESDAY-SUNDAY, 9:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M. |520 ROYALST.

“New Orleans Musicians in Art,” 14 worksofart inspired by New Orleans music and musicians from HNOC’sholdings

THURSDAY, APRIL 16,2 P.M. |410 CHARTRESST. Free screening of “Tierra Sagrada” with flmmakerNed Sublette

SATURDAY, APRIL 18,1 P.M. |410 CHARTRESST. Panel discussion, Cosimo at100: The Sound That Shaped New Orleans, with Nick Spitzer,Matt Sakakeeny, and LouisMatassa

SATURDAY, APRIL 18,2:30 P.M. |520 ROYALST. Happy Birthday,CosimoMatassa! Free activities and cake

Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes. Currently, there are 12 appellate judges in that circuit, and the bill would reduce that number by two. It originally would have reduced it by four.

Only Sen. Royce Duplessis spoke against SB 197 on the Senate floor, directly questioning Morris for around 23 minutes. Duplessis asked Morris if he thought reducing the number of appeals court judges would create delays in the system.

“I think that the judges that are there, as long as they work hard, will be able to handle the workload just fine,” Morris said.

“So you’re saying the judges who are there right now are not working hard?” Duplessis asked.

“There might be some that aren’t, yeah,” Morris replied. “I’m not going to pick on any judges in particular, but just look at who wrote one opinion a month and who wrote three to four opinions a month.”

The bill would cut the Division G seat held by Judge Rosemary Ledet and the at-large seat held by Judge Roland Belsome. Once they retire or reach the end of their terms, no future elections will be held for the seat.

Morris said he expected those judges to retire soon. The Senate passed the bill 26-9.

Morris’ SB 217 would cut the number of Orleans Parish Civil Court judges from 14 to 12 and the number of criminal court judges from 13 to nine. It also reduces the number of juvenile court judges from four to two.

The bill combines the judicial expense fund of the civil and criminal courts so that civil court fees will help cover criminal court expenses, like in other parishes.

That advanced out of committee. The full Senate needs to vote on it next.

On April 8, the Senate passed SB 256, which would have one clerk in the parish covering criminal and civil courts. Currently, Orleans is the only parish that has one clerk of criminal district court and another clerk of civil district court. That would eliminate the clerk of criminal court position, which Calvin Duncan is set to take on May 4. Duncan was wrongly incarcerated and who ousted the incumbent clerk in a landslide election last year after campaigning on reforming the office.

Duplessis tried to amend the bill to make it take effect in May 4,

OPENING GAMBIT

2030, when Duncan’s term ends at Duncan’s request and to keep the percentage the civil clerk gets from filing fees the same. Both failed.

Morris said he changed the bill to make it take effect immediately upon the governor’s signature so that it would take effect before Duncan takes office so that he would not need to get paid. He said he didn’t think it would be better to wait until Duncan was an incumbent to slash the position.

“There’s never going to be a good time,” he said.

“I’ve seen some things in my eight years here, but nothing like this,” Duplessis said. “I know that there are people who are going to vote for this bill that are also troubled by it. But I guess that’s where we are, and we just have to accept it.”

Rep. Dixon McMakin, a Baton Rouge Republican, has another bill, House Bill 911 that would combine the New Orleans’ criminal, civil and juvenile court systems. It passed out of a House committee, and the full House could vote on it as early as Monday, April 13.

New Orleans City Council members released statements on April 8 opposing the bills.

“I’m opposed to the reduction or elimination of any positions in the Civil District Court, Juvenile Court, Criminal Court or the Criminal Clerk’s Office,” City Council President JP Morrell said in a statement, adding “these efforts were done without input from local stakeholders, law practitioners who utilize these courts or any meaningful community engagement.”

Meanwhile Councilman Freddie King Jr., a practicing attorney in the city who chairs the council’s Criminal Justice Committee, raised significant practical concerns “particularly given the lack of a clearly articulated implementation strategy. While the goal of improving efficiency is understandable, there has been little detail provided as to how the transition would occur —specifically, how judicial assignments would be restructured, how cases would be redistributed, and how continuity of operations would be maintained during the process.”

“Without a comprehensive and transparent plan, this proposal introduces substantial risk—both operationally and financially—while offering uncertain benefits,” he added. — Kaylee Poche

Experience adazzlingcelebrationofthe hear tand soul of Louisiana. This year,the NewOrleans Jazz &HeritageFoundation invites youtoa celebrity-filled eveningbridgingthe vibrant rhythms of Jamaica with thehistoric spirit of CongoSquare.

Wednesday, April 22 | 7–10PM Generations Hall, NewOrleans

310 Andrew HigginsBlvd, |New Orleans, LA 70130

Prepare foranunforgettable fusionofJamaican rhythm andNew Orleanssoul featuringa stellar lineupthat bridgesthe sounds of Kingston andthe CrescentCity. Theeveningwill be headlined by thelegendary Wailers featuring Julian Marley,alongsidethe high-energy sounds of BigSam’s FunkyNation andthe iconic beatsof DJ Captain Charles.Roundingout this world-classroster, the Heritage School of Music All-StarsfeaturingDeaconJohn will showcase theincredible talent andtraditionthatdefinethe heart of NewOrleans’ musical heritage.

BLAKE VIEW

Hey Blake,

In City Park, a street that runs between the Casino building and the Pavilion of the Two Sisters is called Betty and Charles Turner Lane. Who were they?

Dear reader,

ELIZABETH “BETTY” GROSS TURNER AND HER HUSBAND CHARLES W. TURNER JR. were boosters of tennis programs and events at City Park and across Louisiana for more than 25 years. The avid tennis players were inducted into the Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame.

A New Orleans native, Betty Turner began playing tennis competitively in 1970. A championship tennis player, she began working with the Louisiana Tennis Association in 1973 as ranking college chairwoman and secretary. She served as the group’s president and was a longtime board member, also holding leadership roles with the Southern Tennis Association, U.S. Tennis Association and as president of the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club. She also was active in directing the Sugar Bowl Tennis Tournament for many years, in addition to running and directing local junior and adult tournaments. Charles Turner, a Tulane University graduate and architect by profession, also had an impressive tennis resumé. He served the U.S. Tennis

Association and Southern Tennis Association in many capacities and was president of the Louisiana Tennis Association and City Park Tennis Club.

In 1997, shortly before Betty Turner’s death, the couple was honored with an annual sportsmanship trophy to be awarded in their names at the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club Senior Invitational.

When Betty died, Charles Turner told The Times-Picayune that he and his wife had dedicated their lives to the game. “We thought we would do what we could for the game. We gave our time and energy to promoting tennis,” he said. Charles Turner died in 2010.

THIS WEEK WE MARK THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF COSIMO MATASSA, the man referred to by many — including the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — as a founding father of the New Orleans sound.

Matassa was the legendary recording engineer and studio owner who helped create New Orleans’ early rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll hits. He did so by recording music giants such as Fats Domino, Little Richard, Professor Longhair, Dr. John, Aaron Neville, Lee Dorsey, Ernie K-Doe, Irma Thomas and many others.

Born in New Orleans on April 13, 1926, Matassa worked in his family’s French Quarter grocery store as a young man. After graduating from Warren Easton High School, he enrolled in Tulane’s chemistry program but dropped out after about two years to work in his father’s jukebox business, J&M Amusement Services. He later bought recording equipment and converted a back room of the business at 840 N. Rampart St. into a recording studio.

There, Matassa engineered Fats Domino’s very first recording session, produced by Dave Bartholomew in 1949, as well as dozens of other hits. In 1956, Matassa relocated his studio to Gov. Nicholls Street before moving again to a Camp Street building dubbed “Jazz City.”

He retired from the music business in the 1980s to help run his family’s grocery. He was honored with a special Grammy award in 2007 and inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. He died in 2014.

In 2010, the building on N. Rampart Street, where Matassa’s J&M studio was first located, was named a rock ‘n’ roll landmark by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Last year, the building was purchased by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation.

Time QUARTER

French Quarter Festival hosts

300 performances, 75 food vendors and more in 2026

THE FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL IS ALREADY ONE OF LOUISIANA’S LARGEST ANNUAL EVENTS, and it’s still finding new ways to shake things up. The music, food and culture festival returns Thursday, April 16, through Sunday, April 19, for its 42nd edition, with an expanded footprint, some stage changes and a few new aspects.

The free festival is all about the music and culture of New Orleans and Louisiana, and this year’s event will see more than 300 performances on 19 music stages, with local and regional artists playing everything from funk, soul, jazz and blues to zydeco, Cajun music, hip-hop, pop and electronica.

There also will be more than 75 chefs, restaurants and catering businesses slinging dishes, and there is a culinary stage hosting demonstrations, interviews and, on Friday and Saturday, a crawfish eating contest. Social media personality Lavelle Dunn will host the stage (read more about the food offerings at the fest on page 38).

Festival stages and venues run across the French Quarter and along the Riverfront, from the plaza at the Audubon Aquarium to the recently opened park at Gov. Nicholls Wharf at the foot of Esplanade Avenue (see page 41 for more about the new green space and recent construction in the Quarter). The new park this year will host the Jack Daniel’s Stage and the Pan-American Life Stage.

The New Orleans Jazz Museum also is undergoing some construction, so the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage has been moved across the Quarter to the Aquarium Plaza. It will now host four days of brass bands and DJs. The Jazz Museum will still host the Esplanade in the Shade and the Songwriter stages.

Along with the music and food, French Quarter Fest hosts some special events. New this year is a 5K run at 8 a.m. Saturday, beginning at Esplanade Avenue and Decatur Street and ending at Gov. Nicholls Wharf (find more information at runsignup.com/fqf5k).

The French Market Corporation offers free swing and Cajun dance lessons each day at the French Market and in the Jax Brewery Lot. The Jazz Museum opens a new exhibit Thursday about the city’s early piano masters, and The Historic New Orleans Collection will present a panel and party on Saturday about producer Cosimo Matassa.

French Quarter Fest kicks off at 10 a.m. Thursday with a second-line parade beginning at the 200 block of Bourbon Street and ending at Jackson Square for an opening day ceremony. And after the stages go quiet Thursday, the festival hosts a show by David Shaw at the House of Blues. The after dark series continues Friday at Good Measure with Big Sam’s Funky Nation (for more post-fest events and tips, turn to page 39).

French Quarter Fest is free to attend, and there are VIP tickets available with access to shaded seating, private restrooms and other amenities. For attendees with sensory processing conditions and who may want a quiet spot, Benny’s Sensory Activation Vehicle is back this year and will be located at the Aquarium Plaza.

The festival is cashless, and there are official booths around the festival where cash can be loaded onto pre-paid cards.

On the following pages, Gambit previews the 2026 festival with recommendations for can’t-miss musicians, a few curated lineups to make planning a little easier and details to know before heading out.

More information about French Quarter Fest can be found at frenchquarterfest.org and via their festival app.

Amanda Shaw

5-6:10 P.M., WILLOW DISPENSARY STAGE

SOON AFTER AMANDA SHAW RELEASED HER 2020 ALBUM, “Joie,” where the Louisiana fiddler and vocalist put an energetic, modern spin on Cajun classics, a musician friend in Nashville introduced her to producer and Dolly Parton collaborator Kent Wells.

It was a “full circle moment” for her, Shaw says. Parton has long been a musical hero for Shaw, and as “a nerdy kid,” Shaw would pore over the liner notes of her Parton CDs.

“I loved studying who produced what and who the writers were,” she says. “We can love an artist all we want, but it really does take a team to make an artist. And I remember reading Kent’s name on the Dolly albums I had.”

The two quickly hit it off, Shaw says, and she found that Wells had a love for Louisiana music and culture. So when Shaw began working on recording a new album, she turned to Wells to produce what would become “Rhythm of My Roots.”

Shaw’s newest album will be released on May 15, but French Quarter Fest attendees will hear many of those new songs during her Thursday set.

“This industry can be so unforgiving in a lot of ways. There are so many stories of people being told, ‘Oh yeah, you’re great. We just have to change everything about who you are,’ ” Shaw says. “I knew that was a possibility, but instead not only did [Wells] not do that, but he appreciated the musical culture that I come from and was game to participate and work with me to elevate where I was already at. ”

Shaw grew up on the Northshore, learned to play Cajun fiddle as a child and has been a professional musician since her early teens. On the 10-track “Rhythm of My Roots,” she looked to honor her musical heritage while also adding pop, rock and a lot of energy.

Spending more time in Nashville and working in Wells’ studio there pushed Shaw to want to hug Louisiana sounds a little tighter, she says. “Leaving here made me more inspired about being from here,” Shaw says. Her main residence remains in New Orleans, Shaw says, but she’s recently been splitting time with Nashville.

Still, working with Wells in the capital of the country music industry, also helped “link traditional Cajun music with modern elements for something that’s decidedly Americana,” Shaw has said previously.

“Rhythm of My Roots” opens with the title track, an up-tempo track about Louisiana hospitality featuring Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and accordionist Anthony Dopsie. Black Masking Indian funk band Cha Wa is featured on the song “Pothole Mouth,” and the album includes more writing contributions from Jon Cleary and Cowboy Mouth’s Fred LeBlanc.

