Gambit Digital Edition: October 6, 2025

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

Revolutionary circus

Bread & Puppet Theater brings its anti-imperial circus to New Orleans

ANNA KARINA DELAGE VISITED NEW ORLEANS MANY TIMES after Hurricane Katrina before moving here and working for various nonprofit and advocacy groups. She worked for the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and Green Light New Orleans and helped immigrants through Catholic Charities programs.

She moved to Puerto Rico in 2023, and then she got the urge to join the circus. Now she’s part of Bread & Puppet Theater’s touring show, “Our Domestic Resurrection Revolution in Progress Circus.” The giant puppet show comes to New Marigny Theatre at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11.

“I learned stilts,” Delage says. “I am in the stilt act every single day. We’re stilting to this Italian song that’s about liberation. The last line is ‘from Palestine to Vietnam.’ It’s about how our struggles are interlaced. We’re in these beautiful, screen-printed costumes that look stunning on stage.”

Then, when the segment finishes, it’s a quick change to a dancing bear costume, and the circus continues.

Bread & Puppet’s roots go back to New York’s East Village in the 1960s, when founders Peter and Elka Schumann created rod and hand puppet shows about life in the city, including dealing with rats and rising rents.

In the 1970s, the Schumanns went to Vermont for Peter to teach dance, and later they moved to a farm in Glover, Vermont. They made a hay barn into a puppet museum, and soon he started organizing giant puppet circus shows. Those events drew thousands of people, and the group created pageants that the audience could join at the end of the show, learning simple dances or songs.

Bread & Puppet still creates annual summer circus shows, and after a couple of months at what has come to be known as The Farm, the group takes the show on tour.

Delage was convinced by friends to go to Bread & Puppet’s apprentice program last year. She had been interested in theater and events while in New Orleans. She was part of Intramural Theater’s devised horror comedy show “Cave.” She also organized underground parties with burlesque performers.

On the Farm last year, she enjoyed the apprenticeship and stayed on as a volunteer. She returned to the Farm this summer and worked on this year’s

by Will Coviello |

Delage says. “We recognize U.S. tax dollars fund the genocide.”

Oktoberfest

Deutsches Haus breaks out the bratwursts, plenty of German beer, oompah music and chicken dancing for its annual Oktoberfest celebration at his headquarters along Bayou St. John. The band lineup features The Brats, Prost, Wurst Case Scenario, The Klaberheads, Rocky’s Holy Schnitzel Polka Band and more. The festivities run Friday nights and Saturdays Oct. 10-11, 17-18 and 24-25. Admission $10. Visit oktoberfestnola.com for details.

circus. A group of 30 performers plus volunteers created the show. After a couple of months, they took a week to condense it for a 15-member touring company, which travels in a converted yellow school bus. She was invited to be on that tour.

“It’s a really funny, silly process,” she says. “For a lot of us, we’re in almost every single act, and you’re running in and out of costumes, and you have several costumes under your current costume. You run off stage with one puppet and immediately run onstage with another puppet.”

The puppetry is sort of an object puppetry, and everything is full-scale. Some puppets require two puppeteers, like one of the company’s signature puppets, tigers, with one puppeteer as the head and another as the butt.

It’s a circus, so there are a lot of animals, including sheep and wolves.

The circus also has social and political content. There’s a billionaire character, and the puppet figure is constructed from bamboo and cardboard held together by old bicycle inner tubes.

“It’s poetic, a billionaire who’s falling apart,” Delage says.

She’s also in a “know your rights” sketch driven by a fun song. An ICE officer knocks on a door as a pig explains to a butterfly what rights they have and should know.

A big concern for this show, and a topic Bread & Puppet has addressed in past shows, is events in Gaza.

“We are asking and pleading for a free Palestine and to stop the genocide,”

The company uses a mix of music, from Chilean revolutionary songs to their original work.

“We are using music as way to hold the heart of these heavy messages,” Delage says.

The company’s work is meant to support social and political work.

“Peter and many of us believe and honor the importance of art and music and theater in supporting people in the movement and bringing people into consciousness of the depth of human experience,” Delage says. “The theater has always been anti-war. There have always been anti-war themes. I think we’re all continuing with this. We don’t want to see imperialist powers continue. We’re recognizing the harm.”

The company and its shows have always engaged their audiences. At the Farm, that meant the pageants with massive puppets and flags and more. One of the company’s traditions, referenced in its name, is that it serves fresh bread and aioli after each performance. The group carts hand-ground flour and decades old sourdough rye starter in its bus and bakes bread at each location. They’ll do that at the New Marigny show. There also is a cheap art emporium. Puppeteers make everything from jewelry to screen prints, patches, keychains, posters, books and more. They man the emporium and meet with audiences there.

For tickets and information, visit breadandpuppet.org. Tickets are $20, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Gentilly Fest

The free neighborhood festival features music, a kids’ village, vendors and more in Pontchartrain Park. Performers include Joy Clark, Frank Richard of Chocolate Milk, Gladney, James Andrews and more on the music stage. The gospel tent features Jai Reed, Zulu Ensemble, Shades of Praise, Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Choir and more. There also is a kids’ area and a marketplace. The fest runs 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, noon-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and noon-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12. Visit gentillyfestival. com for information.

$uicideboy$

New Orleans-born cousins Scott Arceneaux and Aristos Petrou started making music together as $uicideboy$ in 2013, and the duo’s mix of trap, dark hip-hop and punk ethos exploded in the underground hip-hop scene. In 2023, $uicideboy$ headlined the Smoothie King Center, and they’re doing it again Saturday, Oct. 11. The duo released their latest album, “Thy Kingdom Come,” in August and have been on tour over the summer. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and tickets start at $66.85 via smoothiekingcenter.com.

OPENING GAMBIT

Remember to go to the polls Oct. 11!

THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN

Jourdan Blue, a New Orleans vocalist and street performer, placed third in the 20th season of “America’s Got Talent” on NBC. The season finale aired on Sept. 24, and although Blue didn’t win the $1 million first place prize, which went to singer Jessica Sanchez, the New Orleans musician regularly received praise across his run on the popular show.

500,000

THE ESTIMATED NUMBER OF LOUISIANANS WHO RELY ON POLICIES FROM THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM, WHICH IS NOW ON HOLD BECAUSE OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

Since the creation of the program more than $20 billion has been paid to policyholders in the state, according to WWNO. But now policyholders are losing coverage and won’t be able to renew policies until the program resumes, and new policies can’t be issued until the shutdown ends.

Gov. Jeff Landry is selling out Louisiana by requesting the support of the Trump administration in deploying up to 1,000 National Guard troops to cities in the state, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge. In a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Landry cited “elevated violent crime rates” as the reason for the request, but New Orleans this year has had its fewest murders since 1970 and violent crime across the board is way down. Landry’s request is a harmful, pointless stunt meant only to impress Trump and the MAGA base.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell proposes $200 million in spending reductions

NEW ORLEANS MAYOR LATOYA

CANTRELL WEDNESDAY sought to shift the blame for the city’s budget shortfall onto the city council and absolve herself of responsibility during her annual city budget presentation to the council, making it clear she does not intend to leave office quietly.

said. “But that budget was increased by nearly $70 million by our council.”

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guidelines have made it harder for people in Louisiana to receive a COVID shot, the Gulf States Newsroom reported. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in recent weeks has pushed for changes to COVID vaccine recommendations, which has left many local and large chain pharmacies implementing inconsistent policies and some requiring prescriptions for people under 65.

When she wasn’t sparring with council members or insisting a $65-$100 million deficit had little to do with her, Cantrell and her Chief Administrative Officer Joe Threat laid out a 2026 budget with significant cuts to a host of departments, including Public Works and Economic Development, representing a total of $200 million in reductions in city spending.

In their presentation, Cantrell and Threat also pointed to the fact that the city took in significantly less money last year than expected and waning federal resources from the Trump administration as reasons for the short fall. But Cantrell laid most of the blame on the council, setting off a heated back and forth with members.

“The budget that we proposed for 2025, it was balanced, up, down, sideways, no doubt about it,” she

Council President JP Morrell pointed out that the council made changes to the budget working with the administration. “I think that we can all agree collectively we have to solve the problem that we all collectively got into,” he said.

“Not equally,” Cantrell said, saying the council added millions in costs that the administration didn’t propose.

That prompted Morrell to bring up the mayor’s travel, but not before he and Cantrell’s Director of Finance Romy Samuel’s got into a disagreement about what was said at council meetings earlier this year. He asked Samuel about a Feb. 11 special council meeting where they discussed what the administration was then calling a financial crisis.

“I do recall you said I manufactured a crisis,” Samuel quipped.

When Morrell denied saying those words, Cantrell chimed in repeatedly off-mic, “Yes, you did!”

Gambit stories from February quoted Budget Chair Joe Giarrusso using that language.

3.9%

C’EST WHAT ?

Morrell continued, saying the council passed a ban on taxpayer-funded travel by the mayor, council and their staff to curb “frivolous” spending. Cantrell continued traveling and sued the council over the ban, which a judge in June ruled was unconstitutional.

Samuel said the mayor’s travel was costing the city less than $100,000 at the time and said it was a small amount compared to the council’s $7 million Culture and Recreation Fund, which they give to support arts, music and youth nonprofits.

Cantrell said there was a nearly 9% fee on those funds.

“We’re talking about $7 million that goes to nonprofits throughout the city to provide resources versus travel,” Morrell said.

Morrell then came back with a comparison of his own, noting that the mayor’s trip to Nice, France in June cost $50,000, around the same amount it would have cost to pay the salary of a volunteer coordinator at the city’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, an unfilled position at the time.

Cantrell claimed the United Nations paid for that trip.

Sensing the tension, Council Member Oliver Thomas, who is running for mayor, took the opportunity to bring up the two letters he sent asking for Cantrell and council members to go on a retreat and hash out their differences. The retreat never happened, though he’s touted his attempts along the campaign trail as evidence of him being a bridge builder.

Cantrell, again, blamed the council, accusing them of not meeting her halfway.

“I am one, and you’re seven. I can reach out, meet you halfway. Consistently, I do that,” she says. “But what steps to me, I don’t control. I want to work it out, talk it out. That doesn’t have to go to the media, but come to the person.”

Senior members of Cantrell’s administration regularly meet with members of the council and their staff on a variety of issues. Former Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montano, who left the administration this summer, enjoyed a close relationship with a number of council members.

Cantrell, however, has been stand-offish towards council members. In 2024, for example, she met with only one member of the council, Eugene Green, according to her calendar.

Nevertheless the mayor insisted her doors have “always been open” and argued the council had been disrespectful to her administration.

“Doors have always been open, but one with respect, dignifying the work of the hard-working men and women who make this city run,” she said. “It has to be done with respect, and that is something, unfortunately, that has been few and far between relative to this council and this administration.”

For his part, Threat acknowledged that administration officials have met with council members throughout Cantrell’s seven years in office.

“I think we’ve been doing it over the seven years,” Threat said. “It hasn’t been in a group, but each and every one of you know that when we have an issue that we have to solve, whether it’s infrastructure, affordable housing, or whatever, I always brought my team in, and we sit down and we work through the issues and we make things happen.”

That frustrated Thomas, who accused the administration of “sideways talking” and “saying one thing, knowing it really was another thing.”

Cantrell and Threat’s presentation marked the beginning of the 2026 budget process. The administration is proposing a tighter budget this year, which includes cuts to the beleaguered Department of Public Works as well as to the Economic Development and Community Development offices.

According to the administration’s power point presentation for the budget, Cantrell is proposing “an

For New Orleans’ cultural community, this election is crucial

AS SOMEONE WHO RUNS A NONPROFIT, NEW ORLEANS MUSICIAN and educator Troy Sawyer stays out of politics, but he sees the drama on social media and has heard the candidates talk about repairing streets and getting the city back on track. Still, he says, one thing he hasn’t heard much this election season is candidates talking about helping the city’s culture bearers and musicians.

“What are you going to do to create fair wages and affordable housing and health care for musicians?” says Sawyer, who runs the music education program Girls Play Trumpets Too. “How are they going to invest in music education and youth programs? What are they going to do with making sure that the nonprofits and the people that are doing the work are supported and can be sustainable?”

across-the-board 30% operating budget reduction for all agencies to address the gap between anticipated 2026 revenues and expenditures.”

The presentation also indicates that an ongoing hiring freeze would remain in place, but the city does not expect to furlough or lay off employees next year.

