The Voodoo Threauxdown, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and his band Orleans Avenue’s summer tour, hit dozens of cities this summer bringing a serious taste of New Orleans to venues across the country. The finale of the extravaganza, dubbed “Hometown Threauxdown,” takes plays a dozen blocks from the Tremé neighborhood where Andrews grew up. The show features Michael Franti & Spearhead, the Preservation Hall Brass Band, the New Breed Brass Band, Mannie Fresh, and many others. It kicks off at Bold Sphere Music at Champions Square at 6 PM on Saturday.
The summer tour featured a number of special guests including Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Kermit Ruffins, but it’s Franti and his band Spearhead that has people in New Orleans energized. The acclaimed singer/songwriter is touring in anticipation of his upcoming album, Stay Human Vol. 2, which is due January 25, and his new self-directed documentary Stay Human that is screening at select film festivals now.
Franti explains about his new music and film, “I’ve traveled the globe making music and throughout the years I’ve always hoped that it could inspire small steps towards making the world a better place. Struggling with the challenges of the world I began filming my new documentary, Stay Human, telling the stories of heroic everyday people who helped me to discover more deeply what it means to be and STAY HUMAN.”
Andrews has said that he wanted to create an autumn festival event intended for his friends and neighbors in New Orleans during the City’s Tricentennial. “I really wanted to give back to the city, and do whatever I can to try to bring it together,” said Shorty. “I thought it would be great to get musicians from New Orleans on the same bill as some other friends from the road and try to keep ticket prices low so that everyone in the city can come out—almost like a reunion or a homecoming.”
Franti began writing music as a way to process both the political landscape of the late 1980s and the unique sounds and ideas of his Bay Area upbringing. In 1994, Franti formed Michael Franti & Spearhead. Touring with his band, Franti continued to notice inequality and injustice both at home and abroad. The band released their seminal Stay Human album in 2000, reflecting on the unjust nature of the death penalty among other themes, to make sense of our common humanity in juxtaposition to near constant violations of human rights.
Tickets are available here.