Anyone who went to LSU or has watched a Tigers football game in the last 20 years knows “Callin’ Baton Rouge,” which has been recorded by a few people but is best known as a Garth Brooks hit. On “Rhythm of My Roots,” Shaw worked with Brooks’ fiddle player Jimmy Mattingly to reinterpret the song from the perspective of the Baton Rouge woman taking phone calls from her lover on the road.

On “Before Katrina,” Shaw weaves together the impact of Hurricane Katrina with a story of a relationship ruined by infidelity. And Shaw leaves aside her fiddle for “Crescent City Connection,” a heavier, ’80s-inspired rock song.

The album “just sums up this feeling of growing up here, having such a great community, and I think the music community is no exception,” Shaw says. “And I think that’s the biggest reflection of this [album].”

— JAKE CLAPP

FRENCH QUARTER FEST KICKS OFF WITH A SECOND-LINE PARADE AT 10 A.M. THURSDAY, beginning at 200 Bourbon Street and ending at Jackson Square. The music then gets started at 11 a.m. on eight stages spread along the Riverfront, from Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park to the new green space at Gov. Nicholls Wharf, and at Jackson Square, the Jax Brewery Parking lot and the House of Blues. Here are some music highlights for Thursday.

Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Revue

11 A.M.-12:10 P.M., PAN-AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE GROUP STAGE

Classic country meets Western swing and rockabilly in singer Vanessa Niemann’s long-running honky-tonk band, which plays original songs, classic country tunes and the occasional pop, jazz and New Orleans songbook cover. Niemann boosts her melted honey vocals with a fluid range that allows her to shift seamlessly between music styles and eras while her band’s easy-lilting twang beckons dancers to the floor.

— JENNIFER ODELL

Sir. Chantz Powell & The Sound of Funk

12:30-1:30 P.M., TROPICAL ISLE HAND GRENADE STAGE

New Orleans’ Chantz Powell has developed a charismatic stage presence that showcases his trumpet skills, singing and rapping. He’s played everything from New Orleans classics during Pelicans halftime shows to Rihanna covers and songs from the opera “Porgy and Bess.” Powell’s backup band, The Sound of Funk (S.o.F.), keeps pace, giving the frontman freedom to roam the stage — sometimes pulling off acrobatics and tight footwork to boot.

LIAM PIERCE

504 Millz

12:35-1:05 P.M., LOUISIANA FISH FRY STAGE

Hollygrove native 504 Millz is comfortable working in the background as a producer and sound engineer, helping artists shape their music at his Vibe House Studios. But he also regularly steps into the light as a bounce and hip-hop DJ and performer. Last year, 504 Millz worked French Quarter Fest as a sound tech, and now he’s coming full circle with his festival performance debut.

JAKE CLAPP

Juice

2:10-3:10 P.M., JACK DANIEL’S STAGE

Julian “Juice” Gosin spun his trumpet-forward solo project from a legendary basis: The Soul Rebels. He’s made appearances on “America’s Got Talent” and “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and played on GZA’s NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Gosin’s 2024 album “Be Intentional” boasts his singing, rapping and spoken word — packed with R&B, soul and a smoky trumpet mute. And he’s giving back to the community that grew him as the lead instructor with the Trombone Shorty Academy. — LIAM PIERCE

Yusa & Mahmoud Chouki

3:10-4:10 P.M., TROPICAL ISLE HAND GRENADE STAGE

Havana-born singer, guitarist and tres expert Yusa mines jazz, trova, son, Brazilian music and more to create adventurous original compositions. Since settling in New Orleans in 2020, she’s collaborated often with Mahmoud Chouki, a classically trained guitarist whose globe-spanning sound revolves around connections between different cultures. His 2025 album “Caravan: From Marrakech to New Orleans” featured some of the city’s most celebrated traditional jazz

artists alongside his masterful work on oud, guitar and banjo. — JENNIFER ODELL

Erica Falls & Vintage Soul

4:50-6:10 P.M., ABITA BEER STAGE

Erica Falls is becoming known as New Orleans’ neo-soul queen — and she even has the support of the soul queen of New Orleans herself, Irma Thomas. A native of the 9th Ward, Falls counts Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder among her influences. Prior to breaking out on her own as a solo artist, she was the lead singer for Galactic for five

years and collaborated with a range of acclaimed artists, including Dr. John and Allen Toussaint. Her latest album, “Emotions” dropped in 2024, and her charismatic stage presence coupled with a dedication to keeping the oldschool R&B sound alive make her an artist not to be missed. — SARAH RAVITS

The Lilli Lewis Project

5:30-6:45 P.M., NEWORLEANS.COM STAGE

With a powerful voice and accomplished touch on the piano, Americana musician Lilli Lewis writes encouraging music — songs meant to inspire reflection and push listeners to pursue healing. Still, there’s also a lot of fun in Lewis’ music and stories about interesting characters. Often, Lewis’ band will wear shirts with her important mantra: “Practice radical decency.” A Lilli Lewis Project set will refill your cup, even when you didn’t know you needed it. — JAKE CLAPP

Bobby Rush

6:50-8 P.M., JACK DANIEL’S STAGE

Blues Hall of Famer Bobby Rush at 92 remains a prolific force in music, consistently recording and

performing the soul and funk-filled blues sound that’s earned him three Grammy Awards and a nomination for his 2025 Kenny Wayne Shepherd collaboration, “Young Fashioned Ways.” A tireless and often hilarious showman, Rush peppers live shows with bawdy jokes, great stories and soulful harmonica work. Rush recently performed at the 2026 Oscars and is the subject of a new documentary, “King of the Chitlin’ Circuit.” — JENNIFER ODELL

Julian Primeaux

7:30-9:30 P.M., HOUSE OF BLUES

VOODOO GARDEN STAGE

Classic blues rock is a prominent influence in the work of singer, songwriter and guitarist Julian Primeaux, who hails from a musical Lafayette family and frequently collaborates with Corey Ledet. Those roots aside, Primeaux and his band court a big, retro-rock sound that tilts more toward T. Rex than Ledet’s signature zydeco. Think blistering, arena-ready guitar solos and foot-stomping gospel breakdowns behind evocative lyrics about heartbreak. His latest album is 2025’s “Spinning Heartache Into Gold.” — JENNIFER ODELL

Roussel’s Church

WHEN NEW ORLEANS PIANIST KYLE ROUSSEL STARTED WORK ON HIS THIRD FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, he simply just wanted to document where he was in his career. It just happened that these days his career includes being a touring member of Preservation Hall Jazz Band and The Headhunters and performing with artists like Irma Thomas, Herlin Riley and John Boutte.

Ultimately, 37 New Orleans musicians appeared on Roussel’s “Church of New Orleans.” And among the congregation are luminaires like Thomas, Riley, Boutte, George Porter Jr., Donald Harrison Jr., Ivan Neville and Charlie Gabriel as featured performers contributing to the Grammy-nominated album’s joyful noise.

For Roussel, who started learning the piano at age 9 and grew up playing in local churches, the church is a community center. It’s a hub where people come together around music, drama, singing, dancing and food.

“The church is really like a community, and the New Orleans music community is just like a church to me,” Roussel says. “I called all of these people who I had working relationships with, and they all came right over.”

For the last 15 years, Roussel has been an active pianist, organist, composer and, more recently, producer around New Orleans, playing with a number of artists and leading his own band. With his 2023 album, “NOLA A La Mode,” Roussel sought to showcase his solo abilities.

As he began writing music for what would become “Church of New Orleans,” though, he started to imagine what it might be like to have some of the people he has worked

with over the years perform the parts he had written.

It took mustering up some courage, Roussel says with a laugh, but he started making calls. He quickly found Neville, Boutte, Porter, Thomas, Zigaboo Modeliste and many others were on board.

“Everybody was really, really gracious,” Roussel says. “So it just kind of snowballed into being a special guest record, with people playing my arrangements and my original music.”

Although there are strong gospel influences, “Church of New Orleans” is a dynamic secular album blending jazz, rhythm and blues, funk, some second-line rhythms and electronic elements. There’s also a positive atmosphere on the project, with songs full of encouragement for a chaotic world. The album earned a 2026 Grammy nomination for Best Regional Roots Music Album.

Roussel says he was fortunate to work early in his career with great local musicians like drummers Herlin Riley and Shannon Powell and trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. He also studied with pianist Ellis Marsalis.

But a lot of Roussel’s learning began at church. He played gospel at his audition for the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts high school, where he would be introduced to playing jazz.

“There’s a lot of similarities in New Orleans jazz and gospel music,” Roussel says. “They’re both social music. New Orleans music is second line and dance and join in and have a good time. It’s the same thing in church. It’s a social and spiritual experience.”

At French Quarter Fest, Roussel will be joined by vocalist Erica Falls, bassist Kenaniah Turner and drummer Peter Varnado. — JAKE CLAPP

THE FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY EXPANDS TO 13 STAGES, including at the Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta, two stages at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and two stages at the French Market. Below are artists to look for on Friday.

Kirkland Green

11 A.M.-12 P.M., LOYOLA ESPLANADE IN THE SHADE STAGE

Singer-songwriter Kirkland Green has been performing since early childhood. The Louisiana native grew up singing in church and performing musical theater, leading to gospel, soul, jazz and R&B influences that have shaped his sound as a vocalist. Green’s 2024 debut album, “Unrequited,” explores the vulnerability that comes with unreciprocated love.

— MADDIE SPINNER

Semaj & The Blues Experiment

11:10 A.M.-12 P.M., TROPICAL ISLE HAND GRENADE STAGE

Although she’s not new to performing in New Orleans, Semaj Douglas developed a strong following in recent years through her band’s intimate performances at the now-defunct Madame Vic’s. Her tight band, the Blues Experiment, provides a strong backdrop for Semaj’s impressive vocal range, soulful harmonica solos and thoughtful original lyrics.

— JENNIFER ODELL

Lawrence Cotton

2:20-3:30 P.M., NEWORLEANS.COM STAGE

At 99, Lawrence Cotton may be New Orleans’ oldest working musician. The R&B and jazz pianist has had a storied career, playing with the likes of Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner and Dave Bartholomew’s Orchestra. A longtime Preservation Hall performer, the Preservation Hall Foundation named him a master practitioner in 2019. At FQF, he performs with his aptly named Legendary Experience band.

— KAYLEE POCHE

PellowTalk & Alfred Banks

3:10-4:10 P.M., LOYOLA

ESPLANADE IN THE SHADE STAGE

Last year, Alfred Banks and Pell, two of New Orleans hip-hop’s finest, teamed up for the remarkable EP

“The Survivor’s Condition.” Produced by Pell under his DJ and producer moniker PellowTalk, the project finds Banks as lyrically gifted as ever as he processes changes to his career and looks for resiliency. Although Banks and Pell have occasionally performed as guests during one another’s sets, the two haven’t had many duo shows like this, so be sure to catch it while you can. — JAKE CLAPP

Bonerama

3:30-4:30 P.M., ABITA BEER STAGE

The brass-forward band Bonerama has amassed a catalogue of originals

spanning rock, funk, pop, soul and jazz along with covering the likes of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Radiohead. The band’s founders, Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, were in Harry Connick Jr.’s band, and over the years, their project has played with R.E.M., OKGo, Galactic, The Radiators and Ivan Neville. Recently, Bonerama released “So Much Love,” its first full-length album in seven years, so expect to hear some new tunes. — LIAM PIERCE

Deezle

4:30-5:45 P.M., TROPICAL ISLE HAND GRENADE STAGE

New Orleans-born producer and rapper Darius “Deezle” Harrison has worked with Drake, Master P, Birdman and Lil Wayne, winning a Grammy for his work on “Tha Carter III” and the hit “Lollipop.” But he keeps his hands in his hometown, and

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at FQF he’ll present a show featuring Mac Phipps, Sunni Patterson, Chopper Young City, Kr3wcial, NasGotNext, TheRealGeno and DJ BowTie Nick. Reaux Fareal will host the set. — JAKE CLAPP

Robin Barnes & The Fiya Birds

5:20-6:45 P.M., NEWORLEANS.COM STAGE

New Orleans-born singer-songwriter Robin Barnes in February released “Eh, Ma Belle,” an upbeat track featuring zydeco mainstays Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and Dwayne Dopsie. It’s a taste of what’s to come on her debut full-length album, “Louisiana Love,” expected in May. Barnes, who grew up in the Lower 9th Ward, explores her family’s roots and history as a ninth-generation Louisianan. Barnes’ husband Pat Casey also doubles as her bass player. — KAYLEE POCHE

Ingrid Lucia

5:30-7 P.M., FRENCH MARKET TRADITIONAL JAZZ STAGE

From her work with the Squirrel Nut Zippers to her reimagined takes on songs by Lou Reed and the Kinks, Ingrid Lucia’s music turns on a delicate balance of playfulness, vocal precision and a buoyant sense of rhythm. Since calling time on the Flying Neutrinos, her family’s long-running swing band, Lucia has explored a range of jazz and Americana-rooted musical terrain, from hot jazz to Billie Holiday. In

2024, she published her first book, “The Big Time: A Memoir.” — JENNIFER ODELL

Bill Summers & Jazalsa

6:10-7:30 P.M., PAN-AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE GROUP STAGE

Percussionist Bill Summers has kept a high profile in music since the ’70s, landing gigs with Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones and the Headhunters, which released its latest studio album, “The Stunt Man,” in 2024. The Detroit native, whose music has been featured in “Roots” and “The Color Purple,” calls New Orleans home, and with his group Jazalsa, Summers cooks up an Afro-Cuban jazz fusion. LIAM PIERCE

PJ Morton

6:40-8 P.M., ABITA BEER STAGE

After a tenure in Los Angeles and Atlanta, singer, keyboardist, producer and Maroon 5 member PJ Morton returned home to New Orleans in 2015. Since then, his diverse solo career has blossomed beyond his foundational contemporary R&B sound. Recent collaborations have included recordings with Angelique Kidjo, Robert Glasper and a Grammy-winning gospel album with Darrel Walls. In 2024, Morton released “Cape Town to Cairo Live,” inspired by his month-long journey through Africa, and last year released a live version and concert film. JENNIFER ODELL

Dawn Richard

3:30-4:30 P.M., ABITA BEER STAGE

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, Dawn Richard has been taking her time to become more intertwined with New Orleans.