“We’ve committed to not doing furloughs or layoffs, and operating budget will be reduced. I’ve sent out two circulars to the department, and those circulars are really a hiring freeze, travel freeze and also a freeze on expenditures,” Threat told the council.

However, the administration is seeking an 8% increase for the New Orleans Police Department, including raises for officers.

The Cantrell administration suggested several ways to bring more money to the city, including, notably, a .5% sales tax increase.

On average, Louisiana has the highest combined sales tax rates in the nation. Currently, in New Orleans, the rate is 10%, with 5% going to local government and 5% going to the state. An increase in sales taxes always hits poor people the hardest.

Giarrusso said so far nobody on the council is carrying legislation to raise the sales tax.

Giarrusso has scheduled budget hearings to start Oct. 14 in order to avoid electoral year complications in the process. The deadline for the council to pass the budget is Dec. 1.

— Kaylee Poche

Those are the kinds of questions a lot of New Orleans artists, musicians and culture bearers have had recently as the campaign season barrels toward the primary on Oct. 11. It’s a crucial election: The city will decide on a new mayor, a new city council and several other important positions at a time when New Orleans is facing a number of challenges. There’s a lot at stake for those in New Orleans’ cultural communities — those who create and preserve New Orleans’ identity.

“Our culture is our brand,” wrote Nate Cameron, a music industry professional and glbl wrmng co-founder, on Substack.

The city’s culture not only defines New Orleans’ identity but also is one of our largest economic drivers. People live in New Orleans and tourists flock to the city because of its distinct culture.

“But for too long,” Cameron added, “the often-marginalized people behind that culture have been under-resourced, underpaid and overlooked by City Hall.”

Gambit recently spoke with several musicians and industry professionals, artists and venue owners about their thoughts on the mayoral race and what they hoped to hear from the candidates.

We also sent a brief questionnaire focused on cultural policy to the people running for mayor and City Council and heard back from most candidates. To read the candidate responses check bestofnewolreans.com.

Cameron’s article, published in July as the mayoral race started to heat

up, focused on the need for New Orleans’ next mayor to “prioritize the city’s music business infrastructure and cultural landscape.” It’s not just about preserving traditions — it’s about economic development, making sure talented artists can remain in the city, and building New Orleans into a competitive creative hub, Cameron wrote.

“The next mayor,” Cameron told Gambit in September, “has to realize and know that, yes, we can leverage the talent that we have and this unique culture that we have, but part of that leveraging is incubating and supporting the folks that are here … When New Orleans artists feel supported, the sky’s the limit. And unfortunately, a lot of artists have had to leave to feel that support.”

Many of the issues impacting New Orleans artists, musicians and culture bearers are the same problems everyone in the city is currently worried about: housing affordability, insurance rates, infrastructure, transportation, public safety, job security and wages. It’s difficult to build a career as a musician when a rent increase forces you further away from the city or a pothole blows out your tire on the way to a gig.

But there are also a number of problems unique to the cultural community. Federal cuts to arts-related programs this year have removed important funding sources at the state and local level. The city’s inefficient permitting process creates frustrating barriers for businesses, like music venues and small arts markets. The fading of music education programs in schools since Hurricane

Katrina has changed the way cultural traditions are passed on.

Although New Orleans is rich in musical talent, the city’s music industry infrastructure — things like music licensing support, career development and business programs — lags behind other cities, like Nashville and Atlanta. And many artists have to search outside the city for help.

There also are concerns about unfair and inconsistent rule changes and enforcement by city government. The last few years have seen government crack down on street performers, small food vendors and second lines. Add to it worries about the growth of surveillance in places like the French Quarter, and now, the threat of National Guard troops being sent to New Orleans.

“There are so many people doing amazing work, and also what I hear from people and friends that are in this industry is that it’s not very sustainable,” says Dusky Waters, a musician and co-founder of the BlackAmericana Fest. “You have to have five side hustles to make it work. It’s a real shame because there could be some concerted investments in the infrastructure that would support our cultural economy.”

In recent years, Flagboy Giz of the Wild Tchoupitoulas has worked to help other Black Masking Indians apply for grants through the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund.

He told Gambit he hopes the fund continues and expands. He also wants to hear candidates talk more about how culture bearers can own property in the city.

Leah Hennessy, a creative producer and musician, says changes to the grant-making process, like incentives for organizations to collaborate and apply together, could help distribute money to where it’s most needed in the city. She’s also concerned about the convoluted application for special event permits and the problems that arose last summer for small arts markets when the city suddenly decided to enforce an old rule forcing event organizers to take out bonds for sales tax.

Robert Mercurio, a co-owner of Tipitina’s and the bassist in Galactic, knows the obstacles venues have to navigate — and the unique permits they have to secure — to keep the lights on. But, he says, the Office of Nighttime Economy, which opened in 2022, has been a nice addition to help with issues that may arise at the venue.

And several people Gambit spoke with noted the importance of the city being more proactive in working with cultural organizations and artists.

“How are we bringing folks together, both nonprofits but also within government? How are we working together,” says Ethan Ellestad, the executive director of the Music and Culture Coalition of New Orleans (MaCCNO). “That has to be a part of it … There’s got to be a plan within the mayoral administration, whoever it is, to actually have people that are addressing things before they happen.”

In early September, The Ella Project, a nonprofit that advocates for and offers legal and business services to the city’s cultural community, hosted a mayoral forum focused solely on cultural policy. It was the first forum of the election season focused specifically on how the next mayor can help preserve and grow the city’s cultural community.

Another mayoral forum focused on New Orleans’ music economy will take place Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center. The event, “Music Swings Votes,” will be hosted by Louisiana Music Partners, MaCCNO and the Recording Academy, and it will be streamed on social media.

The six candidates who took part — state Sen. Royce Duplessis, City Council Member Oliver Thomas,

Eileen Carter, Renada Collins, Frank Janusa and Ricky Twiggs (frontrunner Helena Moreno wasn’t present) — were all quick to stress the importance of the city’s arts and culture and talked about ways to build more affordable housing, streamline permitting and offer support for local cultural organizations.

But with a lot of people on stage and a lot of ground to cover, the discussion could only scratch the surface of the complex issues faced by the cultural community.

Gambit wanted to learn more from the mayoral candidates about their policy ideas impacting New Orleans artists, musicians and culture bearers, so we distributed a brief questionnaire to candidates. We also sent the questionnaire to candidates in the City Council races. You can find their responses in full in the links below.

The questionnaire asked about ways city government can step to better financially support New Orleans arts and culture amid federal cuts; plans the candidates may have to grow the music industry in the city; how the city can better work with and protect public performers; support for live music venues; and how the candidates intend to use the Office of Cultural Economy and Office of Nighttime Economy.

In her responses, Moreno touted her actions while on city council, including passage of a guaranteed pay minimum for musicians playing city-funded events and changes to policies that made it cheaper and easier for food pop-ups to get permitted. During the campaign, Moreno also has been reaching out to a lot of musicians and artists — there’s a “Musicians for Helena” show happening Oct. 1 at Tipitina’s with

be thoughtful and fair enforcement, but it needs to work consistently, no matter who you are or what group you represent.”

Duplessis said as mayor he would push to ensure more revenue generated by the hospitality industry is directed into grants, residencies and direct support for culture bearers. He also pointed to his support for a loan fund for small businesses, which would include cultural organizations. And he wants to pursue property tax relief for commercial buildings that house local businesses and arts organizations.

“I want New Orleans to be more than the place where great music is played. I want us to be a leader in the full music industry. That means building capacity for creation, production, promotion, and distribution right here in our city,” Duplessis wrote.

Partners-N-Crime, Dawn Richard, Cha Wa and more.

Moreno said she wants to see better collaboration between the Office of Cultural Economy and Office of Economic Development and promised to build more formal partnerships between city government, nonprofits and other economic entities already supporting the creative economy.

She also wants to work with city council and use the “bully pulpit” to push for a performer’s living wage, “not just at city facilities, but across New Orleans, putting creators first, while making The Business of Creativity a cornerstone of my larger plan for a prosperous New Orleans.”

In her questionnaire, Moreno listed off several ways to make sure creators can better benefit from their work, including offering banking and legal resources for emerging artists, working with NORD to teach youth “at an early age the value of their work,” and work to provide more resources for the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic.

Moreno noted that enforcement actions from the city against street musicians, second lines and small operators have been inconsistent and disorganized. She wants to see a thorough review of the city’s “enforcement posture” and the rules and permit process.

“No one wants a free-for-all on our streets, which hurts the community and the culture,” Moreno said. “There will be rules and there will

He added his administration would pursue a broader economic development strategy that would include investments to “position New Orleans as a hub for music production” and would focus workforce training, small business support and industry partnerships to help keep culture bearers in New Orleans.

Along with a revolving loan fund for small businesses, Duplessis said he wants to work with venue owners, neighborhood associations and cultural leaders to update noise and permitting rules to ensure fairness and consistency.

Duplessis said he wants to use his position to “push for stronger commitments” from the hospitality sector to hire and fairly pay local talent while also making it easier for small business in the cultural economy to access city contracts, tax relief and financing.

Part of Duplessis’ larger platform has been his commitment to affordable housing, which he emphasized in his questionnaire.

He also said he wants to “work with performers, vendors and neighborhood leaders to create fair, transparent rules that are enforced equitably while still recognizing the unique economic and cultural importance of our grassroots traditions.”

During his campaign, Thomas has often boasted that he has served as king of two social aid and pleasure clubs, so New Orleans culture is “deeply personal.” One idea he has spoken about before is the passage of a dedicated cultural millage that could be used to fund programs supporting the city’s arts and culture. In his responses, he also proposes

reducing parking costs and creating designated parking and staging areas for culture bearers ahead of parades and major events. The city could also establish a free downtown shuttle for workers at venues.

In his answers, Thomas regularly brings up building partnerships and collaborations with cultural organizations, like The Ella Project, MaCCNO and local universities. He would like to see the Office of Cultural Economy work with the school system to

include more education on local traditions and music. He also sees the city partnering with programs like Loyola University’s music industry studies program to create mentorship and apprenticeship programs.

Thomas wants to create a “Cultural Advisory Council,” made up of musicians, second line organizers, vendors and artists, to “review any proposed policies or enforcement changes before they take effect.” He said the city should simplify the permitting process for street performers, vendors and second line organizers, ensure rules are applied fairly and “identify designated performance and vending zones where cultural activity can flourish without fear of harassment or sudden crackdowns.”

Another proposition Thomas has talked about during his campaign is the creation of a provisional permitting system where venues with a trusted track record can receive a provisional permit while working to finish meeting the remaining requirements.

When asked about the Office of Cultural Economy and Office of

Nighttime Economy, both Duplessis and Thomas explicitly answered they would keep both. Moreno’s response was softer and said it’s a good practice to evaluate all parts of government during a mayoral transition, but “other cities do indeed have these types of positions and, like I said, I agree with the goals of the office.”

Duplessis said he wants those offices to convene listening sessions with community members to find ways to grow. And Thomas said he would like to strengthen and expand both offices and have the Office of Nighttime Economy work with the Lieutenant Governor’s office to promote local nightlife in tourism campaigns. — Jake Clapp

Here’s how New Orleans candidates say they’ll fix the city’s broken permitting system

Ask any New Orleans mayoral or city council candidate about the city’s permitting process, and you’re sure to hear that it’s broken and needs to be “revamped” to make it easier to do business in the city.

Saying that much is the simple part. The hard part comes with the follow-through in turning around the Safety and Permits and Code Enforcement departments and changing the rules in a way that respects New Orleans’ unique economy, from selling barbecue and cold drinks at second lines to street-hawking straw hats outside the Fair Grounds.

“The frozen cup lady on the corner by the elementary school I went to hustled enough money selling frozen cups and CheeWees bags to send her kids to private school,” said mayoral candidate and Council Member Oliver Thomas on Gambit’s podcast. “That’s part of New Orleans.”

But government regulations — and the often uneven and sporadic enforcement of them — threaten the very aspects of New Orleans that make the city what it is.

During Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration, there have been crackdowns on vendors on Bourbon Street, St. Claude Avenue and at second lines. In 2024, the administration decided to start applying an old rule meant for car shows to art markets, imperiling the future of art markets in the city.

Meanwhile, restaurants, food trucks, pop-ups, vendors and market

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@GambitBlake | askblake@gambitweekly.com

Hey Blake, I am a new Metairie resident and curious about the name of Bonnabel Boulevard. Who or what was Bonnabel?

