The Vinyl District is an official media sponsor of the annual free Festival, and we have a signed and numbered edition of the special 30th Anniversary Poster (pictured above) for one lucky winner. Read on for details—but up first, our picks for Day One.
The festival starts tomorrow with Local’s Day, and the organizers pulled out all the stops with three of our living legends playing back to back on the Abita stage—Irma Thomas (below), Walter “Wolfman” Washington, and George Porter, Jr.
Elsewhere in the greater French Quarter there are some wonderful musical offerings as well. Matt Perrrine’s Sunflower City doesn’t play too often. They kick off at 2 PM in Jackson Square. The sousaphonist has his foot in so many projects that it’s easy to overlook one of his most personal. His wife, Debbie Davis, sings in the band.
Earlier in the day, Kid Merv and All That Jazz takes the stage at 12:30 PM on the Absolut Louis-Louis Pavilion (those readers with long memories with remember this as the Hibernia Pavilion before bank consolidation depleted the ranks of local bands—but I digress.)
Merv was one of the first brass band musicians to branch out into traditional jazz, and he has a great new album out. David Torkanowsky produced the record, which features Merv’s captivating vocals and stellar trumpet work.
Check back in on Thursday for Friday’s picks and the weekend will be featured on Friday.
Now for what you’ve all been waiting for! For a chance to win the free signed and numbered poster, tell us who was your favorite act was at the French Quarter Fest last year by leaving a comment below. Winners must live in the continental United States, and will be chosen at random a week from today, 4/17!