As a native of the 9th Ward, New Orleans was naturally always present in her music, even when her career took her to New York and Los Angeles and her electro-pop style found friendlier audiences in other major cities. Around 2019, though, Richard decided to move back to New Orleans to be closer to family, and she has been deliberate in the ways she’s made room for herself.

She’s taking “the time to learn the soul, to learn the city, making sure I respect other artists and my peers,” says Richard, a vocalist and songwriter. “Even though I’m from New Orleans, there’s this massive respect of how you come into our home space.”

Richard’s two most recent solo albums, “New Breed” and “Second Line,” drew inspirations from her family history, first from her father’s side and Black Masking Indian traditions and then focusing on her mother, second-line culture and Creole identity. Richard set those homegrown influences against propulsive pop, electronica, Afrobeat and hip-hop.

Since those albums, Richard also has released two stunning albums with the contemporary composer Spencer Zahn along with several solo singles and features with Kaytranada and S. Fidelity.

Learning more about her family’s Black Masking Indian history led Richard to begin masking with the Washitaw Nation. This was her fifth year to step out with the tribe.

The last few years also have seen Richard perform with Tank and the Bangas, feature on Big Freedia’s

soaring “Celebration” and collaborate with Pell and Antwigadee! on the summer banger “Go Crazy.” And Richard threw her support behind Helena Moreno’s campaign for mayor, recording a song with The Soul Rebels for January’s inauguration ceremony. Add to it, Richard moved her Recording Academy membership to the Memphis Chapter, which covers New Orleans. And she recently began working with the artist management firm MidCitizen.

“Being an electro-pop girlie from New Orleans, people don’t always affiliate those two,” Richard says.

“With the help of MidCitizen, I’ve been able to bring my world home. French Quarter Fest will be the first time in a long time, where I can bring my journey to the stage and show people that New Orleans culture can live in pop culture.”

Richard had long hoped to be able to make New Orleans home again. But as is usually the case in life, there have been twists and turns.

Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures displaced Richard and her family, and they relocated to Baltimore, Maryland. Shortly before the hurricane, Richard was cast on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “Making the Band 3” and formed the pop group Danity Kane (Richard sued Combs in 2024, alleging abuse and assault).

In 2012, Richard began building an independent career, shaking off the rigors of the music industry system. Still, she says, she found that New Orleans wasn’t yet resonating with her electro-forward pop music in the ways Chicago, London or South Africa would.

Influences, though, from New Orleans and musicians like Trombone Shorty and PJ Morton were making their way onto her solo albums, and as she began working on “New Breed,” she felt like the time was right to return to the city.

“So it just took me longer to get back home, to be able to do it the way I wanted to,” Richard says. “When I got home, I was like, ‘finally.’ ”

Richard has been busy working on new music, she says, and last year, she launched the animation anthology series, “Little Stories, Big Echoes.” The first animated short was an official selection at the New Orleans Film Festival.

“I’ve been trying to show the city how important it has always been for me to be home,” Richard says. “And I think now with what I have in the arsenal, I’m able to say I’ve arrived in the place I’ve wanted to be in as a native of New Orleans.”

— JAKE CLAPP

AFTERTHE FEST,

FRENCH QUARTER FEST HITS ITS STRIDE ON SATURDAY, expanding to all 19 music stages. There are locations along Royal Street, a stage for student musicians on St. Philip, performances at the Jazz National Historical Park center on Decatur and more. Here are some of our music picks for the day.

Lily Unless & The If Onlys

11:10 A.M.-12:30 P.M., JACK DANIEL’S STAGE

The self-proclaimed “swampy-tonk” band plays all originals that are simultaneously bright and twangy yet as seductive as a feu follet. On songs like “Minneapolis,” Unless mourns, “I dream you say goodbye 100 times 100 ways before I wake,” as a slide guitar twangs and a snare drum jitters in the background. The modern band harkens back to 1950s country and will make you all kinds of back-porch nostalgic. — LIAM PIERCE

Tiago Guy & Renée Gros

11:15 A.M.-12:30 P.M., HOUSE OF BLUES VOODOO GARDEN STAGE

Brazilian-born musician Tiago Guy found his “Westbank Girl” Renée Gros, herself a vocalist and songwriter, upon moving to New Orleans in 2021. The married couple are

frequent collaborators and will perform together at FQF, but they also have promising solo careers. Guy released his sophomore album “Paper Thin” in 2024, and Gros just released her debut fulllength album “Glad I’m Wrong” on April 10. — KAYLEE POCHE

Louis Michot & Swamp Magic

2:15-3:30 P.M., OMNI ROYAL ORLEANS STAGE

Grammy-winning Cajun fiddler, accordionist, songwriter and vocalist Louis Michot is perhaps best known as the bandleader of the Lost Bayou Ramblers (who perform on Friday). But in recent years, he’s expanded his musical horizons with spinoff groups, solo albums and other wide-ranging collaborations with fellow South Louisiana and francophone artists. One of his newest projects, Swamp Magic is influenced by Michot’s Cajun background but infuses the sound

with dreamy, drawn-out psychedelic instrumentals reminiscent of bands like Pink Floyd. — SARAH RAVITS

Daphne

Parker Powell

2:45-3:45 P.M., ENTERGY

SONGWRITER STAGE

Singer-songwriter Daphne Parker Powell’s seventh album, “The Death of Cool,” comes out May 22, featuring Preservation Hall’s Wendell and Caroline Brunious, Charlie Halloran and others. It will examine “how society makes us judge ourselves and each other,” she told the outlet 15 Questions. One of Cancer Can Rock’s 2026 featured artists, Powell also recently recorded John Fohl’s “This Side of the Grass.” The program helps support the work of musicians with cancer. — KAYLEE POCHE

Aurora Nealand & The Royal Roses

3:30-4:45 P.M., KREWE EYEWEAR STAGE

Aurora Nealand is among the city’s most talented creative voices, unstoppably turning out visionary projects that range from theatrical suites to progressive improvisational works. In the Royal Roses, her traditional New Orleans jazz ensemble, the saxophonist, clarinetist and vocalist showcases her deep knowledge of the early jazz and blues

that gave birth to countless forms of contemporary music. Onstage, the Roses’ strong musicianship and creative interplay put a vibrant twist on classic tunes and originals alike.

— JENNIFER ODELL

Victor Campbell & Timba Swamp

3:35-4:35 P.M., TROPICAL ISLE

HAND GRENADE STAGE

Pianist Victor Campbell could recently be seen playing on screen in “Sinners,” and he appeared on stage during this year’s Oscars to perform the movie’s centerpiece song, “I Lied To You,” alongside Miles Caton, Buddy Guy, Raphael Saadiq, Brittany Howard, Leyla McCalla and more. Campbell grew up in Cuba but has been an increasingly celebrated performer in New Orleans since 2019. A few years ago, he formed La Timba Swamp. With güiro, timbales and congas, the group focuses in on timba, the Afro-Cuban genre mixing in R&B, funk and salsa.

LIAM PIERCE

Flagboy Giz & The Wild Tchoupitoulas

4:55-5:55 P.M., TROPICAL ISLE

HAND GRENADE STAGE

Along with his membership in the Wild Tchoupitoulas, Flagboy Giz is a rapper and producer who has caught

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Big Freedia

6:50-8 P.M., JACK DANIEL’S STAGE

attention in recent years for his blending together of Black Masking Indian music with hip-hop and bounce. His latest album, “Smoke Signals” — his fifth in five years — was released in 2025, and New Orleanians may quickly recognize his iconic 2022 track “We Outside,” which may as well be the city’s official Mardi Gras anthem. At FQF, Giz will be joined by other members of The Wild Tchoupitoulas. — SARAH RAVITS

The Jump Hounds

5:30-7 P.M., FRENCH MARKET TRADITIONAL JAZZ STAGE

Jump is a lesser-known genre that bridged swing and rock and roll, so it’s fitting that the band The Jump Hounds carries its tradition here in a city of inventive genres. The sextet carries uptempo, bluesy tunes that’d make your meemaw blush and dance at the same time. The title track on the band’s 2024 album “Southern Comfort” is a nod to the titular booze, and “Rockin’ at Cosimo’s” gives a hattip to the illustrious French Quarter dive bar. — LIAM PIERCE

In 2025, New Orleans bounce queenturned pop star Big Freedia shifted gears, trading the big, banging beats and rhymes that shot her to fame for an album inspired by the gospel music she grew up performing with Raymond Myles and his group RAMS. While “Pressing Onward” wove bounce and hip-hop into Freedia’s take on gospel, this FQF set will primarily find her back in bounce form alongside a DJ and drummer.

JENNIFER ODELL

DJ Poppa

7-8 P.M., LOUISIANA FISH FRY STAGE

DJ Poppa is a mainstay of the New Orleans club scene and is best known for his R&B and bounce remixes and curated events. He’s collaborated with DJs like Mannie Fresh for the popular Luv & Heartbreak R&B parties, where he has backed major hiphop and R&B guests, including Boosie Badazz, Mariah the Scientist and Keith Sweat. — MADDIE SPINNER

HaSizzle

with TBC Brass Band

5-6:20 P.M., ABITA BEER STAGE

FOR YEARS, New Orleans bounce artist HaSizzle wanted to do an album where bounce and brass collided, he says. Last year, he finally fulfilled that dream with “Brass & Ass.”

Bounce music is normally built between a DJ using samples and a vocalist rapping and providing the call-and-response chants. And for 20 years, HaSizzle has largely worked with producers for his energetic songs like “Getcha Sum,” “Biggidy Bounce It” and “Rode That Dick Like a Soldier.”

But “being a band head,” HaSizzle, who marched in school bands and plays drums, says he was searching for the opportunity to bring in live instrumentation behind his vocals and fast scatting. And he would occasionally jump on stage with musicians like trumpeters Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield to add vocals to impromptu jams.

“Me being a drummer and my urban scat, I’d just be listening, and if I feel like I can ride what’s going on, I’d jump in,” HaSizzle says.

Things clicked, though, when he started working with To Be Continued Brass Band. The bounce artist first joined the brass band on stage in 2023 for a set at Satchmo SummerFest, and since then, TBC has backed HaSizzle several times and played on last year’s guest-filled bounce-meets-brass record “Brass & Ass.”

The collaboration continues at this year’s French Quarter Fest, where HaSizzle performs with TBC at 5 p.m. Sunday on the Abita Beer Stage. They also have upcoming shows April 13, May 11 and May 15 at Chickie Wah Wah. Since the ’90s, many New Orleans brass bands, like the Soul Rebels, have incorporated hip-hop into their music. But there hasn’t been as much crossover with bounce, with its quick tempo and repetitious use of samples like the “Triggerman” beat.

“When it comes to music in the city of New Orleans, though, I think that our sounds are so unique that brass and bounce can go together,” HaSizzle says.

But it does require some adjustments, especially to the music’s speed, as bounce is a sound built for twerking and late nights spent dancing.

“Everyone is so used to the high, fast tempo of my music, and now, it’s like you can dance to it but more second-line dancing,” HaSizzle says.

HaSizzle says he originally wondered if his audience would accept the fusion of the two distinct sounds. But, he says, the album actually ended up widening his audience.

“I’m hearing from so many different people saying they love the album,” he says.

Produced by TBC’s Edward “Ju9cy” Jackson and engineered by DJ Raj Smoove, “Brass & Ass” includes re-workings of some of HaSizzle’s recognizable songs, like the favorites “Getcha Sum” with Jelly Joseph, “All Alone” and “Wanna be Love,” here featuring rapper 3D Na’Tee. And TBC Brass Band’s live instrumentation adds depth and warmth behind HaSizzle and his guests’ vocals.