Dear reader, THE BONNABEL FAMILY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANY OF THE EARLY RESIDENTIAL AREAS OF OLD METAIRIE, where Bonnabel Boulevard remains a main thoroughfare, running from Metairie Road to Lake Pontchartrain.

The family’s patriarch was Henri Bonnabel who, according to the Bonnabel Civic Association, arrived here from France in 1825. A pharmacist by profession, he began purchasing tracts of land on the Metairie Ridge, a strip of high ground which once traced the course of Bayou Metairie from present-day River Ridge to Bayou St. John. Bonnabel amassed more than a thousand acres total.

In his 1921 obituary, The TimesPicayune called him “the father of education” in Jefferson Parish, since “from his personal fortune he donated … sites for schools and gave church buildings and sites.”

Alfred Bonnabel’s son, Alfred E. Bonnabel, was a land surveyor. His 1951 obituary in The Times-Picayune called him another “pioneer in the residential development of Metairie.”

One of his nine children, Alfred Bonnabel, later divided the family’s land into subdivisions called Bonnabel Place and Old Homestead. Alfred Bonnabel served on the parish police jury for 25 years and for 45 years on the Jefferson Parish School Board.

BLAKE VIEW

In 1971, when Jefferson Parish was finalizing plans to build a new public high school near the Metairie-Kenner line, the school board voted to name it Alfred Bonnabel High School, with its mascot called Alfred the Bruin, or brown bear.

NEW ORLEANS VOTERS WILL HEAD TO THE POLLS THIS SATURDAY (OCT. 11) TO ELECT a new mayor. Did you know the city once had three men serve as mayor — on the same day? It was July 15, 1936, following the resignation three weeks earlier of Mayor T. Semmes Walmsley.

Walmsley, elected in 1930, was known for his intense political rivalry with Gov. Huey P. Long, who derided Walmsley by calling him “Turkey Head.” After fiercely haggling with Long, the commission council (as the city council was then called) and the powerful Old Regular political machine, Walmsley was forced to resign in July 1936. That cleared the way for the election of Long ally Robert Maestri.

The law called for city Commissioner of Finance A. Miles Pratt to be named acting mayor. He served for about two weeks before resigning July 15 to become collector of customs for New Orleans.

As the July 15, 1936, New Orleans States explained: “three mayors ruled over New Orleans Wednesday. At a special meeting of the commission council called at 11:00, Commissioner of Finance A. Miles Pratt, acting mayor of the city, read his resignation. It was accepted at 11:40 a.m. A few seconds later, Commissioner of Public Property Joseph P. Skelly moved that Commissioner of Public Utilities (Fred) Earhart be named acting commissioner of finance and acting mayor. Shortly afterwards, Commissioner Skelly, in a series of motions, declared a vacancy on the commission council which culminated in nominating Jess S. Cave, former state treasurer, for the post of commissioner of finance.”

Once Cave was given that post, he became acting mayor a few minutes later, at noon. He served for one month.

On Aug. 17, 1936, Robert Maestri was elected mayor without opposition. As the only Democratic nominee, when his Republican opponent, W.W. Tuttle, withdrew from the race, a state constitutional amendment cleared the way for Maestri to become mayor. He served until 1946.

FESTIVALS ACADIENS CELEBRATES CAJUN

AND ZYDECO MUSIC, FOOD AND THE CULTURE OF ACADIANA

BY JAKE CLAPP AND JOHN STANTON

WHEN Council for the Development of French in Louisiana Chairman James Domengeaux and a group of academics, activists and musicians decided to throw a concert celebrating Cajun music and culture in downtown Lafayette in 1974, it was supposed to be a one-time deal.

Nobody had any idea it would eventually become a massive three-day event like Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, which celebrates its 51st anniversary this year Oct. 10-12 in Lafayette.

Held in Blackham Coliseum in March 1974, the “Tribute to Cajun Music Concert” wasn’t just a frst-of-its-kind celebration of Cajun and zydeco music. Up until that night, nobody had really put on a show like it before. Aside from a handful of artists like the Balfa Brothers, who’d performed at festivals, Cajun and zydeco music had always been played in much more intimate settings.

“Normally Cajun music was [played] in dancehalls or homes. This was the frst time it was on a high stage with a sound system,” Festivals Acadiens’ Vice President of Programming and Development Pat Mould told Gambit. “They had no idea if anybody would show up.”

To make matters worse, a huge storm hit Lafayette that day, causing widespread street fooding even as the show was set to begin.

But any concerns about attendance quickly evaporated when the doors opened and the soggy concert goers began streaming into the coliseum. “The place flled to capacity,” recalled Mould, who attended the concert.

Today Cajun culture is celebrated not only in Louisiana but around the world. But in the 1970s, not only was it largely unknown outside Acadiana, in Louisiana the government and many civic leaders

had spent decades actively suppressing it. Schools didn’t teach Louisiana French, and children were discouraged from learning it. Meanwhile, Cajun music, food, art and history were being abandoned.

But the show proved there was interest in Cajun culture. In fact, it was such a success, organizers decided to hold a second one the following year. At that show, zydeco legend Clifton Chenier famously donned a crown and declared himself King of Zydeco, while Zachary Richard put on a ferce display of Cajun music and culture.

According to Mould, Richard’s performance in particular was a defning moment in the burgeoning efort to maintain the culture and pass it on to future generations. During his performance of the classic Cajun tune “Reveille,” Richard raised his fst in the air as a symbol of resistance to eforts to erase the culture.

“He was a young guy, and he rocked it out and showed people this wasn’t just music for old people,” Mould said.

In the years since, the annual concert has transformed into a three-day festival of Cajun and Creole art, music, food and culture. Now held in Girard Park, the festival features music on multiple stages, food vendors representing not only traditional cuisine but chefs creating new dishes and favors rooted in Acadiana culture, a large art market, Louisiana French language lessons, historical lectures and more.

The festival draws thousands of people every year, who themselves have become invested in it and had an impact on the proceedings. Since moving into Girard Park, festival goers have set up camps in the shaded perimeter of the festival known as Villages des Tentes that help give the entire event more of a cookout vibe than that of an organized festival. The frst festival after the COVID-19 lockdowns felt almost like a family reunion.

When the festival, which is free to attend, began requiring paid permits to set up camps in Villages des Tentes, Mould went out to check on the new system. He approached one woman with a 10-by20-foot tent set up and asked about her permit. “She said, ‘Thank God y’all fnally fgured out how to give us a way to give you some money!’ ” Mould said.

According to Mould, several years ago organizers conducted an economic impact study of the festival that found 38% of its audience travels 500 miles or more to attend and that people come from dozens of countries around the globe. “It just blew my mind that we’ve become this sort of global entity,” Mould said.

Fifty years after his defant set at the 1975 concert, the 51st edition of the festival will honor Richard, who will perform Friday evening. The festival also will celebrate the life and career of Chenier, who would have turned 100 this year, and his son CJ Chenier will perform.

The festival also is looking to the future, Mould said. While classic acts have traditionally dominated the best set times of the festival, this year organizers are giving more prime-time slots to up-and-coming bands and musicians like the Holiday Playgirls, Luke Huval and Chere Elise.

“If you’re doing something for 50some years, you’ve got to keep relevant,” Mould said.

Artists to see at Festivals Acadiens et Creoles 2025

FRIDAY

Zachary Richard

5:30-7:15 P.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANE

Zachary Richard has played a wide-range of styles across his acclaimed 50-plusyear career, from raging swamp rock to quiet folk tunes, from traditional Cajun songs to classics more closely linked to New Orleans, like “Iko Iko” and “Big Chief.” And at the root of it all is his deep love for South Louisiana’s cultures, languages and musical traditions. Along with his music — his latest studio album, “Handicap Bonheur,” was released earlier this year — Richard also is an award-winning poet, environmentalist and cultural activist who founded Action Cadienne in 1996.

His set during the opening night of this year’s Festivals Acadiens et Creoles celebrates 50 years since his frst performance at the festival’s predecessor, the Tribute to Cajun Music Concert.

Rusty Metoyer & The Zydeco Krush

7:30-9 P.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANE

Lake Charles native Rusty Metoyer grew up hearing his grandfathers, both Creole musicians, play zydeco music, and after they passed, Metoyer began seriously learning to play the accordion. He wanted to keep the traditions in his family alive, Metoyer has said, but he’s gone further than just preservation: Metoyer has become one of zydeco’s contemporary rising stars.

Metoyer and his band, The Zydeco Krush, inject their zydeco with soul, hiphop, funk and other genres, and they’ve built up a fanbase through consistent touring along I-10, from Houston to New Orleans. Metoyer’s latest album, “King of I-10,” was released in May.

SATURDAY

The Holiday Playgirls

10:30-11:30 A.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANE

The relatively new band The Holiday Playgirls is led by multi-instrumentalists

and vocalists Renée Reed and Juliane Mahoney, who bring a new generation’s perspective to Louisiana French music. The duo take their cultural heritage seriously, and The Holiday Playgirls tap into both the joy and heartbreak embedded in Cajun music. The band has just a few singles out now, but they’re a rising group to watch.

Four Generations of the Dopsie Family

3:30-4:45 P.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANE

Alton Rubin, better known as Rockin’ Dopsie, was one of the pioneers of zydeco music, helping to defne the genre along with Clifton Chenier and Boozoo Chavis. He was the son of a Creole accordionist, and today, Dopsie’s own sons and grandson carry on that musical lineage.

At Festivals Acadiens et Creoles, Rockin’ Dopsie’s sons Rockin’ Dopsie Jr., who now leads his father’s band The Zydeco Twisters, Tiger Dopsie, Anthony Dopsie and Dwayne Dopsie will perform together and celebrate the family craft. They’ll be joined by Anthony’s son, accordionist Mike Dopsie, representing the newest generation of musicians in the zydeco dynasty.

The Revelers

3:45-4:45 P.M., SCÈNE MON HÉRITAGE

Back in 2010, founding members of the Red Stick Ramblers and the Pine Leaf Boys got together for a new group that could fexibly dig into a range of South Louisiana styles, from Cajun music and zydeco to swamp pop, country, rock ’n’ roll and rhythm and blues. Since then, The Revelers have toured the U.S. and internationally and earned a Grammy nomination for their 2015 album, “Get Ready.”

Although you can see members of the band — Blake Miller, Chas Justus, Daniel Coolik, Glenn Fields, Trey Boudreaux and Chris Miller — playing often in many diferent South Louisiana bands, The Revelers continue to fnd a unique balance in their music, singing in Louisiana French and English and fnding inspirations in the past and the present.

Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole

4:45-6 P.M., SALLE DE DANSE

Grammy-nominated musician Cedric Watson grew up in a small town outside of Houston and fell in love with the zydeco he’d hear in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana. So as a musician in his early 20s, he moved to Lafayette and quickly became part of the music community.

An accordionist, fddler and vocalist, Watson performed for a while with the Pine Leaf Boys and worked with Dexter Ardoin and Jefrey Broussard as well. But in his solo music, Watson has spent much of his career studying and then playfully adapting the musical infuences at the roots of Louisiana Creole music, including African, Caribbean and French traditions.

Chris Ardoin & NuStep Zydeko

6:15-7:30 P.M., SCÈNE MON HÉRITAGE

Accordionist and vocalist Chris Ardoin grew up immersed in music as the grandson of Creole accordion legend Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin, and he quickly followed in the family’s musical traditions along with his older brother, Sean Ardoin.

Although traditions are clearly important to him, Chris Ardoin has spent his career pushing his sound into contemporary directions, blending zydeco with hip-hop, R&B, funk, reggae and pop. Earlier this year, Ardoin played accordion on country artist Justin Champagne’s track “What Goes Around” featuring the Ying Yang Twins.

Jourdan Thibodeaux et Les Rôdailleurs

6:15-7:45 P.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANA

On stage and on his recordings, fddler and vocalist Jourdan Thibodeaux brings a lot of raw energy to his songs in Louisiana French. He can let things rip or bring them down slow and sorrowful — and it’s all a reminder that Cajun music is a genre full of life.

In recent years, Thibodeaux also has built a social media following for his exuberant videos, mostly in Louisiana French, talking about the languages and traditions of South Louisiana as a ferce, young advocate for his culture. There also are plenty of Boudreaux and Thibodeaux jokes, alligator hunts and days spent on the boat.

SUNDAY

Savoy Family Band

NOON-1 P.M., SALLE DE DANSE

Accordionist and accordion-maker Marc Savoy and his wife, guitarist Ann Savoy, are icons in Cajun music, and their sons, Joel and Wilson, have both earned acclaim for their work not only preserving the culture but moving it forward. Together, the family of musicians, with Joel on fddle and Wilson on keyboard, play Cajun music that may be traditional but is full of life and energy. It’s hard to beat a family band of masterful musicians steeped in history and culture.

