PHOTO ABOVE: CAITLYN RIDENOUR | The real estate encompassing the French Quarter Festival expands by seven stages to include the French Market, the Old U.S. Mint, and the new Spanish Plaza stage which debuted last year. Here are our picks for day two of the annual event. The full schedule is here.
Bluesman and bandleader Marc Stone kicks things off at 11 AM on the Pavilion stage in Woldenberg Park. Stone has been delivering impassioned performances with top-notch musicians in interesting configurations for years. Festival season is his bread and butter, so expect a first class show.
Sweet Crude, led by Sam Craft and Alexis Marceaux (pictured at top), have been TVD favorites since the francophone indie band’s debut performance. They play on the Abita Beer stage at 12:35 PM. Expect high energy dance music to get at least some of the crowd up and out of their chairs.
Chris Mulé (pictured above) is best known as the searing lead guitarist for the Honey Island Swamp Band. Here he leads his own band, the Perpetrators, through a more thorough investigation of blues-based rock. They hit on the Big River stage at 2 PM.
Speaking of searing guitar work, Christian Duque leads Soul Project NOLA. This high-energy band plays regularly on Frenchmen Street and brings a younger vibe to the soul and R&B traditions of New Orleans. Duque’s work is inspired by his musical mentor Walter “Wolfman” Washington.
Make sure you head over to the Esplanade in the Shade stage by the Old U.S. Mint for the Batture Boys (pictured above) at 5:30 PM. This “new” band features two stalwarts of the roots rock/Americana scene—Tommy Malone of the subdudes and Ray Ganucheau, late of the first iteration of the Continental Drifters and other bands. Their new EP, “Muddy Water” is set to be released next Friday and an early sneak peek suggests this will turn some ears around the country.
Of special note: a documentary film about the Rebirth Brass Band is playing in Le Petit Theatre at 3 PM.
Tomorrow—picks for the weekend!