HaSizzle called in a number of friends for the album. There are features by Mia X, Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield on “The Greatest.” Partners-N-Crime and PoppyH guest on the song “Dance Already.” Pell has a verse on “Somebody Roll the Weed,” Shamarr Allen is featured on “Love On You,” and Alfred Banks and Flagboy Giz contribute to a new Mardi Gras anthem.

“If I want to be global, I have to start at home first. I mashed up hip-hop, a little funk, jazz — it’s a gumbo. I wanted to make a gumbo with ‘Brass & Ass,’ so I have to make sure I picked the right people,” HaSizzle says.

A restless performer, HaSizzle is in his “recording artist era,” he says, and has been working on new music. He plans to release a follow up to “Brass & Ass,” with more jazz and funk, as well as another live album this year and a greatest

compilation.

FRENCH QUARTER FEST 2026

ENDS with a day full of music on all 19 music stages.

Casme

11 A.M.-12 P.M., LOYOLA ESPLANADE IN THE SHADE STAGE

The New Orleans vocalist Casmé totes an extensive resume, with more than 20 years of stage and festival performances as well as film and TV appearances. She’s recorded background vocals for artists including B.o.B, Trina Braxton and Tony! Toni! Toné! and was on Team John Legend on “The Voice” in 2020. Her recent contemporary gospel album, “Going Nowhere,” reflects on life, faith and redemption through uplifting, hopeful arrangements. — MADDIE SPINNER

Miss Sophie Lee

1–2:15 P.M., HANCOCK WHITNEY STAGE

As if running music venues wasn’t enough, Miss Sophie Lee — who owns Three Muses and co-owns d.b.a. — leads her own traditional jazz group. The brass in her band is only matched by the brass in her voice, as she smoothly croons traditional jazz vocals on standards like “Ain’t Misbehaving” and originals. And as if playing once at French Quarter Fest wasn’t enough, she’s also playing with Les Femmes Farouches earlier on Sunday at the Willow Dispensary Stage. — LIAM PIERCE

Gumbeaux Juice

2:10-3:10 P.M., JACK DANIEL’S STAGE

Each year, glbl wrmng co-founder Juan Yusuf organizes the hip-hop showcase Gumbeaux Juice at FQF to put on some of the city’s best underground and emerging emcees. The fifth edition of Gumbeaux Juice will feature G4, Good News Bas, NasGotNext and Kyle Alexander. DJ PJ backs the rappers on the 1s and 2s.

— JAKE CLAPP

Kings of Brass

2:40-4 P.M., LOUISIANA

FISH FRY STAGE

This energetic brass band has collaborated with other big names in

New Orleans music and appeared on the 2025 single “Hey Na (Iko Iko)” with HaSizzle, Robin Barnes and Big Freedia. The group is rooted in the traditions of New Orleans brass music and second-line culture but infuses its performances, whether on the streets or on stage, with jazz, funk, hip-hop, R&B and a dash of rock ‘n’ roll.

— SARAH RAVITS

Helen Gillet: ReBelle Musique

3:10-4:10 P.M., LOYOLA

ESPLANADE IN THE SHADE STAGE

Cellist and singer Helen Gillet named her 2023 album “Rebelle” as a play on words and a nod to Belgian artist Julos Beaucarne, who coined the phrase “La poesie n’est pas que belle, elle est re-belle.” There’s a double meaning there: “Poetry is not only beautiful, it is re-beautiful” and “Poetry is not only beautiful, it is rebellious.” Rebelliousness and beauty are reflected in Gillet’s music, as she incorporates the loop pedal for an unconventional, surreal and striking effect. Gillet’s set will be in French and will incorporate her signature cello-driven, looped instrumentals with

elements of funk and1960s-inspired yéyé pop. She’ll be joined by Rex Gregory on flute and reeds, guitarists Alex McMurray and Jonathan Freilich and drummer Doug Garrison.

— SARAH RAVITS

Los Guiros

3:10-4:10 P.M., PAN AMERICAN LIFE INSURANCE GROUP STAGE

Just a few years into their career as a band, Los Guiros have become one of New Orleans’ go-to cumbia collectives, thanks to their psychedelic take on the popular Latin American style. Led by singer Corina Hernandez, the group adds unexpected elements like a sousaphone, electronic beats and synths to their sound, which combines traditional Colombian cumbia with Peruvian chicha, surf rock vibes and more. Expect ’60s grooves, updated cumbia rhythms and plenty of dancing. — JENNIFER ODELL

DJ Odd Spinz

4:05-4:35 P.M., LOUISIANA

FISH FRY STAGE

New Orleans rapper, vocalist and DJ Odd the Artist has always moved to

the beat of her own drum when it comes to music production, weaving strands of soul, hip-hop and rock into her projects. Those skills also give her a seamless transition into the DJ craft. Odd is the DJ and frequent collaborator for rapper La Reezy, and she has her own album, “Mothership,” dropping on April 14. — MADDIE SPINNER

Irma Thomas

5-6:10 P.M., JACK DANIEL’S STAGE

New Orleans’ iconic soul queen Irma Thomas turned 85 in February, but she’s not slowing down. She released an album with Galactic last year and in 2024 performed “Time Is On My Side” with The Rolling Stones at Jazz Fest. Over her career, Thomas has received a number of honors, including a Grammy, an induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and an Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance — cementing herself as a living legend.

— KAYLEE POCHE

throughout the city, and he also has a residency at Tell Me Bar on Mondays.

— MADDIE SPINNER

Astral Project

5:50-7 P.M., LOYOLA ESPLANADE IN THE SHADE STAGE

Saxophonist Tony Dagradi started Astral Project in 1978, and for most of the band’s life, it has featured New Orleans luminaries James Singleton (bass), Steve Masakowski (guitar) and Johnny Vidacovich (drums). The quartet has been at the forefront of New Orleans’ modern jazz scene for more than 40 years, and their piping hot improvisation keeps them on the cutting edge. — LIAM PIERCE

New Breed Brass Band

6:40-8 P.M., LOUISIANA

FISH FRY STAGE

Antwigadee!

5:50-6:35 P.M., LOUISIANA FISH FRY STAGE

New Orleans-born DJ and producer Antwigadee! grew up in the church as the son of a preacher, and that influence helped shape how he curates his own sounds and spaces. Influenced by his immediate surroundings, he often mixes gospel, soul, R&B, hiphop and New Orleans bounce to offer a near spiritual release on the dance floor. Antwigadee! regularly performs

New Breed Brass Band released “Second Line Sunday,” their album in collaboration with Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. On it, the band pays homage to their city and the traditions the members were born into, while also looking to the future and, true to their name, bringing something new. “Second Line Sunday” was nominated for a Grammy, and their live performances show why: New Breed manages the highwire act of playing loose like a street show, but with the professional tightness the big stage demands.

FOLLOW

FRENCH QUARTER FEST GOERS

CAN FIND ALL KINDS OF MUSIC

THE SOUNDS Beachin’ is Easy Boo!

across the festival’s four days, from funk, jazz and rock to zydeco and bounce. With more than 300 performances, there can be some decision overload, and you may spend more time pondering the schedule than dancing at a stage.

Some stages at the festival are dedicated to a style, like brass bands and DJs on the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage or Cajun music and zydeco on the Willow Dispensary Stage. And you can be sure to catch legends and big acts on the Abita Beer and Jack Daniel’s stages.

To make planning a little easier, Gambit has pulled together a few lineups to help festivalgoers looking for certain kinds of music. The categories below will help you get a taste of some of the living legends, Americana musicians, Latin artists and more playing this year’s fest.

LIVING LEGENDS

Many of the icons who have helped shape the sound of New Orleans and Louisiana over the years can still be seen today. Catch them any chance you can.

• Bobby Rush (6:50-8 p.m. Thursday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• The Dixie Cups (2:10-3:10 p.m. Friday, Abita Beer Stage)

• Lawrence Cotton Legendary Experience (2:20-3:30 p.m. Friday, Neworleans.com Stage)

• Dirty Dozen Brass Band (6:508 p.m. Friday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles (2:10-3:10 p.m. Saturday, Abita Beer Stage)

• George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners (5-6:20 p.m. Saturday, Abita Beer Stage)

• Irma Thomas (5-6:10 p.m. Sunday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• Cyril Neville (6:50-8 p.m. Sunday, Abita Beer Stage)

LATIN RHYTHMS

New Orleans has an exceptional, busy community of bands playing Latin genres, from samba and cumbia to Afro-Cuban jazz and timba. Many of the groups also roll pop, rock and local style into the mix.

• Muévelo (3:10-4:10 p.m. Thursday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Amigos do Samba (3:10-4:10 p.m. Friday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Bill Summers & Jazalsa (6:107:30 p.m. Friday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Ovi-G (12:30-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage)

• Vivaz (1:50-2:50 p.m. Saturday, PanAmerican Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Victor Campbell & Timba Swamp (3:35-4:35 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage)

• Fermin Ceballos & Merengue4Four (6:10-7:30 p.m. Saturday, PanAmerican Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Papo y Son Mandao (1:50-2:50 p.m. Sunday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Cristina Kaminis (4:05-5 p.m. Sunday, Entergy Songwriter Stage)

AMERICANA

This year’s lineup includes a number of great singer-songwriters working in folk, country, blues and other genres that fall under the Americana umbrella.

• Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue (11 a.m.-12:10 p.m. Thursday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Lilli Lewis Project (5:30-6:45 p.m., Thursday, Neworleans.com Stage)

• Kelly Love Jones (1:30-2:25 p.m. Friday, Entergy Songwriter Stage)

• Dusky Waters (1:50-2:50 p.m. Friday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Lynn Drury (12:30-1:30 p.m. Saturday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Joy Clark (12:35-1:45 p.m. Saturday, Loyola Esplanade in the Shade Stage)

• Ever More Nest (3:10-4:10 p.m. Saturday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

• Mia Borders (3:50-5:10 p.m. Saturday, Loyola Esplanade in the Shade Stage)

• Kristin Diable (1:55-2:50 p.m. Sunday, Loyola Esplanade in the Shade Stage)

UNIQUE POP & ROCK

While some of these South Louisiana bands and musicians may lean more toward blues, electro-pop, soul, rock or an undefinable genre, they are all crafting singular sounds.

• Bon Bon Vivant (12:50-1:50 p.m. Thursday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• Julian Primeaux (7:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, House of Blues Voodoo Garden)

• Lisbon Girls (12:15-1:10 p.m. Friday, Entergy Songwriter Stage)

• Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars (3:104:10 p.m. Friday, Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage)

• People Museum (3:30-4:40 p.m. Friday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• PJ Morton (6:40-8 p.m. Friday, Abita Beer Stage)

• Dawn Richard (3:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Abita Beer Stage)

• Eric Johanson (5:15-7:15 p.m. Saturday, House of Blues Voodoo Garden)

• Sweet Crude (6:30-8 p.m. Saturday, Willow Dispensary Stage)

• Los Guiros (3:10-4:10 p.m. Sunday, Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage)

HIP-HOP

& BOUNCE

Hip-hop and bounce are cornerstones in New Orleans music. Catch these artists around this year’s festival. There’s also a lineup of hip-hop and bounce DJs on the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage.

• DJ Raj Smoove (7-8 p.m. Thursday, Louisiana Fish Fry Stage)

• PellowTalk & Alfred Banks (3:104:10 p.m. Friday, Loyola Esplanade in the Shade Stage)

• Deezle (4:30-5:45 p.m. Friday, Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage)

• Ryan Batiste and Raw Revolution (12:50-1:50 p.m. Saturday, Abita Beer Stage)

• Tay, Heavensworld, Ja Fierce and Azure Skye (2:10-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Loyola Esplanade in the Shade Stage)

• Flagboy Giz & The Wild Tchoupitoulas (4:55-5:55 p.m. Saturday, Tropical Isle Hand Grenade Stage)

• Big Freedia (6:50-8 p.m. Saturday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• Gumbeaux Juice (2:10-3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

• HaSizzle with TBC Brass Band (5-6:20 p.m. Sunday, Abita Beer Stage)

WILD, CLOWN-THEMED BANDS

• LSD Clownsystem (5-6:20 p.m. Friday, Jack Daniel’s Stage)

— JAKE CLAPP

FRENCH QUARTER FEAST

Dining at the fest and beyond

IN ADDITION TO ALL THE MUSIC AROUND THE FRENCH QUARTER AND RIVERFRONT, French Quarter Festival has plenty of food and drink vendors clustered around the bigger stages. Between that and restaurants and pop-ups in the area, there’s plenty to feast upon. Here are some of the options at the fest as well as beyond the French Quarter.

The festival has more than 75 different food vendors as well as some bar booths from Pat O’Brien’s and New Orleans Original Daiquiris. Some of the food booths also are satellite locations for French Quarter restaurants, like booths from Tujague’s in Jackson Square and Red Fish Grill in the Jax Brewery lot. Some of the vendors are longtime favorites from Jazz Fest. There are a couple of WWOZ Mango Freeze stands. Patton’s Caterers serves its crawfish sack, oyster patties and shrimp beignets in Jackson Square. Loretta’s Authentic Pralines offers pralines and crabmeat beignets in Woldenberg Park. The Gentilly Jamaican restaurant Afrodisiac NOLA will be featured at Jazz Fest’s Culture Exchange Pavilion, and it’s also a returning French Quarter Fest vendor, with a completely different fest menu including jerk boudin balls and jerk catfish and grits.