Chère Élise

2:30-3:30 P.M., SCÈNE MON HÉRITAGE

Drummer Elise Riley started a veritable Cajun music supergroup early last year with Chère Élise. With her behind the drum kit, the band includes her father, Steve Riley on accordion; guitarist Jamie Lynn Fontenot of The Daiquiri Queens; fddler Amelia Biere, who plays with the Old-Fashioned Aces; guitarist Sam Broussard, part of Steve Riley’s Mamou Playboys; and Pine Leaf Boys bassist Thomas David.

As Chère Élise, they play a range of Cajun music, from traditional songs from the 1920s to modern tunes. The band will be joined by Lafayette-based fddler Kelli Jones for their festival set.

Clifton Chenier’s 100th Birthday Celebration

3:30-4:45 P.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANE

It’s the year of Chenier. Zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier would have turned 100 this year, and there have been several tributes and celebrations to the Opelousas native across South Louisiana since the summer. Joel Savoy’s Valcour Records marked Chenier’s birthday with the album, “A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,” which featured a rare contribution by The Rolling Stones as well as Lucinda Williams, Steve Earle, the late Tommy McLain and a number of other zydeco greats.

Several of those performers will now join back up for a tribute set to Chenier at the festival. CJ Chenier, Clifton’s son, and his Red Hot Louisiana Band will lead the show, and they’ll be joined by Curley Taylor, Nathan Williams Sr. and Roddie Romero.

Chenier, Romero, Taylor and Williams also will take part in a panel moderated by Ben Sandmel at 11:30 a.m. on the Scène Atelier stage.

Lost Bayou Ramblers

3:45-4:45 P.M., SCÈNE MON HÉRITAGE

Late last year, the Lost Bayou Ramblers celebrated 25 years since brothers Andre and Louis Michot played their frst show under their own band name. Andre and Louis had grown up playing guitar and bass with their father, Tommy Michot, and uncles in the traditional Cajun band Les Freres Michot. But that frst gig in August 1999, with Andre on accordion and Louis on fddle, broke open something new.

In the two-and-a-half decades since, Lost Bayou Ramblers have won two Grammy Awards, toured across the U.S. and internationally and are as comfortable playing unamplifed sets of traditional Cajun music as they are sweaty clubs with guitar amps and pedal boards. But perhaps most importantly, the Ramblers continue to draw new generations to Louisiana French music in an exciting way.

Bonsoir, Catin

5-6 P.M., SCÈNE MA LOUISIANE

Singer-guitarist Christine Balfa, the daughter of Cajun music great Dewey Balfa, singer-accordionist Kristi Guillory and singer-fddler Anya Burgess co-founded Bonsoir, Catin in 2005, and the group quickly took of in Louisiana venues and festivals. The six-member, mostly female band is rooted in Louisiana French music, but there’s a healthy dose of swamp pop, blues and rock ’n’ roll in the mix.

The band earned a Grammy nomination for best regional roots music album for 2014’s “Light the Stars,” which mixed Cajun dancehall-style tunes with more atmospheric ballads.

Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys

5:15-6:30 P.M., SALLE DE DANSE

Steve Riley & The Mamou Playboys have been nearly ubiquitous for more than 35 years, playing venues all over South Louisiana, events from the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to Festival International, to appearances at the Lincoln Center, the National Folk Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Riley, an accordionist, and fddler David Greely formed the Playboys in 1988, and over the years, the band has developed the ability to change on a dime, from Cajun traditionals to blues rock-powered originals. It’s a fexibility that’s landed them four Grammy nominations and international attention.

After a 10-year hiatus from the band, Greely is back with the Playboys along with guitarist Sam Broussard, bassist Thomas David and Steve’s son Burke Riley on drums.

organizers alike have difficulty navigating the city’s permitting process. Not only is it hard to figure out what permits you need and how to get them, but the requirements can be impractical and unaffordable for micro businesses trying to test out their products or gain their footing.

Having money and resources to hire an expert or connections at City Hall can help. But even then, the process can still take a long time, forcing businesses to delay openings or set up shop in a surrounding parish instead. Others make the decision to risk it and open anyway, hoping they don’t get caught and fined.

“Businesses in order to thrive, in order to decide what cities they’re going to do business in, they need predictability. Without predictability or a level of certainty on how long it will take to get a permit, how much it’s going to cost, you can’t expect businesses to stick around your city,” said mayoral candidate and state Sen. Royce Duplessis at a Downtown Development District forum in September.

Thomas said at the same forum that even with him being a council member, it took almost a year for his niece and nephew to get the permits they needed for their businesses.

Mayoral and council candidates generally agree that the turnaround should be quicker, and Moreno is setting the goal of responding to permit applicants within 72 hours, she said in a Bureau of Governmental Research survey. On her website, she says she plans to identify which permits are taking a long time to review and address the reasons why.

In 2013, then-Mayor Mitch Landrieu opened the city’s One Stop Shop, aimed at making the process more efficient by getting key agencies on the same floor at City Hall. They also launched a website that was supposed to clarify what permits a person would need and how to get them.

But business owners told Gambit back in 2021 One Stop was a misnomer and described a permitting process that was confusing as ever, with different city employees giving them contradictory advice.

Those with non-restaurant food businesses have also talked about the hurdles they’ve had in determining which permitting scheme their business fell under — in part because the process hadn’t kept up with the changes to the food scene, which has been seeing more food pop-ups since the beginning of the pandemic.

Hearing those complaints, Moreno created a pathway for restaurants, bars and breweries to legally host food pop-ups on a regular basis by sharing their kitchen with them. That way pop-ups can meet health department requirements by cooking out of an inspected kitchen.

State Rep. Jason Hughes, who is running for the District E council seat representing New Orleans East and the Lower 9th Ward, told Gambit he believes in revisiting commercial kitchen requirements for vendors.

“I do not support the requirement that small vendors and street vendors have to use a commercial grade kitchen,” he said. “That certainly doesn’t guarantee safety.”

Director blames applications with missing documents

At an August city council meeting, Safety and Permits Director Tammie Jackson blamed people submitting incomplete permit applications for the delays. She said department staff were “spending like 80% of our time on 20% of the permits that come in with no documentation.”

Jackson said prioritizing applications that include the required documents would help the department process and give out permits quicker. She said the department was considering changing its policy to closing out applications if the applicant didn’t get a document back to the department within a week of them asking.

Thomas asked about provisional permits that could be given to business owners with a history of following permitting laws and requirements while they apply for a permit.

But Jackson insisted that continuing to process applications in the order the department receives them is the “fairest way.”

“That’s why we want to cut down on the number of frivolous applications that we receive instead of focusing on a name we may know,” she said. “We want everything to be fair.”

“My niece and nephew are two young entrepreneurs. They own two businesses,” he said. “It took nine months for them to get their permit with my help.”

Here’s what the candidates have already done and say they’ll do to improve the city’s business permitting system.

Permitting problems

People have long been complaining about business and other permitting problems at City Hall, and one of the biggest complaints is how long it takes to get a permit from the city. Many report waiting months, and some over a year, to get the permits they need.

To address this, Duplessis has proposed creating the role of case manager, where a single employee can walk an applicant through the entire permitting process. Similarly, mayoral candidate and Council Vice President Helena Moreno has suggested a “concierge service” to assist people with permits.

Duplessis also has talked about how the Department of Safety and Permits has seven divisions, each with multiple subdivisions, and lacks proper communication between them.

“We have to move beyond these silos, break down some of these walls, cross train employees so that the right hand knows what the left hand is doing,” he said.

Moreno says as mayor she would continue to look at making new permits or changing rules. “I would find ways to say, OK, is there a path to make this more workable, instead of just being so punitive?” she said on Gambit’s podcast.

Still, a lot of pop-up owners — especially those just starting out — don’t have relationships with restaurants, bars or breweries with available kitchen space or can’t afford the permits. Annual permits cost a vendor $200 and a host space $550.

The permits also don’t allow vendors to sell “on public sidewalks or streets unless the vendor has special permission.” Some vendors told Gambit that even if cooking inside, they prefer to sell on the sidewalk or street to attract passersby.

However, another official said department staffers had explored creating “express lane” permits or permits that last for several years.

“I like Express Lane, but because One Stop historically has meant stop, right? And I don’t want express lane to be to get in an express lane and get run over,” he said. “So let’s try to find some meaning in these.

Another Safety and Permits official told council members that the department was considering raising permitting fees, citing inflation. They said their fees have stayed flat since 2014 but that inflation had increased by 35%. The official said increasing the fees would bring in an additional $1.5 million to the department.

Thomas pushed back by saying the department should instead focus on processing permits more efficiently.

“If we’re creating an atmosphere where business can be done quicker, then folk will look to invest at a higher level,” he said.

Candidates agree that upgrading technology will make the permitting process more efficient.

State Rep. Matthew Willard, who is running for the Division 1 citywide council seat, said at the Step Up forum in July that the city should have an online permitting dashboard with dates people request and receive permits.

At the DDD forum, Duplessis said artificial intelligence could help make the permitting process more efficient, pointing to the city of San Jose, California, which starting next year will use AI to pre-check some of its applications and identify missing information.

He also said the process should be able to be completed entirely online, rather than having people come down-town to City Hall during the work week.

“We have to get to a place of operating City Hall from the mindset of 2035 and not 1995,” Duplessis said. Permitting employees

Hughes told Gambit that morale is low among Safety and Permits employees. To fix that, he wants to make sure that employees are both properly paid and trained. Then he said he’d focus on holding them accountable.

Thomas has been talking about creating performance benchmarks for city employees across the board. He’s also said leadership impacts the culture at City Hall and its departments, reminiscing about when he was previously on the council in the ’90s and 2000s and some people were still working at City Hall until 10 or 11 p.m.

“If the leader takes pride and the director takes pride, then the people who work there also have pride,” he said at the DDD forum.

State Rep. Delisha Boyd, who is running for the Division 1 at-large council seat, suggested that Safety and Permits employees may need to be replaced in a restructuring of the department.

“People who think that they’re doing business just the way it’s always been done, maybe it’s time for them to retire from that business,” she said at an Urban League forum on Sept. 3.

Meanwhile on her website, Moreno says the city needs to give more money to Safety and Permits and Code Enforcement, whose budgets she says were cut by nearly $4 million last year. If elected mayor, she says she’d reverse those cuts.

Will the crackdowns continue?

Duplessis is the only mayoral candidate who has talked about some kind of enforcement push against unlicensed street vendors. He said at the DDD forum that he wanted to crack down on French Quarter street vendors “to set a tone downtown” and make people feel safe.

The scene on Bourbon Street is different from other places in the city. In addition to food vendors, there are shot girls and people selling photos with snakes and other animals.

“There’s a lot to unpack there, especially when you talk about people, illegal vendors, people who show up and just kind of do what they want to do downtown, and how we have to aggressively address that,”

Duplessis said.

He said then that this would be a larger push to bring a sense of lawfulness to the tourist-heavy area, which would also include signs to deter people from jaywalking across Canal Street.

“We have to tone set down there and send a message that certain things are just not going to be tolerated,” he said. “I believe that that’s a big part of what will ultimately connect to crime downtown.”

people on how to get the required permits and making it accessible to do so. He also said it was unfair for some people to go through the permitting process while others aren’t.

“We can’t just crack down without showing people the way to do it the right way,” he said. “Because if you’re operating your business legally, you’re doing it the right way, but somebody comes and sets up shop right in front of you, they’re not doing the right way. We can’t do that.”

Pop-up vendors, like this one during a 2018 second line, have long been a part of the city’s culture.

process work fairly and efficiently, it’s important to find them — and soon.

Boyd said at the Urban League forum that she hears from many clients at her brokerage firm that they wish they could get out of deals they’ve invested in New Orleans because they’re having so many issues with the permitting process.

However, in a podcast interview with Gambit the following week, he said he didn’t believe in enforcement pushes without first educating

Former Council Member Cyndi Nguyen, who is running against Hughes for her old District E council seat, backed the Cantrell’s administration’s vow to crack down on pop-ups in 2022. But she also said in a BGR survey that she would “push for permit reform that includes guaranteed response timelines, a simplified digital system, and technical assistance for small businesses, especially those unfamiliar with city processes.”

Hughes says he would not support enforcement against unlicensed vendors until the city fixes its permitting process.

