Though all the stages that will be set up throughout the French Quarter don’t get started until tomorrow, there are still too many options for even the most intrepid fester. Here are my picks for Friday. Click here for the full schedule.
With twelve stages to choose from, why not start your day out in the fresh air on the Mississippi River? Marc Stone kicks off the Absolut Louis-Louis Pavilion at 11 AM.
His take on the blues and R&B is expansive, and he always surrounds himself with top-flight talent. I suspect that some searing guitar and blasting horns will get you in the mood for the rest of the day.
For something completely different, head over to the relatively tiny Capital One Riverside Legacy Stage for Magnetic Ear at 2 PM. Though this stage is usually known as the “brass band” stage, they have broadened the bookings to include bands that push that genre definition.
However, Magnetic Ear has been a regular feature here for some time now. Led by saxophonist Martin Krusche, his original songs are clearly jazz, but they feature elements of funk and soul that will have you up and dancing.
Last year’s set by Alex McMurray had me rolling on the lawn laughing. And that was the between song banter. Some of his songs are quite wry as well. This songwriter also plays a mean guitar and surrounds himself with killer musicians when he isn’t playing solo. He hits with his band on the Abita stage at 4 PM.
It’s a long stroll back to the Old U.S. Mint for Debauche at 5:45 PM, but I have sung the praises of this “Russian mafia” band before. They provide pure entertainment in the form of acoustic guitar, rowdy vocals, upright bass, fiddle and accordion. So what if the songs are in a Slavic tongue?
The final act of the day is always a tough choice, but with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Stooges Brass Band playing within earshot of each other, why not split the difference? You can check out what two different generations of musicians raised on the rich musical culture of New Orleans have to offer.
See you there!