Local pop-ups at the fest include Nori Guys serving seaweed-shell tacos (Jackson Square). Theaudric’s Real Clever Cuisine serves its fried Brussels sprouts and smoked redfish cake po-boys (Jax Brewery lot). The NOLA Chuck Wagon has red beans and rice, fried green tomatoes and more at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. The Riverbend restaurant Ajun Cajun closed its brick-and-mortar space last year and now does festivals, and it’s got soft-shell crabs and signature yakiniku (garlicky beef) po-boys at the Gov. Nicholls Street Wharf food area.

Ms. Linda the Yakamein Lady will serve beef yakamein, pork chop sandwiches and more in the Jax Brewery parking lot.

Restaurants from around the area are manning booths as well. From the West Bank, there’s Vietnamese and Chinese dishes from 9 Roses (Jackson Square),

and Chicken’s Kitchen offers vegetarian and nonvegetarian bowls at the Gov. Nicholls Wharf. Fans of Jacques Imo’s Cafe’s alligator cheesecake and Crabby Jack’s duck po-boy can find them in Jackson Square. Willie Mae’s also will be there with chicken wings and a variety of sauces.

Vaucresson’s Creole Cafe & Deli serves Creole dishes for lunch at its 7th Ward home, and the namesake sausage company offers its hot sausage, crawfish sausage and jerk chicken sausage in po-boys in Jackson Square.

Besides fest vendors, there’s the resident Shift pop-up at Brieux Carre Brewing Co. (2115 Decatur St.) in Marigny. Chefs Bret and Becky Macris serve a changing mix of dishes, including handpies with different fillings, vegetarian sandwiches, burger specials and the occasional fine dining flourish. During the festival, it’ll have some portable items, likely including a barbecue pork po-boy, and more specials.

For those pre-gaming before the fest in the morning, Ayu Bakehouse (801 Frenchmen St.) in the Marigny has pastries, cookies and croissants, including the Boudin Boy filled with pork boudin and eggs, and the Crawssant with crawfish tails and mozzarella.

Just beyond the fest, there’s a couple of new options on Royal Street where Silk Road used to be (2483 Royal St.). Now the space has the hummus, shawarma and Mediterranean food of Habibi Lebanese Grill and Wine Bar. And it’s also home to Royal’s Woodfire Pizza, which serves pies, calzones and strombolis.

For those looking to dine late when leaving the French Quarter, Taquerias Carnalito (930 Poydras St.) takes its inspiration from Mexico City, and it’s open until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (and 11 p.m. other days). Sirloin and al pastor pork are sliced off trompo spits for tacos and quesadillas, and other options include birria and chicken.

For more information about festival food vendors and menus, go to frenchquarterfest.org/food.

WILL COVIELLO

AFTER HOURS

EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE SHOWS AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES’ VOODOO GARDEN STAGE, French Quarter Fest wraps up by 8 p.m. each day. But that doesn’t mean you need to call it a night. Far from it: There are plenty of reasons to stick around the Quarter and keep the party going.

The festival launched an official After-Hours series a few years ago, and it is back this year with a couple of popular New Orleans acts, including a show by rocker and Revivalists frontman David Shaw over at the House of Blues at 9 p.m. Thursday. On Friday night, the brass-infused funk rock band Big Sam’s Funky Nation takes over the Good Measure club, an intimate space inside the Barnett Hotel in the Central Business District.

There’s no shortage of unofficial after-parties either, given that the French Quarter and nearby Frenchmen Street are teeming with bars and music venues. As always, there are lots of options for dancing and bar hopping until the early hours of the morning.

If you’re in need of a quick pick-me-up in the Quarter, pop into Molly’s at the Market on Decatur Street and grab a frozen Irish coffee — unless of course, a purple drank from Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop on lower Bourbon is more your speed.

After that, choose your own musical adventure.

Fritzel’s European Jazz Pub has nightly live jazz, and although it’s technically on Bourbon Street, it has a totally different feel than the neighboring bars blasting out ’80s bangers. The historic Preservation Hall offers multiple shows nightly, featuring a rotating cast of local legends, but act quickly and book in advance, as tickets tend to sell out. There’s also the cozy Mahogany Jazz Hall on Chartres Street, which hosts a lineup of jazz greats and burlesque acts. After that, it’s best practice to wander over to the cashonly Chart Room, which is a great, divey spot to grab one last drink before you call a rideshare.

For some late-night grub, grab a po-boy from Killer Po-Boys inside the Erin Rose bar — the kitchen is open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, or split a pizza and grab a nightcap at Cosimo’s

The Will & The Way also offers a late-night menu with snacks, small plates and entrees.

Over on Frenchmen Street, there’s tons of live music, and you’re likely to run into some street musicians or even witness a battle of the bands style showdown, if you’re lucky.

For those craving a high-energy brass set, the Soul Rebels play at d.b.a. on Friday at 10 p.m., and on Saturday, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers hit the stage at 10 p.m. Sunday’s lineup includes The Jump Hounds at 9:30 p.m. Across the street, The Spotted Cat hosts saxophonist and singer James Martin — a longtime bandmate of Trombone Shorty — at 10 p.m. Friday, and the genre-bending Dr. Sick and the Late Greats play a blend of jazz, punk and swing music at 10 p.m. Saturday. Versatile bassist Pat Casey plays his regular set at 9 p.m. Sunday.

That’s just a sampling — there are many other spots that also offer live music and DJ sets, along with late night snacks, cocktails and mocktails. And part of the fun of wandering around after festival hours is just being spontaneous and checking out whatever sounds or looks good. — SARAH RAVITS

APRI L2 3- MAY3

WORK IN PROGRESS

Navigating the construction maze at French Quarter Fest

WITH

SO MANY

CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

UNDERWAY IN THE LAST YEAR, going to the French Quarter has often been more like navigating an obstacle course. At times, it has felt like the entire Quarter should have a giant “work in progress” sign on it.

Most noticeable has been the construction fences along main throughways as the Sewerage & Water Board digs up streets to replace old pipes. But there’s also a new park along the Mississippi River and upgrades in the works at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

As thousands flock to the area for French Quarter Fest April 16-19, here’s what to know about the ongoing construction.

First, the big question: Will those construction fences still be up?

Recent S&WB construction has resulted in huge parts of the Quarter being closed to vehicles, and pedestrians have had to navigate mazes of metal fences and privacy screens, sometimes having to go walk another block or so to cross the street.

At the end of March, S&WB took down a big part of the fence at Chartres and St. Peter streets, opening the area up more for pedestrians while still leaving it closed to vehicles.

The street closure at Chartres and Toulouse will temporarily reopen during the festival, but there’s no parking on the 600 block of St. Peter.

As of March 25, 90% of work was done at the 1000 block of Decatur, S&WB told the festival. The 1100 block was set to be open after a three-to-four-day concrete pour, with sidewalk work resuming after the fest.

Construction on the 900 block of Decatur, the last block in the project, will begin after the fest.

Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park

Audubon Institute has been working on upgrades to the Riverfront areas along the Mississippi, and a new section of the park will be open just in time for French Quarter Fest.

The new green space is now open where the Gov. Nicholls Street Wharf warehouse was located, near the French Market and New Orleans Jazz Museum. There’s a marsh-themed playground with turtle and alligator structures, swinging benches, misting rings and hooks for hanging hammocks.

During the festival, the park will host the Jack Daniel’s Stage and the Pan-American Life Stage, as well as a 360-degree photo booth and airstream also sponsored by Jack Daniel’s.

The park is part of the plan to have easy access along the river from Spanish Plaza (by Audubon Aquarium) all the way to Crescent Park in Bywater.

In the next phase of the project, Audubon will tear down the warehouse at the Esplanade Wharf.

Jazz Museum

The Jazz Museum is undergoing a major expansion that will include an outdoor stage, museum store, cafe, sculpture garden, interactive exhibitions and an education wing with a performance space, recording studio and digital audio lab.

Because of that project, the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage has been moved to in front of the aquarium. Its lineup has been extended to four days and includes DJs and brass bands.

The museum will still host the Loyola University Esplanade in the Shade Stage at its outdoor space facing Esplanade and the Entergy Songwriter Stage inside on the third floor.

The section of Esplanade in front of the Jazz Museum will be closed Friday through Sunday.— KAYLEE POCHE

Getting to

THE FEST

French Quarter Fest draws a massive crowd each year, so it’s safe to say you’re not going to want to be driving around the crowded Quarter looking for a place to park.

Public transit is a good alternative. Both the No. 47 and 48 streetcars run down Canal Street to the Quarter, and the No. 12 streetcar runs from Carrollton Avenue along St. Charles Avenue to Canal.

For those coming from other parts of the city, almost all bus routes stop at or near the Main Library on Loyola Avenue, and from there, it’s a short walk to the Quarter. Regional Transit Authority will have additional buses.

For more information and real-time updates, check norta.com and the Le Pass app.

Depending where you are in Mid-City, Bayou St. John, the Lower Garden District, Bywater or CBD, a Blue Bike also could be an option. It’s $1 to unlock a bike and then $0.35 each minute during your ride. Download the Blue Bikes Nola app to see if there are bike hubs near you.

If you must drive, park in the neighborhoods surrounding the Quarter and wear your walking shoes.

Expect heightened parking enforcement during special events, so remember not to park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, 3 feet of a driveway or 20 feet of an intersection, crosswalk or stop sign. Beware of two-hour street parking signs (parking enforcement can tell by chalking your tires).

It’s also a smart idea to make sure your housekeeping is in order: If you have outstanding tickets, you could get booted. And check to make sure your vehicle registration sticker and brake tags are up to date, just in case.

EAT + DRINK

Basque country

Dolfy’s dips into Spanish cuisine by Beth D’Addono |

WHEN

ADOLFO GARCIA JR. AND HIS WIFE AND BUSINESS PARTNER

SOPHIA PETROU GARCIA MOVED BACK HOME after a decade working in restaurants in New York and elsewhere, they had one primary goal.

“My dad’s restaurant RioMar made a huge impression on me,” Garcia says. “We wanted to open a wood-fired Spanish restaurant here in New Orleans.”

Instead, two years ago, they opened Chi Chi’s Chicken & Beer at 4147 Freret St., a move that defied expectations.“I had so many people say, ‘We love Korean barbecue,’ but that wasn’t the plan,” Garcia says. “We’re doing Korean double-fried chicken.”

Their new restaurant on Freret Street, Dolfy’s, also is defying expectations.

“We heard, ‘Can’t wait to have your paella,’ but that’s a dish from the south of Spain,” he says.

Dolfy’s is inspired by the Basque table, from the region of northern Spain near France, an area with plenty of Michelin-starred restaurants. A wood-fired oven is essential to the cuisine, along with a grill. And pintxos, skewered bites served in bars, also are popular there.

“We want to expand the city’s palate and flavor horizons,” he says. “Ten years ago, our Japanese restaurant scene was California-style sushi. Now we have a restaurant like Sukeban. Izakaya and omakase menus are part of the scene now. This is another iteration of that. There’s more to Spanish cuisine than paella.”

At Dolfy’s, look for patatas bravas, silky braised oxtail croquetas and matrimonio — a marriage of two kinds of anchovies, pickled boquerones and salt cured fish. Gildas, a type of pinxto, include anchovies skewered with pickled peppers and olives.

There’s also an outstanding cold dish of Maine Bangs Island mussels accented with smoked paprika, and button mushrooms are wood-fired with garlic and chorizo, transforming each bite into the essence of mushroom soup.

The bread is a labor of love. The chef has tended to a sourdough starter from Ancora for the past nine months, baking loaves of crusty bread to get the formula perfect.

The Basque region emphasizes local seafood, from tuna and shellfish to anchovies and squid.

At Dolfy’s, the seafood is mostly sourced from the Gulf, with a few exceptions, like octopus. Local shrimp and crawfish flavor an arroz meloso, a saffron-scented rice dish that’s like a loose risotto.

“It’s a very labor-intensive menu,” the chef says. “There’s so much attention to detail.”

The menu also includes a half chicken served with white bean and chorizo stew, as well as a dry-aged, bone-in Black angus rib-eye, which is offered at $4.25 an ounce. Grilled Iberico pork is marbled with acorn flavored fat and served with a foie gras demi-glace and potato puree.

Fans of RioMar should tuck into the garlicky shrimp al ajillo, a recipe from the old restaurant’s repertoire.

Both Garcia his wife were born and raised in the local restaurant business. Her family owns Russell’s Marina Grill at the Lakefront. In New York, she worked in the front of the house for her mentor Ariel Arcee at Niche Niche wine bar and Roscioli, the Italian concept Arcee imported from Rome. The couple traveled through Basque country twice in the past year, once with chef Adolfo Garcia Sr. “It’s my favorite Spanish cuisine, something my dad exposed me to as a kid,” says the younger chef. The couple took over the former Ancora restaurant space at 4508 Freret St. and officially opened on March 21.