“Until we get that piece right, I do not support aggressive enforcement because we’re not holding our end of the bargain,” he said. Why it matters Whatever the solutions are to making New Orleans’ permitting

That reputation is making the city lose out on potential businesses.

“People from New Orleans familiar with the (restaurant) Bottom Line, that new owner has been waiting 10 months for a permit to put that property in commerce,” Boyd said.

“We’re losing money from not being able to be business friendly.

And how the system is “revamped” will impact the city’s culture and the future of street vendors, from longstanding favorites to new entrepreneurs trying to test the market.

“The best hamburgers and ribs I get are from Big Dog Grill with Young Men Olympians over on the corner right off of Martin Luther King. The best shrimp fried rice I get is from the guy who does it on Simon Bolivar and Washington,” Thomas said on Gambit’s podcast. “I don’t ever want to lose that.”

In-depth School Profles

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE CALENDAR

PRE - SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY, AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA

Warren Easton Charter High School Grades: 9-12

Open House: November 4, 2025, 5:00-7:00 PM Website: warreneastoncharterhigh.org

The Willow School New Orleans Williams Campus Grades: K-4

Open House: October 25, 2025, 10:00 AM and November 5, 6:00 PM Marsalis Campus Grades: 5-7

Open House: October 30, 2025, 6:00 PM Brimmer Campus Grades: 8-12

Open House: December 4, 2025, 5:00 PM Website: willowschoolnola.org

Morris Jeff Community School Grades: PK-12

Open House: November 4th, 5:30-6:30 PM Website: hmorrisjef school.org

New Orleans Charter Science & Math High School Grades: 9-12

Contact the school to schedule a tour. Website: noscihigh.org

Discovery Schools

Kenner Discovery - Lower Grades: PK–4

Open House: January 21, 2025, 5:30 PM

Kenner Discovery - Middle/High Grades: 5-12

Open House: October 29, 2025, 5:30-7:30 PM Baton Rouge Ochsner Discovery Grades: PK–8

Open House: December 3, 2025, 5:30-7:30 PM

Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Grades: PK–8

Open House: January 14, 2025, 5:30-7:30 PM

Website: discoveryhsf.org

Edward Hynes

Charter Schools

Grades: Lakeview Gifted PK-8, UNO K-7, Parkview K-8

Open House: All CampusesNovember 13, 2025, 8:00 AM; November 20, 2025, 8:00 AM; December 4, 2025, 8:00 AM

Website: hynesschool.com

Young Audiences

Charter Schools

In the spring, families can schedule “YACS in Action” visits, personalized tours for prospective students. Contact the school for details. Little YACS Campus (Westbank) Grades: PK-K

Open House: December 10, 2025, 5:00 PM

Kate Middleton Campus (Westbank) Grades: 1-5

Open House: December 10, 2025, 5:00 PM

Burnmaster Campus (Westbank) Grades: 6-12

Open House: December 10, 2025, 5:00 PM

Lawrence D Crocker Campus (Uptown) Grades: PK4-8

Open House: December 9, 2025, 5:00 PM Website: yacs.org

International School of Louisiana (ISL)

St. Roch Campus Grades: K-3

Open House: November 15, 2025, 10:00-11:00 AM

Westbank Campus Grades: K-5

Open House: November 15, 2025, 10:00-11:00 AM Uptown Campus Grades: 4-8

Open House: Website: isl-edu.org

Einstein Charter Schools

Village De L’est Grades: PK-5

Sherwood Forest Elementary Grades: PK-5

Einstein Middle School at Sarah T. Reed Grades: 6-8

Einstein High at Sarah T. Reed Grades: 9-12

Open House: Contact School to Schedule Tour Website: einsteincharterschools.com

Benjamin Franklin Elementary & Middle School

Mathematics & Science School Grades: Jeferson Campus: PK-5

Laurel Campus: 6-8

Open House: Contact School to Schedule a Tour Website: babyben.org

Benjamin Franklin High School Grades: 9-12

Open house: October 30, 2025, 5:00-7:00 PM Website: bfhsla.org

Atonement Lutheran Grades: PK-8

Open House: October 29, 2025, 5:00-7:00 PM; February 19, 2025, 5:00-7:00 PM. Website: alcs.org

Christian Brothers School Grades: PK-7

Canal St. Campus Lower School

School Tours: October 18, 2025, 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM

Girls Middle School Grades: 5-7

Please call to inquire about private tours: 504-488-4426

City Park Campus

School Tours: October 28, 2025: 4:30PM & 6:30PM Website: cbs-no.org

Arden Cahill Academy

Grades: Infant-12

October 15, 2025, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

Website: ardencahillacademy.com

Mount Carmel Academy Grades: 8-12

Open House: October 9, 2025, 3:00 PM-7:30 PM

Website: mcacubs.com

University View Academy

Online Charter School Grades: K-12 – Apply Online Website: universityview.academy

Kehoe-France

Grades: Infant-7

Northshore Campus

Open House: October 22, 2025, 9:00 AM

Southshore Campus

Open House: October 1, 2025, 9:00 AM

Website: kehoe-france.com & kehoe-francens.com

Audubon Schools

Audubon Uptown

Broadway Campus Grades: K-3

Open House: November 11, 2025, 6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Audubon Uptown Live Oak Campus Grades: 4-8

Open House: November 2, 2025, 6:00 PM-7:30 PM

Audubon Gentilly Grades: K-8

Open House: November 6, 2025, 6:00 PM-7:30 PM

School tours will also be held in Nov. And Dec. Contact the school for details.

Website: auduboncharter.org

EAT + DRINK

More Dim Sum

Get Your Mom & Dim Sum expands with new Uptown spot by Beth D’Addono |

FANS OF THE CREATIVE DUMPLINGS

CHEF ANDREW LU SERVES at Get Your Mom & Dim Sum will be happy to hear that he’s expanded into a full kitchen and added to his menu of Chinese dishes in Uptown. With an ongoing residence at The Holy Ground Irish Pub in Mid-City and occasional popups, there are a few ways to satisfy your dan dan dumpling fix.

Last month, Lu opened in the kitchen at the relocated Milan Lounge, which is downstairs at 3629 Prytania St. The Milan moved after its original location was sold in April. The building is home to two bars, and Lu’s kitchen is in the middle of the first floor.

Lu didn’t learn to cook at home.

“We ate Chinese food when I was growing up because my mom is Chinese,” says Lu, 34. “But if I can be honest, the reason I got into cooking was that my mom was a terrible cook. Her own sisters won’t let her cook at family dinners.”

His mom and Vietnamese dad owned the Royal Panda Chinese buffet in Lafayette, Louisiana, when he was a kid, but his mom was not in the kitchen. Like so many kids that grow up in a family restaurant business, Lu and his brother hung around and did their homework there after school.

After graduating from the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge, Lu moved to New Orleans, where he worked at Kingfish and Gianna. He became the executive chef at Cavan, but the restaurant later closed due to the pandemic.

“I wasn’t really planning to cook Chinese food,” he says. But when Covid shut down restaurants, his dim sum pop-up was born.

“With all the social distancing everybody was doing, I really missed the connection with people — the sharing of food around a table,” Lu says.

“Dim sum isn’t something you do by yourself. It’s for sharing.”

His menu takes an expansive approach to dumplings, incorporating Louisiana ingredients and style into

the mix. There are traditional flavors in his popular dan dan dumplings, a twist on dan dan noodles. The tender dumplings are filled with Sichuanspiced pork and served with coins of fried Chinese sausage, crispy shallots and bok choy.

His fried black pepper beef dumplings, spiked with fermented black beans and some spice, arrive on a bed of mashed potatoes with a gravy-like sauce. “That’s my take on Southern comfort food,” Lu says.

Chicken Caesar, crab Rangoon and spicy eggplant dumplings round out the dim sum offerings, with flavors and seasonal ingredients always in flux. Lu makes everything from scratch, from the pulled fresh noodles to the dim sum wrappers and all the dumpling fillings and sauces.

Lu also flexes his fine dining chops at the new location, from tender beef tartare served with garlic aioli to the pristine night market crudo, made recently with rosy slices of lightly marinated raw tuna presented with a drizzle of bright green basil oil. There also is a cilantro and lime wings option served with ranch on the side. He has his own twist for General Lu’s spicy chicken and fried orange chicken, served with fried rice on the side. Charred scallion noodles deliver the briny wallop of Sichuan-spiced ground shrimp.His fish tacos come with a South Louisiana twist. The Gulf fish of the day is served with fixings and corn tortillas on the side. Side dishes range from fried rice and mashed potatoes to boudin-filled egg rolls, bok choy and gai lan, which is sauteed Chinese broccoli.

Lu has inspired a legion of dumpling fans since he started the pop-up in 2021, serving food at bars like Pal’s Lounge in Mid-City. “I have to get them used to coming Uptown,” he says.

Besides a Sunday brunch and dinner option, there is a sweet 3-5 p.m. happy hour Tuesday through Friday, with discounted drinks from the bar and halfprice dumplings. Portions are good, so the idea of getting those bundles of dan dan goodness for a discounted $6 is reason enough to gather friends and cross Louisiana Avenue.

FORK + CENTER

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

Hubig’s au lait

THERE’S NOTHING MORE LOUISIANA THAN A CUP OF COFFEE WITH CHICORY and a Hubig’s pie. And for a limited time, diners can have both inside one flaky, iconic pastry.

New Orleans-based Hubig’s Pies is teaming up with French Truck Coffee for a limited-edition cafe au lait pie.

The glazed hand pies are stuffed with a coffee-flavored cream and became available starting Sept. 29 for National Coffee Day.

For hungry folks wanting to try the newest flavor, they can be found at French Truck locations and stores that sell Hubig’s Pies.

But supplies are limited. The cafe au lait Hubig’s Pies will be made in a limited-batch run and are only available until Oct. 10 or when they sell out. — Justin Mitchell / The Times-Picayune

Michelin efect

DELUXE TASTING MENUS ARE PROLIFERATING IN NEW ORLEANS, along with opulent wine pairings. Caviar has become as common as crabmeat at a French Creole restaurant.

Waiters are ironing linens on the table just before the next party is seated, and at the end of the meal, diners might get a clutch of cookies or macarons to take home with a printed copy of the menu, maybe signed by the chefs.

If you missed the news last spring that the Michelin Guide has finally begun assessing New Orleans restaurants, there are signs around town that will clue you in just the same.

Restaurants with Michelin ambition are upping their game and polishing more than just the silver.

For months, Michelin’s anonymous reviewers (dubbed “inspectors”) have been visiting restaurants. They will determine which restaurants get

Michelin Stars, regarded by many as the peak dining accolade, and Michelin’s ratings in other categories, including the more populist Bibb Gourmand recognition (typically for restaurants with great food and good value). Michelin says it will release its rankings at a Nov. 3 ceremony in Greenville, South Carolina.

In the meantime, the prospect of Michelin is making an impact in New Orleans. It’s not universal; in fact, most restaurants are staying the course. But in the upper reaches of fine dining, the influence is unmistakable. Already-fancy restaurants are boosting the luxury level, often adopting practices from restaurants that have received star ratings in other cities.

In this, there’s the risk of a certain sameness taking hold in a city always known for its own cuisine, and something like an arms race of expensive amenities pushing prices higher.

But the upside is seeing excellent restaurants hitting a higher gear while also taking their Creole source material along for the ride. That’s what

can keep worldly dining experiences rooted with a distinctive Louisiana sense of place.

The peak of this is the new Emeril’s Restaurant and its tasting menu. But other examples of note have emerged.

Restaurant R’evolution in the French Quarter was never a humble affair. But last spring, the restaurant added a new chef’s tasting menu that takes it to a different level.

This is a chef John Folse restaurant, so his tasting menu is an interpretation of the Louisiana cuisine for which he is a famous and devoted ambassador. The R’evolution kitchen is led by his chef de cuisine, Chris Anderson, who is a veteran of the Michelin-starred Chicago restaurants Moto and Alinea.

They’re serving a six-course tasting menu for $200, with a $120 optional wine pairing. It’s served at the food counter, a table looking into the open-hearth demonstration kitchen; or in the restaurant’s private rooms, and diners need to book at least two days in advance.

A trio of canapés served on goldpainted oyster shells starts it off. Cue the smoky vapor drift.

The tuna tartare remains raw but tastes blackened. A decadent foie gras course is disguised as a small doughnut. Truffle is shaved as if it were Parmesan over bucatini that brings hogs head cheese to the party. The quail dish suggests haute cuisine at a hunting camp.

The flavors of a crawfish boil are encapsulated in a cannelloni shape with the texture of aspic, with a smoky-sweet accoutrement that looks like powdered sugar but is memorably dubbed “andouille snow.”

This is all Louisiana, but more high touch and high concept than R’evolution’s regular restaurant menu, which is plenty indulgent in its own right. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Hot Dish

THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF LES DAMES D’ESCOFFIER INTERNATIONAL , a philanthropic women’s culinary group, is

holding its annual Hot Dish fundraiser on Oct. 22 at Paradigm Gardens.

The participating chefs are Meg Bickford of Commander’s Palace, Justin Devillier of La Petite Grocery, Kaitlin Guerin of Lagniappe Bakehouse, Sophina Uong of Mister Mao, Maggie Scales of La Boulangerie and the Link Restaurant Group, Chaya Conrad of Bywater Bakery, Amy Mehrtens of Copper Vine and Scot Craig of Katie’s Restaurant. The chefs will serve an array of small bites and some cocktails are included. There also is a cash bar.

Proceeds support the group’s Leading from the Heart Awards, a grant program to support women in the local food world. Last year, it awarded $2,500 each to Sinnidra Taylor, who opened the Codey’s NOLA commissary kitchen and incubator, and Thuy Pham, founder of NOLA Nite Market.

Hot Dish is 6:30-9 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 22, and the patron party begins at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 via lesdamesnola.org/ hot-dish-2025. — Will Coviello

WI NE OF THE WEEK

Matua SauvignonBlanc

This classic Marlborough SauvignonBlanc is deliciouslypure, bursting withripe lemon citrus notesand hints of passion fruit and basil. The palate is fresh and vibrantwith concentratedblack currantleafand atouch of classic cut grass and green melon.

DISTRIBUTED BY

John T. Edge

Writer by Will Coviello

AUTHOR JOHN T. EDGE’S FIRST PUBLISHED MAGAZINE PIECE was an account of working a Lucky Dogs cart on Bourbon Street. He went on to become the founding director of the Southern Foodways Alliance and led its documenting of food culture in the South for two decades. His books include “The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South.”

In his just-released memoir, “House of Smoke,” he recounts growing up in rural Georgia and his later move to Oxford, Mississippi, where Southern Foodways is based. He currently also is the host of the TV series “TrueSouth.”

He will discuss and sign his memoir at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, at Garden District Book Shop. For more information, visit johntedge.com.

You

open the book talking about reevaluating your past view of the Confederate South and recognizing your mother’s struggles with alcohol.

JOHN T. EDGE: My reckoning with my mother and the combining of those two narrative threads began when our son went off to college. To ready him to go off to college, I wrote him an instruction manual, everything from how to grill a rib-eye to how not to scrape your chair across the floor when you’re in a restaurant.

I realized that I had prepared him in many ways for life beyond our house, but I hadn’t allowed my mother into our house. I had written her out of the stories that I told about myself. So I began in that moment to write about my mother.

That for me was the beginning. I wrote an Oxford American essay called “My Mother’s Catfish Stew,” and the response to that told me that my family story might resonate with other people.

As a boy, I saw my mother as this woman of great social intelligence and social abilities. I saw her as outrageous in the best sort of way. I saw her as someone who subverted small town morals and belief systems. Even though she draped our house in a cloak of the Lost Cause, she was progressive in many ways about race relations and other things. She was complicated and full of contradictions.

I didn’t understand the central contradiction that some of that bravado was alcohol fueled. I didn’t

really understand that. When you’re young, you accept the house in which you live — at least I did — and I assumed that was the way it was for others. When you write a memoir, you stack up scenes and you triangulate them with research, and you lay it all out on a timeline. Each one of those steps reveals something new, including the depth of my mother’s alcoholism. My mother brought much joy to my life, but at the same time she had a disease. Alcoholism is a disease. I may have said those words before I wrote this book, but I don’t think I actually believed them. But now I do.

How did your view of the South change?

EDGE: The thing I tried to do with this book is to revise and rewrite the stories that I inherited — from my family, from the South. My wife reminds me often that to revise is “revision,” to see again.

The South demands of those who live here to see beyond the moonlight and myths, to sidestep all those stories that hamstring us and see what the South actually is. To do that you have to have a working knowledge of the past. You also want to have a genuine appreciation of the present to understand that a banh mi in this moment is as much a part of New Orleans culture as a po-boy.

Our son is 24. He grew up eating tacos al pastor and drinking horchata as often as he ate chopped pork barbecue with slaw on a white bread bun with a sweet tea. The hard work, I would argue, is this mythologizing the South that depends too much on the past. That’s hard work.

I borrow this from anthropologists: Culture is a process, not a product. The South isn’t fixed in 1861. It’s not fixed in 1961 or 2016. I often get questions from people who are bemoaning changes in the South. I would argue the South is the most dynamic region of our country at this moment. Immigration is reshaping the South. Economics are reshaping the South. Politics are reshaping the South. That’s what got us here. We’re defined by dynamism far more than tradition, but we’re still singing the old song. I want us to learn a new song.

With food culture being influenced by things like social media and TV cooking competitions, what advice would you give to people covering food?

EDGE: Find the longest serving dishwasher at Galatoire’s and write about them. Write a story every other week about (oyster shucker) Thomas Stewart at Pascal’s Manale. Chart his life.

One thing I will say is I feel we put too much pressure on restaurants. We ask restaurants to pay their people very well, treat us very well, and practice progressive politics and somehow manage to make some money and serve as lodestars of culture. That’s a lot to ask of a restaurant.

And also, try to figure out where people are really eating. Not just the aspirational places where they might eat. Document the places where they do eat. There is a world of stories out there, and New Orleans has such a rich culture. People inside and outside of New Orleans talk about the professional cadre of waiters and waitresses and line cooks. It’s not a weigh station, it’s a career. I still don’t think we know enough about the people who make New Orleans restaurants run.

(On this book tour) I am stepping back into places I have lived and places I have loved, and New Orleans is one of those places. I have made so many deep friendships there. It’s a joy to get to go back.

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.

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. $$$

Bamboula’s — 514 Frenchmen St.; bamboulasmusic.com — The live music venue’s kitchen offers a menu of traditional and creative Creole dishes, such as Creole crawfish crepes with goat cheese and chardonnay sauce. Reservations accepted. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. $$

The Blue Crab Restaurant and Oyster Bar — 118 Harbor View Court, Slidell, (985) 315-7001; 7900 Lakeshore Drive, (504) 284-2898; thebluecrabnola.com — Basin barbecue shrimp are served with rosemary garlic butter sauce over cheese grits with a cheese biscuit. The menu includes po-poys, fried seafood platters, raw and char-grilled oysters, boiled seafood in season, and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lakeview: Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. Slidell: Lunch Wed.-Fri., dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Sat.-Sun. $$

Broussard’s — 819 Conti St., (504) 581-3866; broussards.com — The menu of contemporary Creole dishes includes bronzed redfish with jumbo lump crabmeat, lemon beurre blanc and vegetables. Brunch includes Benedicts, avocado toast, chicken and waffles, turtle soup and more. Reservations recommended. Outdoor seating available in the courtyard. Dinner Wed.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$$

Cafe Normandie — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The menu combines classic French dishes and Louisiana items like crab beignets with herb aioli. Sandwiches include po-boys, a muffuletta on flatbread and a burger. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.-Mon. $$

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. $$

Curio — 301 Royal St., (504) 717-4198; curionola.com — The creative Creole menu includes blackened Gulf shrimp served with chicken and andouille jambalaya. There also are crab cakes, shrimp and grits, crawfish

$ — average dinner entrée under $10

$$ $11-$20

$$$ — $20-up

etouffee, po-boys and more. Outdoor seating available on balcony. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dahla — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 766-6602; dahlarestaurant.com — The menu includes popular Thai dishes like pad thai, drunken noodles, curries and fried rice. Crispy skinned duck basil is prepared with vegetables and Thai basil. Delivery available. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$

Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; 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, 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. $$$

El Pavo Real — 4401 S. Broad Ave., (504) 266-2022; elpavorealnola.com — The menu includes tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, ceviche. tamales and more. Pescado Vera Cruz features sauteed Gulf fish topped with tomatoes, olives, onion and capers, served with rice and string beans. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and early dinner Tue.-Sat. $$

Juan’s Flying Burrito — 515 Baronne St., (504) 529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., (504) 569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-9950; 8140 Oak St., (504) 897-4800; juansflyingburrito.com — The Flying Burrito includes steak, shrimp, chicken, cheddar jack cheese, black beans, rice, guacamole and salsa. The menu also includes tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, salads, rice and bean bowls with various toppings and more. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Thu.-Tue. $$

Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban 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. $$

Kilroy’s Bar — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The all-day bar menu includes sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbreads and a couple entrees. A muffuletta flatbread is topped with salami, mortadella, capicola, mozzarella and olive salad. No reservations. Lunch Fri.-Mon., 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 steak and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops and a la carte toppings include bernaise, 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. $$

Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The menu of Japanese cuisine includes sushi, signature rolls, tempura items, udon noodle dishes, 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. $$

Neyow’s Creole Cafe — 3332 Bienville St., (504) 827-5474; neyows.com — The menu includes red beans and rice with fried chicken or pork chops, as well as shrimp Creole, seafood platters, po-boys, chargrilled and raw oysters, salads and more. Side items include carrot souffle, mac and cheese, cornbread dressing, sweet potato tots and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat., brunch Sun. $$

Nice Guys Bar & Grill — 7910 Earhart Blvd., (504) 302-2404; niceguysbarandgrillnola. com — Char-grilled oysters are topped with cheese and garlic butter, and other options include oysters Rockefeller and loaded oysters. The creative menu also includes seafood bread, a Cajun-lobster potato, wings, quesadillas, burgers, salads, sandwiches, seafood pasta, loaded fries and more. No reservations. Lunch daily, dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers cheese boards and appetizers to nosh with wines. The menu includes Creole pasta with shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$

Parish Grill — 4650 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 100, Metairie, (504) 345-2878; parishgrill. com — The menu includes a variety of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, pizza and salads. For an appetizer, sauteed andouille is served with fig preserves, blue cheese and toast points. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Mon.-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. $$

Rosie’s on the Roof — Higgins Hotel, 480 Andrew Higgins Blvd., (504) 528-1941; higginshotelnola.com/dining — The rooftop bar has a menu of sandwiches, burgers and small plates. Crab beignets are made with Gulf crabmeat and mascarpone and served with herb aioli. No reservations. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$

Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 9343463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, littleneck 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. $$

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 veggie sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$

FomCreole Goddess to SirenofteResistance

OCTOBER 17,2025 –7:00P.M. -9:00 P.M. OCTOBER 18,2025–2:00P.M. -4:00P.M. | OCTOBER 19,2025 –2:00 P.M. -4:00P.M.

NewOrleans singer and entertainerAnaïs St.John brings to life Josephine Baker’sextraordinary story and wartime service. Scanthe QR CODE for Tickets andDetails

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of Harlem presents contemporary and forward-thinking dance works, following in the vision of founder and longtime director Arthur Mitchell, who was the first Black principal dancer at the New York City Ballet before founding this company. The program includes work by George Balanchine, a co-founder of the New York City Ballet, plus pieces by William Forsythe, Jodie Gates and Robert Garland. The New Orleans Ballet Association presents the show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Tickets $32-$212 via nobadance.com.

Abita Fall Fest

The festival brings music, food vendors, Abita beers, a wine garden, a kids’ zone and more to Abita Springs Trailhead Park. The music lineup features Anders Osborne, Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes, Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys, The Iguanas, Dash Rip Rock, Logan Michael, Creole String Beans and more on three stages. The gates open at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, and 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Singleday admission $20 and up, and $15 and up for children. Find tickets and information on abitafallfest.com.

Que Pasa Fest

The festival celebrates Latin Culture with music and food. The lineup features Fuerza Tropical, Grupo Recuerdos, Javier Olondo & AsheSon and Sensational Line Dance Group on Saturday, Oct. 11. Sunday brings Fermin Ceballos & Merengue4, Las Catrachas, Grupo Sensacion and Rumba Buena. There are more than a dozen food vendors, as well as craft vendors and nonprofit booths. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. in Lafreniere Park in Metairie. Find details at quepasafest.org.

Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group

Over four decades and a dozen albums, Texas musician Lyle Lovett has crafted his own blend of country, folk, blues and jazz, and enjoyed considerable success leading his big band. He’s also acted in numerous films and lived in the celebrity limelight while briefly married to Julia Roberts. But music is his preferred form of storytelling, and with his slimmed down Acoustic Group line-up he sings and shares stories. At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8, at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Tickets $72 and up via ticketmaster.com.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Donna’s Presents Kermit Rufns

For nearly 20 years, Donna Poniatowski Sims and her late husband Charlie Sims ran Donna’s Bar and Grill on N. Rampart Street, a busy music venue that became a hub for many local musicians but especially for brass bands. Donna’s closed in 2010, but last month, the namesake owner launched “Donna’s Presents,” a monthly event at Chickie Wah Wah featuring musicians who once played the bar. There’s also free red beans and rice with barbecue chicken, another Donna’s tradition. The next edition features Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9. Tickets are $26.96 via chickiewahwah.com.

Anika

Annika Henderson was working as a political journalist and political promoter when she met Portishead’s Geoff Barrow, who invited Henderson to record an experimental record with the band Beak>. The recording led to Henderson’s first album as Anika, and she has gone on to record another three, well-received albums mixing dub, psychedelia and post-punk with experimental aspects. Anika’s latest album, “Abyss,” was released by Sacred Bones Records in April, and she plays Gasa Gasa at 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 9. Silver Godling opens. Tickets are $30.62 via gasagasanola.com.

‘Tura!’

Tura Satana was an exotic dancer and pin-up model who said she briefly dated Elvis Presley, but she may be best known as the kick-ass star of Russ Meyer’s cult classic exploitation film “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” This documentary explores her life and legacy, with interviews with John Waters and Dita Von Teese. At 7 p.m. daily at Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge starting Friday, Oct. 10. Find information at zeitgeistnola.org.

Japan Fest

There’s everything from traditional Japanese martial arts to taiko drumming, dance, cosplayers, J-pop and more. There also is plenty of Japanese food, a market and cultural group booths. Presented by the New Orleans Museum of Art and Japan Society of New Orleans inside and outside the museum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11. Admission $10. Find information at noma.org or japansocietyofneworleans. wildapricot.org.

Saturday Nov. 8

10 am–4 pm

600 N. BroadAve.

NewOrleans,LA 70119

acommunitypartnership supported by Newcomb ArtMuseum

SUNDAY OCT 12 2025

DATE: OCTOBER 27 RESERVE SPACE BY OCTOBER 17

MUSIC

To learn more about adding your event to the music calendar, please email listingsedit@gambitweekly.com

MONDAY 6

30/90 Margie Perez, 6 pm; Piano Man ‘G’, 9 pm

ALLWAYS LOUNGE Betsy Propane & The Accessories, 7 pm; Bella Joan ft. The Bob Gagnon Quartet, 9:30 pm

APPLE BARREL — Mark Appleford, 6 pm

BACCHANAL Byron Asher, 7 pm

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

BEANLANDIA Treme Brass Band, 6 pm

BUFFA’S — David Doucet, 7 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL Lit Band, 7 pm

CAPULET — Layla Musselwhite, 6 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Valley Flower, 8 pm

DBA Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; The Jump Hounds, 9 pm

DOS JEFES John Fohl, 8:30 pm

THE FILLMORE — Nxworries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge), 8 pm

GASA GASA — WTUL Fall Bash, 8 pm

HOLY DIVER Cast of Thousands + Badzy + Ben Polaroid & His Psychic Friends, 10 pm

HOUSE OF BLUES Ocean Alley + Bird & Byron, 8 pm

HOWLIN’ WOLF Andrea’s False Consciousness + Arath + Walking On Sunshine + We Dream of Being Ghosts Among the Stars, 8:30 pm

MAHALIA JACKSON THEATRE — Empire of the Sun, 8 pm

THE MAISON — Eight Dice Cloth, 5 pm; Gene’s Music Machine, 8:30 pm

MAPLE LEAF BAR Runnin Pardners, 8 pm

MRB Ben Buchbinder, 7 pm

NO DICE — Ofine Monday with Mikey Ofine, 9 pm

OKAY BAR — Django Jazz + Red Beans

Hosted by Bayou Manouche, 7:30 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL — Jazz Vipers, 9 pm

SATURN BAR — BC Coogan, 8:30 pm

ST. ROCH TAVERN T Marie & Bayou Juju + Petunia, 9 pm

TUESDAY 7

30/90 Sugar & the Daddies, 6 pm; Higher Heights, 9 pm

APPLE BARREL Bubbles Brown, 6 pm

BACCHANAL — Willie Green, 6 pm

BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER Bruisey's

Bottoms Up Open Mic, 9 pm

BUFFA’S Alex McMurray, 7 pm

CAFE NEGRIL The-Super-MostFantastic-Blues-N-Such-Jam, 7 pm

CAPULET — Brazilia, 6 pm

DBA — James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 6 pm; Kid Chocolate & The Free POC, 9 pm

DIXON CONCERT HALL

Beilman-Finckel-Han Piano Trio Plays Schubert, 7:30 pm

DIXON HALL ANNEX Benjamin

Beilman, Violin - David Finckel, Cello - Wu Han, Piano, 7:30 pm

DOS JEFES — Tom Hook, 8:30 pm

IRENE’S — Monty Banks, 6 pm

MARIGNY OPERA HOUSE — Everything in Motion: Michael Watson & The Alchemy, 8 pm

MRB DJ Mr. Bubble, 7 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE Rebirth Brass Band, 10 pm

ROYAL FRENCHMEN HOTEL — Trumpet Mafa, 6 pm; 9 pm

SALON SALON — Jérémie Henan, 7 pm

THE SAENGER THEATRE — Kimberly Akimbo , 7:30 pm

SATURN BAR Shudawgy + Mira Lazuli + Dandelioness, 9 pm

WEDNESDAY 8

30/90 Dapper Dandies, 6 pm; The Budz, 9 pm

BACCHANAL — Jesse Morrow, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S — Jacky Blaire & The Hot Biscuits, 12 pm; Swinging with John Saavedra, 4:30 pm; Walker & The 3 Finger Swingers, 9 pm

BANKS STREET BAR — Gregg Hill, 7 pm

BJ'S LOUNGE BYWATER Joey's Survivor 49 Watch Party + Secret Movie, 7 pm

BLUE NILE — Kota Dosa, 8 pm

BUFFA’S — Mark Carroll & Friends, 7 pm

CAFÉ DEGAS Gizinti Trio, 6 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL — Sugar & The Daddies, 5:30 pm; Jam-ilton, 8:30 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH Jon Cleary, 8 pm

DBA — Stephen Walker N’em, 6 pm; Lagniappe Brass Band, 9:30 pm

DOS JEFES — Joe Krown, 8:30 pm

GASA GASA Dohn Collective, 8 pm

JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Big Sam ft. Gerald French, 7 pm

JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS

CENTER — Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group, 7:30 pm

LONGUE VUE HOUSE & GARDENS

Twilight Series: Freddie Blue & The Friendship Circle, 5 pm

Anderson Paak performs with Knxwledge at The Fillmore Monday, Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.

MARIGNY BRASSERIE — Legacy Jazz Band, 7 pm

MRB — Lynn Drury, 7 pm

NO DICE Night Fires Two Step Lessons, 8 pm

SATURN BAR — TC Superstar + Hey Thanks + Drugstore Lipstick, 9 pm

THE SAENGER THEATRE — Kimberly Akimbo , 7:30 pm

THURSDAY 9

30/90 Organami, 6 pm; Kayla Jasmine, 9 pm

ABITA NEW ORLEANS — Jazz Series with Jenavieve & The Winding Boys, 6 pm

APPLE BARREL — Bubbles Brown, 6 pm

BAMBOULA’S JJ & The A OK’s, 12 pm; Cristina Kaminis & The Mix, 4:30 pm; Wolfe John’s Band, 9 pm

BACCHANAL Raphael Bas, 6 pm

BLUE NILE — Irvin Mayfeld, 9 pm; 11 pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM

DJ T-Roy, 11 pm

BMC — Spot Holders, 5:30 pm; The Budz, 9 pm

BUFFA’S — Tom McDermott & Susanne Ortner, 7 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL — Sunny Side, 6 pm; Armani Smith & Soul Ties, 10 pm

CAPULET — Mia Borders Acoustic Trio, 6 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Kermit Rufns & The Barbecue Swinger, 9 pm

DBA Colin Davis & Night People, 9:30 pm

DOUBLE DEALER The Silver Lining Serenaders, 9 pm

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL Live music at Chandelier Bar with David Torkanowsky , 6 pm

GASA GASA — ANIKA + Silver Godling, 9 pm

HOUSE OF BLUES — Tony Seville & The Cadillacs, 7 pm

IRENE’S — Monty Banks, 6 pm

JOLIE — Jolie Gautreau, 5 pm

LASALLE RESTAURANT, HILTON

AIRPORT — April Spain, 6 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ The Soul Rebels, 11 pm

MRB — Micah McKee & Friends, 7 pm

NO DICE — Nite Fires Two Step Lessons, 9 pm

ORPHEUM THEATER — LPO: Hungarian Dances, 7:30 pm

ROCK 'N' BOWL — Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, 8 pm

SALON SALON — Evan Oberla, 7 pm

THE SAENGER THEATRE — Kimberly Akimbo , 7:30 pm

SATURN BAR — The Pause, Dissolves, and Atomic Broad, 9 pm

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

FRIDAY 10

30/90 Jon Roniger & The Good For Nothin’ Band, 2 pm; Lil’ Red & Big Bad, 5 pm; The New Orleans Johnnys, 8 pm; Deltaphonic, 11 pm

ABITA SPRINGS TRAILHEAD

MUSEUM Abita Fall Fest, 11 am

ABITA SPRINGS TRAILHEAD

MUSEUM Abita Fall Fest After Dark, 5 pm

ARORA — smith. + Montcyler, 10 pm

BACCHANAL Willie Green, 7 pm

BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers’ Funk Box, 8 pm; Kermit Rufns & Friends, 10 pm

BLUE NILE BALCONY ROOM The Repeat Ofenders, 10:30 pm

BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK — The Bad Sandys, 8 pm

BROADSIDE — Dave Jordan’s Swamp Sessions, 8 pm

BUFFA’S — T Marie & Bayou Juju, 8 pm

CARROLLTON STATION — Gold

Connections + Lisbon Girls + Noa Jamir, 8 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Tyler Halverson, 9 pm

DBA — Mia Borders, 6 pm; Glen Davis Andrews, 10 pm

DOS JEFES The Afrodiziac’s Jazz, 9 pm

DOUBLE DEALER Tifany Pollack, 9:30 pm

GASA GASA — Quadrolholics with Dana Ives, Hey Thanks!, and Kidd Love, 9 pm

GOOD MEASURE — DJ Aliyuhhh Spins, 9 pm

THE JOY THEATRE — Japanese Breakfast + Spelling, 8 pm

LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ

Lynn Drury, 11 pm

THE MAISON Feral Housecats ft. Smoky Greenwell, 8 pm

MUSIC BOX VILLAGE Blue House

Music Family Concert, 6 pm

NO DICE — Guerilla Toss + Spllit, 9 pm; LVCD & Friends, 12 am

PONTCHARTRAIN PARK — Gentilly Fest , 6 pm

THE RABBIT HOLE The Drop [Dubstep Rave], 10 pm

ROCK 'N' BOWL Supercharger, 8:30 pm

THE BROADSIDE — Dave Jordan's Swamp Sessions: A John Prine Birthday Celebration, 8 pm

THE JOY THEATER — Japanese Breakfast, 8 pm

THE PRESS ROOM AT THE ELIZA

JANE — Or Shovaly Plus, 4 pm

SATURN BAR — Gitkin & Carol C, 9 pm

THE SAENGER THEATRE Kimberly Akimbo , 7:30 pm

THE STALLION BAR — Late Night Karaoke at The Stallion Bar , 9:30 pm

TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHRUCH —

Crescent City Chamber Music FestivalFree Concerts Oct. 10-19, 7 pm

VARIOUS LOCATIONS — Crescent City Chamber Music Festival, 12 am

SATURDAY 11

30/90 Anne Elise & The Swamp Circus, 2 pm; Jef Chaz Blues, 5 pm; Colin Davis & Night People, 8 pm; T. Cherrelle & Lou’s Bayou, 11 pm

BANKS STREET BAR Minos the Saint, 9 pm

BLUE NILE George Brown Band, 7:30 pm; Afrobeat NOLA, 10 pm

BROADSIDE — Where Y’acht 10th Anniversary Show, 8 pm

BUFFA’S — Bruno Elisabetsky, 8 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH Papa Mali