The modern restaurant is anchored by the wood-burning oven and is done in muted earth tones. There are 57 seats in the dining room, 18 in the lounge area and more in a private dining area.

The cocktail and wine program is Spanish leaning and includes Spanish sherry.

Petrou Garcia handles front of the house, while Garcia runs the kitchen. “I think it helped us a lot to get used to running a smaller restaurant first, before we opened Dolfy’s,” she says. “Our families and friends have been super supportive.”

Of course, chef Alfredo Garcia Sr. has been along for the ride, freely offering his opinions for both the front and back of the house. Having a respected chef as a father and mentor isn’t always easy, Garcia says.

“When I first started cooking for my father when I was 17, I didn’t think my dad knew anything,” he says with a smile. “I had to leave New Orleans and work in other kitchens to see just how smart he really is.”

Beard fnalists

WHEN THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION ANNOUNCED THE SEMIFINALISTS FOR ITS 2026 AWARDS, New Orleans, Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region had a long roster of contenders, including well-known names, rising talent, bakers and pros in the wine world. Now four continue to the next round as finalists, all from New Orleans, including two up for national honors and two for regional awards. Here are the local finalists.

Outstanding Restaurateur

Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski, Link Restaurant Group (which includes Peche Seafood Grill, Herbsaint, Cochon, Gianna, Cochon Butcher, La Boulangerie and Chemin a La Mer with the Four Seasons Hotel). These two chefs started working together at Link’s first restaurant, Herbsaint, and started a partnership with the next, Cochon. As a restaurant group, they have six James Beard awards for restaurants, chefs and Link’s cookbooks and numerous nominations through the years.

Emerging Chef

E.J. Lagasse, Emeril’s Restaurant, 800 Tchoupitoulas St. The son of restaurant founder Emeril Lagasse is now chef at the flagship, which has been transformed into a world-class tasting menu experience built around Louisiana flavor. Last year, it made an extraordinary two-star debut in the Michelin Guide.

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Best Chef: South

This regional award covers Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Puerto Rico.

Ana Castro, Acamaya, 3070 Dauphine St. With her sister, Lydia Castro, the chef opened this modern and stylish Mexican seafood restaurant in the Bywater, which has gained many accolades. Castro has been a semifinalist or finalist for numerous James Beard awards for her prior work at other restaurants and for Acamaya. The Castro sisters are now developing a second restaurant, Casamiro (800 Louisa St.), which will be a casual breakfast and lunch spot in Bywater.

Serigne Mbaye, Dakar NOL A, 3814 Magazine St. The chef started with a pop-up and in 2022 with partner Effie Richardson opened a modern Senegalese tasting menu restaurant. It’s been a magnet for high-profile accolades since. The James Beard Foundation named it Best New Restaurant in 2024, and last year it landed at No. 6 on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants List.

The list of finalists was released on March 31. Chef and restaurant awards winners will be named during a gala event in Chicago on June 15.

New Orleans typically has many contenders but has won fewer awards in recent years. This year’s slate of four finalists is a return to past form for the city’s showing in the awards finalists.

In 2025, more than a dozen local names were included on the long list of semifinalists, but just one made the cut to finalist, Lagniappe Bake House, the new bakery cafe in Central City from Kaitlin Guerin, and none won chef or restaurant awards.

Also last year, Dooky Chase’s Restaurant was named one of the group’s America’s Classics, an honor recognizing restaurants that are notable contributors to their community’s food, culture and traditions.

— Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Alfred Singleton dies

A NEW ORLEANS CHEF WHO BROUGHT A PROMINENT FRENCH QUARTER RESTAURANT back to its former glory and inspired many along the way has died.

Alfred Singleton, executive chef and co-owner of Cafe Sbisa, died March 27 from a health-related issue at Ochsner Medical Center in Gretna, his business partner Craig Napoli confirmed. Singleton was 46. “His passion, creativity, and dedication shaped not only our menu, but our identity,” a message on the restaurant’s social media

FORK & CENTER

accounts reads. “He built more than a kitchen — he built a family.”

Cafe Sbisa, at 1011 Decatur St., will remain open, Napoli says.

The restaurant is in a historic French Quarter building dating to 1820 that has been a restaurant in one form or another since 1899.

Singleton started working at Cafe Sbisa as a prep cook in 2000, when Napoli and his family ran it. He swiftly rose to become chef before Hurricane Katrina shut it down in 2005. In the years after Katrina, the restaurant was mired in on-again-off-again limbo with a succession of different operators.

In the meantime, Singleton went on to become executive chef at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse.

Then, in 2016, he brought a business proposal to reopen Cafe Sbisa to his former boss, Napoli. Today, Napoli sais it was the prospect of working with Singleton again that convinced him to get back into the business.

“He had that love of food, and he had the personality that brought out the best in people,” Napoli says. “He had great respect from everyone who worked with him, everyone who met him. He was more than a chef.”

The partnership made Cafe Sbisa one of the few Black-owned restaurants in the tourist hub of the French Quarter, and one of only a handful of upscale restaurants in the city with a Black chef at the helm as co-owner. It was a distinction Singleton viewed as a mandate to lead by example, and he embraced his role as mentor to up-and-coming chefs.

“To be from the city, to be an African-American chef in this position, to know what I came up through, I’m still baffled sometimes that I’m here,” he said in a 2021 interview. “But I’m in this position for a reason. It’s the people I surrounded myself with, the people I develop relationships with.”

Singleton’s role at Cafe Sbisa came after a lifetime in the business.

A native of the Lower 9th Ward, his family once ran a plate lunch and po-boy joint called Ross Restaurant on Johnson Street. His first restaurant experience was there, peeling shrimp for po-boys and helping around the kitchen after school.

“Food is who we are,” Singleton said in a 2021 interview. “We celebrate food in this city. Food is family, food is us and there’s just so much in Creole food to celebrate.”

— Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

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Jada Jordan

Chef by Will Coviello

JADA JORDAN COMES FROM A LONG LINE OF COOKS, AND WHEN SHE LAUNCHED HER LILLIE’S CAJUN KITCHEN FOOD TRUCK, she named it for her great-grandmother. While she maintains a career in health care, she brings the truck to festivals and does catering events. She’ll be one of the vendors at French Quarter Fest, offering a mix of traditional New Orleans and original dishes near the New Orleans Jazz Museum. For more information, visit frenchquarterfest.org or lilliescajunkitchen.com.

How did you get interested in cooking?

JADA JORDAN: I come from a long line of cooks and some (registered nurses) as well. I work in health care, but I have always had a passion for cooking. A majority of my recipes were passed down from my great-grandmother. I have revamped them and made them my own. Lillie is my great-grandmother. She passed away when I was 2 years old. That was my mother’s grandmother. A lot of recipes were passed down from her. My great-grandmother was the person to go to to make your wedding gown from scratch. She was also the person to go to who would cater your wedding. My grandmother picked up that tradition, and my mother passed it on to me. I thought naming the business for her was only fitting and would keep the tradition alive. My mother is one of those people who can get in the kitchen and turn nothing into something. She doesn’t need a recipe. Playing around during Covid and testing things out (with her) is how I got to where I am today.

How did you launch your food truck?

J: I graduated from Dillard University in 2019. When Covid happened and everything shut down, I was stuck in the house, and I got to playing around with recipes. It got me back to my passion for cooking.

When Covid ended and people could be around each other again, I started looking at catering and festivals. I told my mom, “I think I am going to open up a food truck.” She asked if I could handle that while I was in school (for my master’s), and I thought so. The timing worked with me having time to work on my recipes and getting my food truck.

I used to do supper plates. I’d do traditional New Orleans things like red beans and rice or fried fish with potato salad. I started out cooking at home, but then I moved to a commissary. I did plates for the airport and transportation department. We’d do seafood potatoes, which they loved. We make our seafood sauce from scratch. We don’t use that nacho cheese sauce. We put in shrimp, crawfish and crabmeat. Then we top it with green onions and parsley.

I started doing plates and got feedback. Then I used the money I got from that and jumped in and bought the truck. I didn’t want to jump into a truck until I knew I could do it. When I first launched my truck, I told my mom that I had to have an item that would make the truck stand out. In New Orleans, certain things, like etouffee or gumbo, are traditional, so anybody might have that. So I came up with this cheese sauce. It goes on our seafood nachos and our seafood fries and our seafood potatoes. It also can go on pasta. We still do the seafood fries and nachos, but the potatoes are on request because they’re heavier and when you go to a festival, people like to try a lot of things, so that’s a special request.

We also did smoked Cajun sausage dogs. We do yakamein and gumbo,

too. It depends on what works for your customers. We also have funnel cakes. So my truck is New Orleans cuisine, but there is carnival food as well. I’ve been blessed to still be doing this. I won an award in 2024. There was a Credit Union Fest and the On Path Foundation had a first, second and third prize for food trucks. I won first place with my jambalaya. I won a grant for $7,500. I have been doing festivals and catering events. Annually, we do Drew Brees’ pickleball fest in the Convention Center. We have done festivals like NOLA Funk Fest and Slidell’s Food Truck Festival at the Harbor Center. We did private catering events for the Super Bowl. We just came off of Mardi Gras. During Mardi Gras, we were on the parade route up from Harmony Circle, and we also did Shorty Gras and Family Gras in Metairie. I do festivals yearround. We’re booked every week until July. Right now, we’re at Wednesday at the Square. We’re doing Zoo-To-Do For Kids after French Quarter Fest. We purchased our second truck, and we’re building it from scratch. It should be up and running before the end of the year.

What will you serve at French Quarter Fest?

J: We’ll have seafood etouffee. That’ll be served with a piece of fish. We have our own spin on street corn. We also added strawberry shortcake beignets. They’re topped with fresh strawberries, strawberry syrup, powdered sugar and whipped cream. We are doing boudin egg rolls. We also sell seafood egg rolls, but I wanted to try something different that New Orleans also is known for and would be good for hand-held food. We tried boudin egg rolls at the Beignet Festival in November, and that got a good response. We use pork boudin and stuff it with pepper jack cheese and bell pepper and onion. It comes with remoulade sauce.

Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106.

3rd Block Depot — 316 Chartres St., (504) 552-4095; 3rdblockdepot.com — The menu ranges from seafood gumbo and Gulf shrimp ceviche to smashburgers and steaks. Brunch brings shrimp and grits and more. Reservations available. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream. com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant.com — Gulf Drum Yvonne is served with brown butter sauce with mushrooms and artichoke hearts. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, steaks, lamb chops and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Audubon Clubhouse — 6500 Magazine St., (504) 558-1200; audubonclubhouse. com — The menu by Dickie Brennan and Co. includes crabmeat cheesecake, shrimp remoulade, fried oysters, burgers, sandwiches and more. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom. com — There are traditional Thai dishes like pad thai, green curry, pineapple fried rice, drunken noodles and coconut shrimp as well as original creations. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Boil & Barrel — 900 Harrison Ave., (504) 332-2645; boilandbarrel.com — The menu includes dishes like barbecue shrimp, charbroiled oysters, boiled crawfish, seafood platters and roast beef po-boys. The bar offers a long list of bourbons and whiskies. Outdoor seating available. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$$

Budsi’s Authentic Thai — 1760 N. Rampart St., (504) 381-4636; budsisthai.com — Chef Budsaba Mason prepares dishes from her native Issan region of Thailand and other popular Thai dishes like papaya salad, grilled pork shoulder, larb, khao soi, pad thai and red curry. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop — 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-2022; gumbostop. com — The Gumbo Stop has several gumbo varieties including chicken and sausage gumbo and seafood gumbo with shrimp, crab and crawfish. The menu also has boudin balls, Bayou shrimp scampi, crawfish etouffee and fried shrimp po-boys. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$

The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504) 274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$

$ — average dinner entrée under $10

$$ $11-$20

$$$ — $20-up

The Country Club — 634 Louisa St., (504) 945-0742; thecountryclubneworleans.com —

The Bywater restaurant and pool has a menu of crab beignets, truffle mac and cheese, shrimp and grits, burgers and more. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch, brunch and dinner daily. $$$

Delacroix Restaurant — 1 Poydras St., (504) 655-9002; delacroixrestaurant.com — With views overlooking the Mississippi River, the restaurant serves a mix of South Louisiana dishes like duck and andouille gumbo, crawfish bisque, shrimp buns, blackened redfish and crawfish étouffée. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$

Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 5860300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. Redfish “on the half-shell” is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. The bar offers a wide selection of bourbon and whiskies. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$

Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Domenica — 123 Baronne St., (504) 6486020; domenicarestaurant.com — The Italian restaurant offers a mix of wood-fired Napolitano-style pizzas and house-made pastas. Appetizers include various salumi and cheese boards, antipasti, roasted cauliflower and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$

Don’s Seafood — 4801 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-1555; donsseafoodonline.com — The seafood options range from char-broiled oysters to seafood gumbo, fried shrimp and catfish platters and stuffed flounder. The menu also has rib-eye steaks. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Elizabeth’s Restaurant — 601 Gallier St., (504) 944-9272; elizabethsrestaurantnola. com — Elizabeth’s is known for its signature praline bacon, and the menu also includes boudin balls, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and eggs Florentine. Outdoor seating available. Reservations accepted for parties of 10 or more. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban is stuffed with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more.

Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ King Brasserie & Bar — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3000; kingbrasserieandbar.com — The restaurant’s menu is inspired by the cuisine of the Riviera and southern France. There are dishes like steak frites and bouillabaisse as well as blackened Gulf fish and barbecue shrimp and oysters. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharable plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steaks and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops and a la carte toppings include bearnaise, blue cheese and sauteed crabmeat. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luke — 333 St. Charles Ave., (504) 378-2840; lukeneworleans.com — The raw bar offers oysters, boiled shrimp, cured tuna, smoked trout dip and more. The menu has dishes like shrimp and grits, crab omelets, crawfish etouffee and steak frites. Reservations encouraged. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Lyons Corner — 537 Gravier St., (504) 5270006; lyonscornernola.com — The eclectic menu includes Cajun prawns, bang-bang fried oysters, chicken sandwiches, salads and more. In the morning, there are breakfast empanadas. Delivery and takeout available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The menu of Japanese cuisine includes sushi, signature rolls, tempura fried items, udon noodles, teriyaki, salads and more.The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado, snow crab, green onion and wasabi roe. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West, Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and spaghetti bordelaise and chicken cacciatore. Chicken a la grands is sauteed with garlic, rosemary, Italian herbs and white wine. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers a selectoin of cheese boards and appetizers. Creole pasta combines shrimp and andouille

PRESENTS

The

MAY 8 – 10 | M Y 15 – 17

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in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Pascal’s Manale — 1838 Napoleon Ave., (504) 895-4877; pascalsmanale.com — This Creole-Italian spot invented New Orleansstyle barbecue shrimp, and the menu also includes seafood gumbo, crab cakes, oysters and Italian-style pasta dishes. There’s also an oyster bar. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$$

Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. The dinner menu has oysters, salads, pasta, shrimp and grits, a burger, cheese plates and more. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Pizza Domenica — 4933 Magazine St., (504) 301-4978; pizzadomenica.com — Pizza is the focus of this offshoot of the Italian restaurant Domenica. There also are meatballs, roasted cauliflower and house-made pastas. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Restaurant August — 301 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 299-9777; restaurantaugust.com — The fine dining restaurant serves Creole and contemporary dishes featuring foie gras, Gulf fish, duck and more. Reservations recommended. Dinner Sun.-Fri., lunch Fri. $$$ Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, Jefferson, (504) 834-4938; rivershacktavern.com — This tavern along the levee offers a casual menu of roast beef po-boys, burgers, fried shrimp platters, catfish and gumbo. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Shaya — 4213 Magazine St., (504) 891-4213; shayarestaurant.com — The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu includes dishes like hummus, falafel, kebabs, grilled chicken and wood-oven pita bread. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Stingray’s Restaurant & Bar — 1303 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, (504) 443-4040; stingraysseafoodrestaurant.com — Zydeco fish is stuffed with crabmeat dressing and topped with shrimp cream sauce. The menu also includes fried shrimp and oyster platters, grilled redfish, crabmeat jalapeños, and boudin egg rolls. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, little neck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on

the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

Tavi — 330 N. New Hampshire St., (985) 200-2045; tavirestaurant.com — The menu combines dishes from the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. There’s hummus, falafel, kebabs, flatbreads, grilled fish, lamb burgers and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$

Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 733-3803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 302-1133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 234-9420; theospizza. com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $

The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed vegetable sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Vyoone’s — 412 Girod St., (504) 381-4384; vyoone.com — The French-Creole menu includes dishes like escargot, crawfish beignets, crab cakes, shrimp pasta, duck a l’orange and lamb chops. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun. $$$

Willa Jean — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 5097334; willajean.com — The bakery and cafe serves biscuits with honey butter, cookies, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, shrimp and grits and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$

Yinzer’s Amazing Cheesesteaks — 1514 Delachaise St., (412) 860-6801; yinzersamazingcheesesteaks.com —There are classic and original cheesesteaks filled with steak, chicken and more. Diners can opt for toppings like provolone, house-made cheddar whiz, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers and more. Delivery available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Wed.-Sun. $

APRIL 20 [CALL NOW TO RESERVE SPACE] APRIL 27 [RESERVE SPACE BY APRIL 17 ]

jazz

Toadies

The Texas band made a splash in the alt -rock scene with “Possum Kingdom” in the mid-’90s. It since broke up and regrouped and reimagined some of its early work. The band is on tour with the release of its latest album, “The Charmer.” At 8 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at Tipitina’s. Tickets $45.71 at tipitinas.com.

‘Jagged Little Pill — The Musical’

The musical show is inspired by the themes in Alanis Morissette’s album and uses hits like “Ironic,” “You Oughta Know” and “Hand in My Pocket” in the show. In the story, the Healys are a suburban family who look perfect on the outside but confront their own truths and the world around them, including addiction and healing, gender and racial identity issues and more. Jack Lampert directs the show for Jefferson Performing Arts Society. At 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, and 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19, and continuing April 24-26 at Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Tickets $28.75 and up via jpas.org.

New Orleans Poetry Festival

The free festival includes dozens of poets in readings, roundtable discussions, workshops and more at venues across the city on April 16-19. There are numerous sessions on poetry in translation, as well as events exploring experimental work in digital spaces, poetry and incarceration, confessional writing, political poetry and more. A Small Press Book Fair with more than 60 vendors is at the New Orleans Healing Center. Visit nolapoetry.com for information.

Drivin N Cryin

Though bandleader Kevn Kinney is a native of Wisconsin, his Atlantabased group Drivin N Cryin has always blended Southern rock, country rock and Americana. The band’s latest album, “Crushing Flowers” was released April 10. The band performs at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 16, at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets are $32.61 via chickiewahwah.com.

Aurora

Nealand and Inquiry Quintet record release

Saxophonist and vocalist Aurora Nealand pursues a variety of sounds with her bands, from the more traditional jazz of the Royal Roses to the rockabilly and pop of Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers. Her

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Inquiry Quintet blends jazz, experimental music and improvisation, and they’ll celebrate a new project with shows at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, April 17, at Snug Harbor. Tickets $46.95 at snugjazz.com.

Irene Tu

Los Angeles comedian Irene Tu jokes that while she is a woman, she confuses people by bringing a lot of “they/them energy,” and she often cuts against the grain. She appeared on the Netflix series “Introducing” in 2022 and released the album “We’re Done Now.” She performs at 7 and 9 p.m. Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, at Sports Drink. Tickets are $28.92 via sportsdrink.org.

Annabelle Plum

Prague-based vocalist Annabelle Plum has a wide vocal range and pursues experimental music and jazz. She performs with Aurora Nealand, Helen Gillet, James Singleton, Byron Asher and Christopher Trapani at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge. Admission $5-$20. Visit zeitgeistnola.org for information.

FQF Rap Cypher

While dozens of musicians will be doing their thing on stages across the French Quarter on Saturday, April 18, a group of New Orleans rappers will be getting back to hip-hop foundations with a street-corner rap cypher. Organized by the new group Canal St. Cypher, the circle will feature GoodNewsBas, Mac Infinity, Chad Andrew Taylor and more freestyling and performing at the corner of Canal and North Peters streets. DJ Pedro the Juice will provide the music. The cypher runs 2-5 p.m. Saturday, and the flyer says “all rappers welcome.” Find more info on Instagram: @canalstcypher504.

Mia Borders, Burris & Kelly Love Jones

The company Sofar Sounds works with musicians in cities across the world for intimate concerts at venues that usually aren’t revealed until shortly before the show. It’s been a while since Sofar has had a New Orleans event, and singer-songwriter

Mia Borders is hosting the relaunch of the series here, starting with a Thursday, April 16, show featuring Kelly Love Jones and Burris. The music starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $23 via sofarsounds.com.

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MONDAY 13

30/90 — Dapper Dandies, 6 pm; Half Shell Boogie, 9 pm

ALLWAYS LOUNGE Betsy Propane & The Accessories, 7 pm

APPLE BARREL Mark Appleford, 6 pm; Decaturadio, 10:30 pm

BACCHANAL Byron Asher, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S The New Orleans Rug Cutters, 12 pm; Jon Roniger Band & The Good for Nothin’ Band, 4:30 pm; Ted Hefko & The Thousandaires, 9 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — Red Beans & Blues with Dayna Kurtz & Robert Mache, 9 pm

BUFFA’S — David Doucet, 8 pm

CAFE NEGRIL Sugar & The Daddies, 6 pm; Keep It Rolling Brass Band, 9:30 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — HaSizzle + TBC Brass Band, 8 pm

DBA — Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 9:30 pm

DOS JEFES John Fohl, 8:30 pm

GASA GASA Glixen + Trauma Ray with Her New Knife and Knifeplay, 9 pm

THE HOWLIN’ WOLF Marc Ridge & The Revelers and Friends, 8 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR George Porter Jr. Trio, 7 pm; 10 pm

NOLA BREWING & PIZZA CO Bluegrass Pickin' Party, 7 pm

OKAY BAR Western Swing Jam + Red Beans, 6:30 pm; Bride + Nail Club + D.Sablu, 9 pm

POORBOYS — Gumbolaya, 9 pm

SATURN BAR BC Coogan, 8:30 pm

SNUG HARBOR — Charmaine Neville Band, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm

SPOTTED CAT — Jenavieve & The Winding Boys, 2 pm; Dominick Grillo & The Frenchmen Street All-Stars, 6 pm; Aurora Nealand, 9:30 pm

ST. ROCH TAVERN Lily Unless & The If Onlys + We Hate Lindsay, 9 pm

TUESDAY 14

30/90 — Belle & Her Twisted Katz, 6 pm; Niecy B & Kompani, 9 pm

APPLE BARREL Bubbles Brown, 6 pm; Jackson’s Flying Circus ft. Mike Doussan & Chris Roberts, 10:30 pm

ATCHAFALAYA — Charlie & The Tropicales, 5 pm

BACCHANAL — Tangiers Combo, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S — F K-rrera Music Group, 12 pm; Giselle Anguizola Quartet, 4:30 pm; Caitie B. & The Hand Me Downs, 9 pm

BANKS STREET BAR VetJams, 7 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — The Convenience + Spllit, 7 pm

BUFFA’S — Alex McMurray, 7 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL — The-SuperMost-Fantastic-Blues-N-SuchJam, 7 pm

DBA — Sally Baby, 6 pm; Kid Chocolate & The Free POC, 9 pm

DOS JEFES Tom Hook, 8:30 pm

GASA GASA — Pump Action x The Retrograde, 9 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR — Very Good Tuesdays, 8 pm

OKAY BAR — Best Intentions, Leonie Evans, Lucy London, 8 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE — Rebirth Brass Band, 10 pm

ROCK 'N' BOWL — Latin Night with DJ Nayo, 7 pm

SALON SALON — Leo Forde, 7 pm

SATURN BAR — Baile Ritmo Presents: ¡CUMBIA! with Los Guiros and DJ C’est Funk, 9 pm

SIBERIA Zora Lucent w/ Laura Fisher & Theresa Romero plus Solomon Z, 9 pm

SNUG HARBOR — Stanton Moore Trio, 7:30 & 9:30 pm

ST. ROCH TAVERN — Hairaoke: Haircuts & Karaoke, 8 pm

VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE Cuttin’ Up with Lil Prince & The Youngbloods, 10 pm

WEDNESDAY 15

30/90 — Josh Benitez, 6 pm; The Budz, 9 pm

BACCHANAL — Pete Olynciw, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S Jacky Blaire & The Hot Biscuits, 12 pm; Swingin’ with John Saavedra, 4:30 pm; Jelly Roll Stompers, 9 pm

BANKS STREET BAR Gregg Hill, 7 pm

THE BARNETT LOBBY DJ Spin Grifey, 7 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE Louis Michot Seauxleaux + Garret Capps, 9 pm

BLUE NILE — Kota Dosa, 9 pm

BMC Michael Lobue Quartet, 6 pm; Under The Covers, 9 pm

BUFFA’S — Johnny Sansone, 7 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL — Jam-ilton, 6 pm; Lyndsey Smith, 9 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH The Thing, 8 pm

DBA Stephen Walker n’em, 6 pm; The Next Level Band, 9:30 pm

DOS JEFES — Kris Tokarski, 8:30 pm

GASA GASA The Ven Aqui Show ft. Kai De Lua, 8 pm

HOLY DIVER Hispanic Satanic Presents: Filth, Two-Piece, Resistor & Inferious, 9 pm