Presents: Papa Mali with Kirk JosephNew Orleans Blues & Funk, 9 pm

DOUBLE DEALER Neil Simmons, 9:30 pm

FUR BEBE CAFE — Craig Cortello, The "Canine Crooner" , 10 am

GOOD MEASURE — Champagne Classic Afterparty, 9 pm

GASA GASA JAKE FEST, 4 pm

GOOD MEASURE — Champagne

Classic Afterparty ft. DJ Jess, 9 pm

HOLY DIVER NOLA — E.T.D., Penetration, & So Awful, 8 pm

THE HOWLIN’ WOLF — Psychedelislide presented by Marc Stone, 9 pm

LAFRENIERE PARK Que Pasa Fest 2025, 11 am

NOLA BREWING & PIZZA CO Charlie & The Tropicales, 7 pm

PONTCHARTRAIN PARK — Gentilly Fest , 12 pm

PUBLIC BELT AT HILTON NEW ORLEANS RIVERSIDE — Phil Melancon, 8 pm

RABBIT HOLE — Amor Fest, 11 am

ROCK 'N' BOWL The Topcats, 8:30 pm

SMOOTHIE KING CENTER $UICIDEBOY$, 6:30 pm

THE PRESS ROOM AT THE ELIZA

JANE — Or Shovaly Plus, 4 pm

THE SAENGER THEATRE — Kimberly Akimbo , 7:30 pm

SUNDAY 12

30/90 Jake Landry Band, 3 pm; Andre Lovett, 6 pm; Manic Mixtape, 9 pm

BJ’S LOUNGE BYWATER — James McClaskey and the Rhythm Band, 9 pm

BLUE NILE — Street Legends Brass Band, 9 pm

BOURBON STREET HONKY TONK The Bad Sandys, 8 pm

BROADSIDE The Blues Picnic ft. Little Freddie King and more, 12:30 pm

BUFFA’S — Old Souls, 7 pm

CAFÉ NEGRIL Chase N Sasquatch, 5 pm; Zena Moses & Rue Fiya, 9 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Easy JimMusic of the Grateful Dead, 8 pm

DBA — Vegas Cola Band, 9 pm

GASA GASA — The Legendary Pink Dots + Bride, 9 pm

HOWLIN WOLF — Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm

LAFRENIERE PARK — Que Pasa Fest 2025, 11 am

NO DICE Dykeadance Vol. 2 with Tristan Dufrene B2B + Freak POV + Aila, 9 pm

OKAY BAR — Maddy Kirgo + Sofa Mock + Marley Hale, 7 pm

PONTCHARTRAIN PARK — Gentilly Fest, 12 pm

SATURN BAR Phantom Sam + Hypno Nun + Bone Orchard, 9 pm

MUSIC

Social battery life

by Jake Clapp

MICHELLE ZAUNER HAS HAD TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME in front of a lot of people the last few years. In 2021, the indie rock musician first released her poignant memoir, “Crying in H Mart,” which went on to spend 55 weeks on The New York Times best-seller list. Later in the year, Zauner’s band, Japanese Breakfast, exploded with “Jubilee.”

The album, Zauner’s third as Japanese Breakfast, was immediately well-received for the band’s dream pop turn and the joy on the record. “Jubilee” earned a Grammy nomination for best alternative music album, and Japanese Breakfast received a best new artist nod. Tours filled the next few years.

also turns outward to imagine the stories of a man living by the sea in a Winnebago RV, a woman married to an unfaithful man and disillusioned incels.

“I was really showcasing a really extroverted, joyful and playful side of myself, and then after touring that album for three years and doing these boisterous in-your-face songs, I think I naturally missed playing the guitar,” Zauner says.

Like how some people may follow up a busy, socially active week by staying home for a bit, Zauner says, she decided to swing in the opposite direction on the latest Japanese Breakfast album, “For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women).”

“After being so extroverted, I found myself feeling introverted and melancholic and wanting to explore that side of me,” Zauner says. “Naturally you want to express different sides of yourself, and that’s what I wanted with this record, something that was a little moodier and a little more contemplative.”

“For Melancholy Brunettes” was released in March, and Japanese Breakfast has been spending much of this year on tour, including a New Orleans show at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at the Joy Theater. California indie pop artist SPELLLING will open.

The album is, in fact, full of melancholy, but rather than darkness and mourning, it’s the kind of romantic perception of sadness that’s inspired countless poets, artists and musicians. Zauner has explored personal grief in her past work, particularly on the first Japanese Breakfast album, “Psychopomp,” following her mother’s death. Her memoir also is a touching reflection on her mother, family and grief as well as growing up as a Korean-American in Oregon.

“For Melancholy Brunettes” draws on thoughts about her father and questions about success, but Zauner

The murder ballad-esque “Men in Bars,” which features actor Jeff Bridges, was inspired by the Kenny Rogers classic “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town.” And there’s a number of literary Easter eggs in the lyrics amid the guitar-forward, string-heavy indie rock.

Across the 10 years Zauner has been recording as Japanese Breakfast, she always worked with friends at their homes or warehouse studios to make records happen. But “For Melancholy Brunettes” was recorded at the famed Sound City Studios, and the band turned to guitarist Blake Mills, who has worked with Fiona Apple and Bob Dylan, to produce it.

“I wanted to step out of my comfort zone and be challenged,” Zauner says.

She says she learned a lot from the experience and that it was good to be in the back seat in terms of production decisions. But she expects she’ll be “in a more directorial role” for the next album.

After living with the introverted “For Melancholy Brunettes” for a while, Zauner says she may be ready to turn her attention back to boisterous, outgoing pop songs.

“Now when I put out a record, I really live with it for quite a long time,” she says. “It impacts my life in a real way. So it’s natural that what I write about is kind of responding to that experience. Now that I’ve had this moody, artsy record, I’m like, ‘Oh, I really want to make something really poppy and something I can enjoy and dance to again.’ ” Find the band at japanesebreakfast. rocks. Tickets for the Oct. 10 show are $33.35 via thejoytheater.com.

Blues in the Square

Will Coviello

THE CRESCENT CITY BLUES AND BBQ FESTIVAL IS FULL OF LOCAL TALENT and brings musicians including Jontavious Willis, Carolyn Wonderland, Hubby Jenkins, Vasti Jackson and more to Lafayette Square on Friday, Oct. 10, through Sunday, Oct. 11. The fest also offers an array of barbecue styles, including Southern, Latin and Vietnamese flavors.

Opening night is headlined by Tab Benoit. The Houma native has been focused on the blues since he was a teenager, and he released albums at a clip of almost one per year from the early ’90s through 2012. After a dozen-year gap, he released “I Hear Thunder,” recorded with Anders Osborne, in 2024, and it pays tribute to local bluesmen like Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. He performs at 7 p.m. Friday.

Vocalist Sierra Green mixes soul, blues and R&B in her sound. She and her band, the Giants, open the festival at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Leo Nocentelli is best known for funk and his guitar work with the Meters, but he plays the Camp Street Stage’s final set at 5:45 p.m. Saturday. Local blues stalwarts performing on Saturday include Mem Shannon and the Membership, Eric Johanson and Ed Willis and Blues 4 Sale.

Georgia’s Jontavious Willis grew up singing in church and got hooked on traditional blues. He toured with Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal following the release of their 2017 “TajMo” album, and they then helped him with the recording of his 2019 album “Spectacular Class.” He released “West Georgia Blues” last year. He performs at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Texas guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Carolyn Wonderland is best known for playing the blues, but she mixes in Boudin Circuit and Latin sounds as well. She was the lead guitarist for British rocker John Mayall’s band until he died in 2024. Most recently, Wonderland released “Truth Is” on Alligator Records. She performs at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Saturday closes with the Devon Allman Blues Summit, featuring the Devon Allman Project Band, blues guitarist Larry McCray, Jimmy Hall and Sierra Green. They perform at 7 p.m. Sunday kicks off with Tyron Benoit, Tab Benoit’s brother, at 11 a.m.

Banjoist and guitarist Hubby Jenkins is a former member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and also was in former Chocolate Drop member Rhiannon Giddens’ band. He focuses on roots and folk music. He performs at 3:15 p.m. Sunday. McComb, Mississippi native Vasti Jackson has split time in his long career between his own electric blues and producing records and supporting others, from former New Orleanian Henry Butler to Bobby Rush. His last album was a celebration of the music of Jimmie Rodgers. He performs at 5:45 p.m. Sunday. Cindy Cashdollar plays steel guitar and dobro and was a member of the country outfit Asleep at the Wheel. She’s known for an Americana mix of bluegrass, country and Western swing. She’s joined by keyboardist Brian Mitchell and Louisiana bluesman Sonny Landreth at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Now in his 90s, raucous bluesman and singer Bobby Rush just keeps releasing new albums and collecting awards, including Grammys in 2021 and last year. He closes the festival with a set starting at 7 p.m. Sunday. The festival has more than a dozen food vendors, with traditional barbecue from Central City BBQ, Cochon King BBQ and more. Magasin Vietnamese Cafe offers smoked brisket pho, and Que Pasta NOLA offers empanadas and carne asada-filled pupusas. Steakman Catering has char-grilled oysters and more seafood items, while Numada has jerk chicken and other Caribbean flavors. Several vendors have vegan dishes as well. The festival also has an art market, and a music tent from Louisiana Music Factory, where some artists will sign autographs after their sets.

For more information, visit jazzandheritage.org.

PREMIER CROSSWORD PUZZLE

JOURNALISTIC SET

By Frank A. Longo

1 Principal part of a ship’s

9 Glucose and dextrose 15 Want greatly 20 Phrase before a memoir co-author 21 Result of iron deficiency 22 Opponent

Question to someone barking orders

26 Wriggly fish

27 Extinct bird

28 Swerving billiards shot 29 Teeny

Suspenseful NFL periods

Highest price customers are amenable to paying

“Less filling” Miller beer 48 Prefix similar to “equi-”

Vaccination fluids

Neighbor of Monterey Park, Calif.

Connections

Maximum

Rustic hotel 58 Lean- -- (simple huts)

59 Time to steel oneself and power through

66 Congregated

67 Goes past the time limit

68 Cold shoulder preventer?

69 A humidifier moistens it 71 Suddenly blazing stars

73 Pungent salad veggie

77 Lhasa -- (small dogs)

80 Official assisting a referee

83 “Rapa- --” (1994 Esai Morales film)

84 Classic Maurice Sendak book

89 Cabinet dept. focused on homes

MOTIVATEDSELLER. Recently Renovated. UpscaleKit w/ SS Appls, Gorgeous Waterfall GraniteCounter &WineRack. Wd Flrs.Lrg,SpaciousLiv & DinAreas.New 10-yrWarrty HVAC Sysinstalled in May, 2024.Immaculate, Bathroom.Full-sizedComm’lStyle Gym& Sauna. NewSaltwater Pool &Hot Tub, LrgPatio w/ OutdoorTV’s&Grills(completedinSpring, 2025). 24-HrSecurity&Gated Prkg Spot.Str-car outsideFront Door.Enjoy MardiGrasParades from your home!!!Easy access to Uptown,Downtown, I-10 &FrQtr $248,500

“-- culpa”

Wedge for filling a gap

Show fatigue reflexively

Mother on “Bewitched”

Aruba, e.g.

Jesus’ words after “My God, my God,” in Matthew

“You bet!,” in Baja

Favorite cereal of a “silly rabbit”

-- loss for words”

H-bomb, e.g.

“Lummox” author Fannie

“A Town Like Alice” author Shute

Large pianos

Clingy wrap

Like a banjo’s sound 65 On in years 70 Bern’s river 72 Comic Rogen

74 Very shortly

75 “Smith” is the commonest one in the United States

76 Hasten

begin this puzzle’s long

78 Resistance unit

79 Understand the point 81 Bake, as an egg 82 Brunch cocktail

“Close call!”

“Come again?”

Elle King’s “Ex’s & --”

Lambastes

Auction unit

Former Volkswagen seven-seater

101 “Freedom” singer Jon 103 Shin’s place

105 Soldier’s steel helmet

106 Best in quality

107 Yaks, e.g.

108 Wichiata site

113 Thunder god

114 Lasso, e.g.

115 Stupefies

117 Tasting of wood, as wine 118 Move a bit

Session with a dr., e.g. 122 -- Field (Mrs. Met’s home)

Deep anger

Greek vowel

“La-la” lead-in

Fight like Ali

Actor Ayres 129 Snaky letter