LAFAYETTE SQUARE — WATS: Corey Henry & The Tremé Funktet + River Eckert, 5 pm

LONGUE VUE HOUSE & GARDENS — Paul Sanchez, 5:30 pm

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MAPLE LEAF BAR — Happy Organ Hour with Joe Ashlar, Stanton Moore & Chris Adkins, 8 pm

MARIGNY BRASSERIE — Legacy Jazz Band, 7 pm

MAYFIELD’S 208 BOURBON — Irvin Mayfeld ft. Kermit Rufns, 6 pm

MRB — Lynn Drury, 7 pm

SATURN BAR Sari Jordan, Ethos of Izba, Avery Island BCE, 9 pm

SIBERIA Bershy w/ Vienna Notarianna, 9 pm

ST. ROCH TAVERN — James McClaskey & The Rythm Band, 9 pm

THURSDAY 16

30/90 Organami, 6 pm; Excitement, 9 pm

APPLE BARREL Bubbles Brown, 6 pm; Johnny Mastro & Blue Midnight, 10:30 pm

BACCHANAL Raphael Bas, 6 pm

BANKS ST. BAR — Bimbo-Oke, Karaoke!, 8 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — Loose Cattle, 9 pm

BLUE NILE Irvin Mayfeld’s Music Church, 9 pm

THE BRASS MONKEY Adam Pearce, 8 pm

CAFE NEGRIL Decaturadio, 4 pm; Paradise Jazz Band, 6 pm; Armani Smith and Soul Ties, 10 pm

CARROLLTON STATION Oh Dang + Community + Brucey, 8 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH Drivin n Cryin, 8 pm

DBA Palmetto Bug Stompers, 6 pm; Vegas Cola Band, 10 pm

DOS JEFES — The Mark Coleman Band, 8:30 pm

GASA GASA — Fiend Tape Release Party with Holeopener, QUILT, & Days of Grief, 9 pm

GOOD MEASURE — Tuba Skinny, 8 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULE — The Soul Rebels, 11 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR Booker & Beyond with Tom Worrell, 6 pm; Jermal Watson, 8 pm

NO DICE — Premo Rice, 9 pm

OKAY BAR Avian TV + Caspian + Jason Shapiro, 9 pm

PEACOCK ROOM, HOTEL FONTENOT

Da Lovebirds with Robin Barnes and Pat Casey , 7 pm

SALON SALON John Maestas, 7 pm

SIBERIA — Hot Damn Scandal + Holy Locust, 9 pm

SO FAR SPEAKEASY — Mia Borders, Burris, and Kelly Love Jones, 7:30 pm

THREE MUSES — Sally Baby, 8 pm

TIPITINA’S — The Bends + Common People, 8 pm

VAUGHAN’S — Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 10:30 pm

FRIDAY 17

30/90 Sciryn, 2 pm; Ed Wills & Blues4Sale, 5 pm; Zena Moses & Rue Fiya Birthday Bash, 8 pm; DJ ET Deaux (Upstairs), 10 pm; Colin Davis & Night People, 11 pm

APPLE BARREL — Bubbles Brown, 6 pm

BACCHANAL David Sigler, 1 pm; Willie Green III, 7 pm

BAMBOULA’S New Orleans Rug Cutters, 11 am; Felipe Antonio Quartet, 2:15 pm; Les Getrex & Creole Cookin’, 6:30 pm; Bettis & The 3rd Degree Brass Band, 10 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — Jefrey Broussard & The Nighttime Syndicate, 9 pm

BLUE NILE The Caesar Brothers’ FunkBox, 7:30 pm; Kermit Rufns & The BBQ Swingers, 10 pm; ChoreBoys, 10 pm

BROADSIDE — Tribe Nunzio and Special Guests, 8 pm

BUFFA’S The Accessories, 8 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL — Blackdog, 2 pm; Jamey St. Pierre & The Honeycreepers, 6 pm; Higher Heights, 10 pm

CARROLLTON STATION Third Fridays with Sweet Magnolia + Dusky Waters + Conor Donohue, 9 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH Beausoleil, 9 pm; Omari Neville & The Fuel, 11:30 pm

DBA — Michael Watson & The Alchemy, 6 pm; The Soul Rebels, 10 pm

DOS JEFES — Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunspots, 9 pm

DOUBLE DEALER BAR Hot Damn Scandal, 7 pm

FOUNDATION ROOM NEW ORLEANS Mia Borders Acoustic Trio, 5:15 pm

GOOD MEASURE French Quarter Fest After Dark ft. Big Sam’s Funky Nation, 9 pm

HOLY DIVER Rik Slave’s DarkLounge Ministries, 8 pm; Filth Abyss with DJs Mange & Scythe, 10 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ Beach Angel, 11 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR Julian Primeaux, 8 pm; Magenta Sunshine, 11 pm

NEW MARIGNY THEATRE — "Fury of Baroque", 7:30 pm

NO DICE — Luke Eargoggle + Cygnus + Leisure Mufn + Interesting Results, 9 pm

OKAY BAR — The Bloomies, 7 pm

ORPHEUM THEATER — Justin Hayward, 8 pm

ROCK 'N' BOWL — The Topcats, 8:30 pm

SANTOS BAR Go Hang + Omenbringer + Totem, 10 pm

SATURN BAR SLAAP Cabaret, 9 pm

SNUG HARBOR — Aurora Nealand & Inquiry Quintet Record Release Party, 7:30 pm; 9:30 pm

STORYVILLE MUSIC HALL Last Night at the Rue Bayou, 7:30 pm

TIPITINA'S Soul Sister Presents Of The Wall: The All Michael Party, 9 pm

SATURDAY 18

30/90 Antonia & The Scum Band, 5 pm; Hotline, 8 pm; The Soulcial Club,11 pm

APPLE BARREL — The Smoky Greenwell Blues Band, 10:30 pm

ARORA Supertask, 10 pm

BACCHANAL — Miles Berry, 1 pm; Matt Booth, 7 pm

BAR REDUX Cafeinated Spider ft. DJ Jumpcut + DJ Johnny Vista, 9 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE Kumasi, 9 pm

BLUE NILE Afrobeat NOLA, 10 pm

BUFFA’S — Manu Gomez Band, 8 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL — The Rumpshakers, 1:30 pm; Bon Bon Vivant, 6 pm; Zena Moses, 10 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH Donna’s Residency ft. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, 8 pm

DBA Tuba Skinny, 6 pm; Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers, 10 pm

THE DOMINO — Dusty Santamaria’s Vinyl Release Party + Little Death + The Bruisey Pete Band, 8 pm

THE FILLMORE The Amity Aficiton + August Burns Red, 6:30 pm

GOOD MEASURE — Brass-aHolics, 7 pm

HOLY DIVER — No Love, The Nancies, Ill Funeral & STGMA, 9 pm

KINGPIN — George Kilby Jr. & The Healers, 5 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ Anna Q & The Unmentionables, 11 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR Jason Ricci & The Bad Kind, 8 pm; Brats, 11 pm

NO DICE — An Evening with Victor Jones, 9 pm

PUBLIC BELT AT HILTON NEW ORLEANS RIVERSIDE Phil Melancon, 5 pm

SANTOS BAR Subdivision with Violent Pixies, 10 pm

SATURN BAR — Chevron Out:

Byron Asher, Flambou, Cest Funk, Sana, 8 pm

ST. ROCH TAVERN B-Sides Soul Club + Soul Fingers (Mexico), Mitch & Bunny, 9 pm

TIPITINA’S — Crowbar x Eyehategod + Suplecs, 8:30 pm

WILD BUSH FARM AND VINEYARD

— Jazz'n the Vines Featuring the Alex McMurray Band, 6:30 pm

SUNDAY 19

30/90 Jef Chaz Blues Band, 3 pm; Anne Elise & The Swamp Circus, 6 pm; Single Malt Please, 9 pm

ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Sunday Swing with The High Standards, 8 pm

BACCHANAL Juan Tigre, 1 pm; Noah Young, 7 pm

BAMBOULA’S — Them Jaywalkers, 11 am; Laura Doyle Quartet, 2:15 pm; Midnight Brawlers, 5:30 pm; Kat Kiley, 9 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE — James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 9 pm

BLUE NILE Gumbo Funk, 7 pm; Street Legends Brass Band, 9:30 pm

BUFFA’S — Blackdog, 7 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL Sugar & The Daddies, 1 pm; John Lisi & Delta Funk, 5 pm; Lyndsey Smith, 9 pm

DBA Paradise Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9:30 pm

THE DOG HOUSE — Craig Cortello, The “Canine Crooner”, 4 pm

GASA GASA Fiddler’s Green Album Release, 9 pm

HOUSE OF BLUES — Lacuna Coil + Escape the Fate + Axty, 7:30 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR Wayne Maureau’s Nu Voodoo, 8 pm

NO DICE — Dana Ives / Midrif Matinee!, 3:30 pm; The New Orleans Johnnys, 9:30 pm

SATURN BAR — Hot Damn Scandal, Lesser Man, and Sally Baby, 9 pm

SIBERIA Lyndia Lunch + Mike IX + Genre Is Death, 9 pm

TIPITINA’S — Toadies + Vandoliers, 8 pm

gambitpets Summer Issue

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Soul Sister’s Of the Wall party

New Orleans’ queen of the rare groove DJ Soul Sister is counting down the days to the release of the new Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” with a couple of events. This week, Soul Sister will throw a dance party with all Michael Jackson and Jackson family grooves on Friday, April 17, at Tipitina’s. And on April 24, she’ll host a screening on opening night at The Broad with prize giveaways. Costumes are encouraged at both events. Friday’s “Off the Wall: The All Michael Party” starts up at 9 p.m., and tickets are $21.83 via tipitinas.com.

Love the Boot Week

The annual statewide program under Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser’s office and the Office of Culture, Recreation & Tourism aims to encourage individuals and groups to partake in litter removal and other beautification efforts from April 18-26. At the local level, there are several trash pickup events, tree planting sessions and recycling and educational opportunities. To find a volunteer event — or spearhead your own — visit keeplouisianabeautiful.org.

Devin the Dude

Hip-hop artist Devin The Dude began his career back in Houston in the late ’80s, and he has since recorded more than 10 albums and collaborated with artists like Dr. Dre, De La Soul, Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy. Smoking weed is a recurring theme for the rapper— it’s prominently featured in his lyrics, and he starred in the 2012 stoner comedy “Highway.” He also recently co-created a cannabis brand called Coughee. He’ll perform at the Howlin’ Wolf at 9 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Tickets are $46.54 through ticketweb.com.

Dusty Santamaria vinyl release

Dusty Santamaria is a visual artist, independent musician and poet whose DIY art forms all merge together with mysterious and delightful outcomes. Their latest album, “High Art, Heavy Trash,” is being released on vinyl with a pair of Bywater-based celebrations. There’s a show at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 18, at The Domino Lounge with Little Death and Bruisey Peets. And Santamaria also hosts a listening party and Q&A session on Sunday, April 19, at the Tigermen Den. For more information visit linktr.ee/dustyisapyramid.

Bored Teachers Tour

Teachers have to deal with a lot on a daily basis. In addition to being drastically overworked and underpaid, they’re always expected to maintain a level of professionalism and keep a straight face. But on the Bored Teachers “Is It Friday Yet?” tour, a collective of touring comedians — whose videos and jokes have gone viral online — are sharing some of their wildest stories about their careers in education. The Bored Teachers make a stop at the Orpheum Theater at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 19. Tickets start at $44 through ticketmaster.com.

Corey Henry

Trombonist, vocalist and bandleader Corey Henry got his start as a teenager playing with the Treme Brass Band before founding the Lil’ Rascals Brass Band. He’s also performed with Rebirth and other groups, and Henry now leads his Treme Funktet. The band’s latest album, “Live at Vaughan’s,” was nominated for a 2026 Grammy Award. Catch the band next at this week’s Wednesday at the Square with up-and-coming pianist River Eckert. Music starts at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, and the event is free. Find info at ylcwats.com.

Syncopated Siblings

A conversation between music historian Ned Sublette and the band CUBANEXION, led by percussionist Bill Summers, will dive into the connections and history between the music of Cuba and New Orleans. “Syncopated Siblings: The Music of Cuba and New Orleans” is this year’s annual Bill Russell Lecture and will look at how identity, migration and cultural exchange have impacted the sounds of the two places. The event starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at the Historic New Orleans Collection’s Williams Research Center. Admission is $10 and free for HNOC members. Find more info at hnoc.org.

PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

GETTING THE V-P TREATMENT

By Frank A. Longo

37 It’s solid maroon in

80 Mineral

50 Has way more than enough, in brief

“-- tu” (Verdi aria)

65 Nero was one: Abbr. 66 Code word for “A”

“Me neither”

Raptors, on sports tickers 73 Mini-demon

“-- culpa!” 76 Camelot title 77 “Life of Pi” director Lee

Raggedy --

Get decayed

Brosnan in

Adam”

99 Comic Kevin 100 Gave birth to a cow 102 Big body joint 103 Frigid spear 104 Get new actors for 105 Sitarist Shankar 107 USNA frosh 111 Whacked weeds, in a way 112 Jai --

Writer Bellow

Toll hwy.

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